Air Arabia Increases Flights to Maldives Amid Rising Demand
Photo: Air Arabia
Air Arabia has doubled its scheduled flights to the Maldives in response to a sustained increase in travel demand from the United Arab Emirates.
The Sharjah-based carrier now operates two daily services between Sharjah International Airport and Velana International Airport in Malé, up from its previous schedule of one flight per day.
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The expansion follows the airline’s launch of scheduled services to the Maldives on 27 October 2024. All flights continue to operate on the Sharjah–Malé route, reinforcing Air Arabia’s commitment to strengthening regional connectivity.
Air Arabia has also become the first foreign airline to operate from the newly inaugurated terminal at Velana International Airport. Its services were transferred to the new facility on 13 August, shortly after the terminal’s opening.
The increase in capacity reflects the growing strategic importance of the UAE as a source market for Maldivian tourism. Industry observers have noted a notable rise in visitor numbers from the UAE in recent years.
Official figures show that during the first nine months of the current year, 14,897 tourists from the UAE visited the Maldives, marking an increase of 21.3 percent compared with 12,279 arrivals over the same period last year.
