Luxury Escapes has doubled down on direct flights to the Maldives due to strong demand for the new service.
The company has signed an agreement with the national carrier Maldivian to operate a year-round weekly service in 2027.
The current six-month seasonal flights from Melbourne will finish in November, before recommencing in January, operating a weekly return service and continuing the only direct link between Australia and the Indian Ocean paradise.
Luxury Escapes said the flights have recorded an average load factor of 90%, with the business cabin selling out quickly. Maldives resort package bookings have also increased 65% compared with the previous year.
Adam Schwab, Luxury Escapes CEO and Co-Founder, said the response showed there was clear demand for a direct connection.
“We had a short lead time between announcing and launching flights and took a punt on the ‘if we build it, they will come’ strategy – and they certainly came in far greater numbers than we had dreamed,” Mr Schwab said.
While couples remain the largest customer segment, the company has also recorded growth from families, multigenerational travellers and groups.
Lorie Argus, Melbourne Airport CEO, said the continuation of the service would also benefit travellers connecting from interstate markets including New South Wales and South Australia.
“It’s no surprise that direct flights from Melbourne to the Maldives have been popular with Australian travellers and we’re delighted that Luxury Escapes and Maldivian have decided to extend this service to operate year round,” Ms Argus said.
Maldivian operates the route with an Airbus A330-200 configured with 263 seats across business and economy, with economy plus seating also available.
Five-night packages including return flights and resort accommodation start from $2,399 per person, while standalone return economy fares start from $1,429.
