The Maldives’ national carrier Maldivian (airline) has launched direct flights between the Maldives and Australia, marking a historic milestone in the country’s aviation and tourism sector.

The airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft departed Malé for Melbourne on Sunday night, officially commencing the new service, which the carrier described as “a proud moment for the Maldives.”

The non-stop route significantly reduces travel time between the two destinations to around 11 hours, compared to typical 15 to 20-hour journeys that usually involve stopovers in cities such as Singapore, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, or Dubai.

The new service has been introduced in partnership with Luxury Escapes, one of Australia’s leading travel agencies, which will serve as the exclusive booking channel for the flights.

Operated weekly, the service uses Maldivian’s Airbus A330 aircraft configured with 18 fully lie-flat business class seats and 246 economy seats.

The launch comes ahead of the summer travel season and is expected to strengthen tourism ties between the Maldives and Australia while expanding long-haul connectivity for the national carrier.