Velena International Airport is the main airport in Maldives, located on Hulhulé Island, near the capital city Male. It is the airport that serves as the main gateway to Maldives. There are 4 international airports in Maldives and 12 domestic airports. Listed below are the main international and domestic airports in Maldives:
International Airports in Maldives
1. Velana International Airport
Popularly known as Male International Airport and sometimes Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Velana International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the Maldives. It connects Maldives to all the destinations across the world. At present, it is operated by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and serves as the headquarters of 2 airline companies - Trans Maldivian Airways, which operates seaplanes, and Maldivian, the national airlines of the country.
Terminals: The airport has 3 terminals - one international, one domestic and another water dome for seaplane operations.
Terminals: The airport has 3 terminals - one international, one domestic and another water dome for seaplane operations.
Transportation to and from the Airport: The capital island Male lies at a distance of 1km the airport and can be easily reached by ferry or speedboat. Ferries are the cheapest and cost around MVR 15 during the daytime when they are available at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes - a surcharge applies at night. On Fridays, however, these are available only till midnight. Ferries to other local islands are not available from the airport but only from Male island. If you are staying at a resort island, then speedboats or seaplanes are the only modes of transport, and these are available from the airport itself.
Airlines in operation: Some of the major flight carriers operating in the Male International Airport include Maldivian, Emirates, Air Asia, China Eastern Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, etc. Maldivian and Sri Lankan Airlines have the maximum number of flight operations.
Services and facilities: ATMs, a branch of the Bank of Maldives, forex counters, pharmacy and health centre, free internet kiosks, baggage storage options, duty-free shops and food options.
Serves: Male
Airport Codes: IATA - MLE and ICAO - VRMM
2. Gan International Airport
Gan Airport is one of the three international airports of Maldives and is smaller than the Male International Airport with limited flight operations. It lies on Gan Island in Addu Atoll, 544 km south of Male, and was initially built by the Royal Navy. It is managed by the Addu International Airport Pvt. Ltd.
Terminals: The airport has 2 terminals - one is used for both domestic and international flight movements, and the other Executive Terminal is a private terminal used by the Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa for its guests.
Terminals: The airport has 2 terminals - one is used for both domestic and international flight movements, and the other Executive Terminal is a private terminal used by the Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa for its guests.
Transportation to and from the Airport: The primary transportation from the airport includes taxis. For moving to other resort islands, speedboats have to be used.
Airlines in operation: Currently, Maldivian is the only domestic airline connecting islands like Fuvahmulah, Kooddoo, Kaadedhdhoo and Kadhdhoo. The only international flight carrier operating is SriLankan Airlines connecting Colombo.
Services and facilities: Medical facilities, a restaurant, prayer room
Serves: Addu City
Airport Codes: IATA - GAN and ICAO - VRMG
3. Hanimaadhoo International Airport
Hanimaadhoo International Airport is one of the three international airports in Maldives. It lies on Hanimaadhoo Island in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, 287 km north of Male. It is operated by the Maldives Airports Company Limited and has a single runway for both domestic and international flight operations.
Airlines in operation: Maldivian is the only flight carrier connecting Hanimaadhoo to Trivandrum in India and other islands of the Maldives such as Male, Dharavandhoo and Ifuru.
Serves: Haa Dhaalu
Airport Codes: IATA - HAQ and ICAO - VRMH
Domestic Airports in Maldives
4. Villa International Airport
Operated by the Villa Group, Villa International Airport serves as a base for the private airline company Flyme, also known as Villa Air. It lies on Maamigili Island in Alif Dhaalu Atoll, 108 km southwest of Male island. It has a single terminal with a single concrete runway. Some of the closest resorts to this airport include Sun Island Resort, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa, etc. For reaching these resorts, speedboats can be used from this airport in Maldives.
Airlines in operation: Flyme operates scheduled flights to and from various domestic destinations like Male, Gan, Dharavandhoo, Fuvahmulah, etc. Chartered seaplanes also operate from this airport.
Serves: Alifu Dhaalu
Airport Codes: IATA - VAM and ICAO - VRMV
5. Dharavandhoo Airport
Dharavandhoo Airport is a domestic airport in Maldives owned by Coastline Hotels & Resorts Pvt Ltd and operated by the Island Aviation Services. It lies on Dharavandhoo Island, Baa Atoll, about 115 km northwest of Male.
Airlines in operation: From Dharavandhoo, Flyme and Maldivian have around 8-9 flights daily to and from destinations like Male, Hanimaadhoo and Ifuru.
Serves: Baa Atoll
Airport Codes: IATA - DRV and ICAO - VRMD
6. Kadhdhoo Airport
Kadhdhoo Airport is one of the first domestic airports to be built in the Maldives in the 1980s for connecting the faraway islands to Male. It is located on Kadhdhoo Island, around 260 kms away from Malé, and serves the islands in Haddhunmathi Atoll. This airport in Maldives is operated by the Maldives Airports Corporation and has a single runway.
Services and facilities: Restaurant, lounge, play area for children, mosques, and rooms for passengers to stay.
Airlines in operation: Flyme and Maldivian operate flights connecting some domestic destinations like Male, Gan, Kaadedhdhoo, Kooddoo, and some others.
Serves: Laamu Atoll
Airport Codes: IATA - KDO and ICAO - VRMK
7. Kaadedhdhoo Airport
Opened in 1993, this is another domestic airport in the Maldives, lying on Kaadedhdhoo Island, nearly 340 kms south of Malé. It is operated by the Maldives Airports Corporation and serves the islands in the Huvadhu Atoll. Kaadedhdhoo is basically an uninhabited island, so the only accommodations available are the resorts and guesthouses on the nearby islands and they can be reached by speedboat from this airport.
Airlines in operation: Maldivian is the only airline operating with flights connecting the islands of Male, Gan and the nearby Kadhdhoo.
Serves: Gaafu Dhaalu
Airport Codes: IATA - KDM and ICAO - VRMT
8. Fuvahmulah Airport
Owned and operated by the Government of Maldives, this is a relatively newer domestic airport opened only in 2011. It serves the faraway Fuvahmulah Island, around 500 kms south of Male. The airport is quite small with a single runway. Maldivian and Flyme operate scheduled flights to and from Gan and Male from the Fuvahmulah airport, but flights are sometimes cancelled due to the lack of passengers.
Serves: Gnaviyani
Airport Codes: IATA - FVM and ICAO - VRMR
9. Dhaalu Airport
Airlines in operation: Flights connecting the islands of Male, Kaadedhdhoo, Kadhdhoo and Gan, operated by Maldivian, are available from this airport.
Serves: Dhaalu Atoll
Airport Codes: IATA - DDD and ICAO - VRMU
10. Thimarafushi Airport
Thimarafushi Airport on Thimarafushi Island, Thaa Atoll, lies around 224 kms south of Male. It is a domestic airport constructed by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company in 2013 and is currently operated by the Island Aviation Services. This airport in Maldives has flights connecting only the island of Male.
Serves: Thaa Atoll
Airport Codes: IATA - TMF and ICAO - VRNT
11. Kooddoo Airport
Serves: Gaafu Alifu
Airport Codes: IATA - GKK and ICAO - VRMO
12. Ifuru Airport
Serves: Ifaru
Airport Codes: IATA - IFU and ICAO - VREI
Once you land at the airport in Maldives, you can get your tourist visa in less than an hour - know about how to get a Maldives Visa for Indians! Happy Holidaying :)