Cheap flights from London to Male

February comes out cheapest in the fare data, and it falls inside the Maldives dry season, when the weather is at its most reliable. Prices are listed for every other month too, so you can weigh a spring trip against an autumn one. On the London side, school holidays and the run-up to Christmas push fares up, and weekend departures usually cost more than midweek ones. Book a few months ahead for winter travel and watch fares through the quieter weeks.

Nothing flies this route non-stop, so every itinerary is a connection, and that shapes the airline list. Easyjet and Wizz Air Malta are low-cost, which means you pay for a seat and a small cabin bag and add anything else separately. The remaining carriers — Air Arabia, China Eastern Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air India, Azerbaijan Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Kuwait Airways and ITA Airways — sell fares with more included, though what you actually get depends on the ticket. With connections, check whether both legs sit on one booking or whether you are stitching two together.

Velana International is the country's only international airport, and it sits on its own island beside Malé, so the transfer into the capital is short — a boat or a drive across the water rather than a long taxi ride. If you are heading on to a resort island, the transfer is usually arranged by the hotel and depends on where you are going. Sort that out before you fly, because a late arrival can mean a night in Malé before you move on. Customs and immigration are handled at Velana, and the terminal is compact.

Currency

MVR (ރ)

Power sockets

Type A, C, G, J, K, L · 230 V

Language

Maldivian

Emergency number

102, 118, 119

Calling code

+960

Internet domain

.mv

Population of Male

133 k (2014)

Time zone

UTC+05 (Indian/Maldives)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport you fly from — Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City are all on this route and they sit far apart.
• If a low-cost carrier such as Easyjet or Wizz Air Malta is on the itinerary, price bags before you compare totals.
• Find out whether your connection is one ticket or two bookings, because a missed leg on separate tickets is yours to fix.
• Check Maldives entry rules for your passport, including how much validity you need left.
• Compare February against the weeks either side of it, since that is the month the fare data flags as cheapest.
• Confirm your resort transfer for the time you actually land, not the time you were meant to.