Holiday Rush Fills Maldivian’s Seasonal Flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok

Strong holiday travel demand pushed seasonal international flights operated by Maldivian to near-full capacity on routes to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, underscoring the continued popularity of regional destinations among Maldivian travellers.

The airline recorded high passenger loads throughout the recent holiday period, with the seasonal services—introduced to support peak travel—attracting sustained interest from passengers. In total, more than 2,120 travellers flew on the Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok routes, driven by demand for short leisure breaks, shopping trips and onward travel during the school holidays and year-end season.

The strong performance of the two routes reflects Maldivian’s demand-led approach to network planning, particularly during peak travel periods when regional connectivity becomes increasingly important. The airline noted that interest remained consistently high across the season, validating the role of targeted seasonal services in meeting passenger needs.

Alongside the seasonal operations, Maldivian expanded capacity across its wider international network in response to increased travel activity. Additional services were mounted to Trivandrum and Kochi, while selected high-demand flights were operated using upgraded aircraft to enhance capacity and passenger comfort. Extra flights were also added to Jeddah to accommodate Umrah travel during the busy holiday season.

Domestically, the airline operated more than 500 additional flights between mid-December and the end of January to support heightened passenger movement, with further services planned in the coming weeks. Seaplane operations also saw increased activity, supporting resort transfers and elevated tourist flows across the Maldives during one of the busiest periods of the year.

Overall, the holiday season marked a positive period for Maldivian, with steady demand recorded across its international, domestic and seaplane operations. Looking ahead, the airline said it will continue to focus on demand-driven network planning through targeted seasonal services, while further strengthening its operations to support future growth in travel demand.