Maldives maintains domestic airfares for three years amid rising aviation costs

Domestic airfares in the Maldives have remained unchanged for the past three years despite rising global aviation costs, according to Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen, as the government seeks to limit travel expenses for island communities and local tourism businesses.

Speaking at the ninth Ahaa public forum, Minister Ameen said domestic airlines had maintained existing fares despite fluctuations in international fuel prices and increasing operational costs.

The Minister highlighted the challenges facing guesthouses and other tourism businesses in the outer atolls, where domestic air connectivity plays an important role in transporting visitors between Malé and regional destinations.

According to Ameen, international airline ticket prices have increased by approximately 30–40% amid rising fuel costs, while domestic fares in the Maldives have been maintained without similar increases.

He also disclosed that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu had intervened on three occasions to prevent proposed domestic airfare increases, encouraging airline operators to identify alternative ways of managing costs and generating revenue.

The Minister said fares for passengers travelling in connection with island guesthouse businesses had recently been reduced below their previous levels.

Despite the measures, Despite these measures, Ameen acknowledged that domestic airfares remain higher than desired. Speaking in Parliament in June, he had also identified low passenger demand and high aircraft operating and maintenance costs as major challenges to reducing domestic ticket prices.

Affordable and reliable domestic air connectivity remains an important consideration for the development of tourism beyond established resort destinations, particularly for guesthouses and tourism businesses operating in the outer atolls.