The Cabinet has directed Island Aviation Services Limited (IAS) to review and reduce airfares charged to tourists, as the government moves to improve the affordability of domestic air travel across the Maldives.
The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting held on Sunday, 16 August 2026, following updates on development and policy initiatives being undertaken by government ministries.
Under the decision, IAS, which operates the national carrier Maldivian, will assess its existing tourist fare structure and take measures to lower ticket prices for foreign travellers.
Domestic aviation plays a critical role in the Maldives, connecting Malé and Velana International Airport with communities and tourism destinations scattered across the country’s geographically dispersed atolls. Airfares can therefore have a direct impact on the cost and accessibility of travel beyond the capital.
Lower tourist fares could particularly benefit destinations that depend on domestic flights for onward connections, while potentially making locally operated tourism businesses in the atolls more accessible to international visitors.
The Cabinet announcement did not specify the scale of the planned reduction, which routes would be covered, or when revised fares would take effect.
The airfare review was among several decisions reached during Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, alongside measures concerning tobacco and nicotine prevention, the Home for People with Special Needs in K. Guraidhoo, SIM card regulations, pre-trial detention and copper wire theft.
