Paris–Maldives direct routes planned: confirm schedules and fares before booking

Two airlines plan to fly non-stop between Paris and Malé this winter, ending the need for a connection through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Istanbul. Air France is set to start from Paris Charles de Gaulle on 18 December 2026, and French bee from Paris Orly on 19 December 2026, with a flight time of about ten hours.

The schedules, flight days and fares circulating so far come from aviation publications and comparison sites. Neither airline has confirmed them on its own website, and several details conflict between sources.

Key facts

• Air France: Paris Charles de Gaulle to Malé from 18 December 2026, announced until 7 March 2027
• French bee: Paris Orly to Malé from 19 December 2026, announced until 2 May 2027
• Both routes use an Airbus A350-900; flight time is about ten hours
• Return fares seen from €649 with French bee, cabin bag only
• French passport holders: free visa on arrival for 30 days, plus an IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival

Which flights are launching?

Air France is listed as operating an A350-900 with three cabins, roughly two flights a week. Flight AF268 leaves Charles de Gaulle at 8:15 pm and lands in Malé at 10:05 am the following day; the return, AF289, departs Malé at 12:05 pm and reaches Paris at 6:55 pm. One source shows only one weekly flight in December, rising to two in January and February, so the early frequency is not settled.

French bee plans an Orly–Malé route on an A350-900, up to two flights a week, falling to one a week from 10 March 2027. Flight BF770 departs Orly at 7:30 pm and arrives in Malé at 9:25 am the next day. The route forms an Orly–Malé–Colombo triangle, and the Malé–Colombo leg cannot be sold separately. These flights are also described as subject to government authorisation, and no Malé–Orly return timetable has been published.

Flight days are disputed for both carriers: Air France is variously given as Tuesday and Saturday or Friday and Sunday, while French bee appears as Monday, Thursday and Saturday or Monday and Saturday. A third carrier, beOnd, is listed as flying from Charles de Gaulle via Dubai from mid-December 2026, three times a week.

How much does a return cost?

The lowest figure seen is from €649 return with French bee, including a 12 kg cabin bag but excluding hold baggage and meals. Comparison sites give higher averages: €774 on one page, and €700 to €960 across the year on another, with September around €700 and July–August between €1,000 and €1,050. Snapshots for Air France show €933 for late January and early February 2027, €1,066 for September 2026 and €1,237 for December.

What do French travellers need to enter the Maldives?

For French passport holders, the visa is issued on arrival free of charge for 30 days. France's foreign ministry says travellers may be asked to show USD 100, plus USD 50 per day of stay. A secondary source gives an extension of up to 90 days for a fee of MVR 750.

The IMUGA traveller declaration must be completed within the 96 hours before arrival. A yellow fever certificate is required only when arriving from, or transiting through, a country at risk, so a direct flight from Paris does not trigger it.

Passport validity is the one unresolved point: France's foreign ministry requires six months' validity beyond the end of the stay, while the UK government states one month after arrival. The two rules are incompatible, so travellers should aim for the stricter six months until the position is confirmed in writing.

What this means for travellers

Flights land at Velana international airport on Hulhulé island, next to Malé, and travellers must arrange an onward transfer to their island by seaplane, private speedboat or public ferry. Because flight days and return times differ between sources, travellers should confirm the exact dates with the airline before locking in resort stays or transfers, and compare fares including hold baggage, meals and transfers rather than the headline price alone.

The published timetables remain provisional. Travellers should recheck the schedules, entry rules and passport validity requirements on the day they book.