Maldivian, the national airline, will begin direct flights to four Chinese cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Xi'an—starting January 2025. The airline will operate these routes using its new A330-200 wide-body aircraft.

The announcement was made during an event in Beijing, attended by Minister of Transport Mohamed Ameen, who thanked President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu for fulfilling the promise of wide-body operations. The direct flights are expected to enhance tourism and connectivity between the Maldives and China, which is currently the top tourist market for the country, contributing 13.5% of arrivals.

This move will strengthen the Maldives' growing tourism sector, which has seen 1.88 million arrivals this year, with major contributors including Russia, the UK, Germany, and Italy.