IndiGo Expands India–Maldives Network With New Thiruvananthapuram–Malé Daily Flight

• IndiGo will commence daily ATR flights between Thiruvananthapuram and Malé, starting from October 26, 2025, thereby increasing its India–Maldives schedule to 28 weekly flights, comprising 21 flights from South India.
• The schedule—noon departure from Thiruvananthapuram, early-afternoon return from Malé—is structured to align with resort transfers in the Maldives and same-day connections in Kerala.
• The launch strengthens Kerala’s role as a gateway, comes as Velana Airport’s new terminal boosts capacity to 7.5 million passengers, and reflects IndiGo’s strategy of building short-haul international links from multiple Indian cities.

IndiGo will launch daily non-stop flights between Thiruvananthapuram and Malé on October 26, 2025, expanding its Maldives network to four Indian cities. Thiruvananthapuram joins Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kochi as direct gateways, increasing IndiGo’s India–Maldives schedule to 28 weekly flights.

The addition strengthens IndiGo’s position in a market that remains one of the most popular short-haul leisure routes for Indian travellers. It also makes Kerala the only Indian state with two cities directly linked by the airline to the island nation.

A schedule built for convenience

IndiGo’s new 6E 1129 will depart Thiruvananthapuram at 12:00 noon and arrive in Malé at 13:15. The return flight, 6E 1130, leaves Malé at 14:05 and reaches Kerala at 16:20. The service will operate daily, subject to regulatory approvals.

The timings are designed with travellers in mind. An arrival in Malé just after midday allows Indian holidaymakers to connect smoothly with afternoon resort transfers and domestic flights within the Maldives. The mid-afternoon return gets passengers back to Kerala by early evening, leaving time for onward domestic connections or local travel the same day.

From a regional perspective, the addition of Thiruvananthapuram means IndiGo now serves Malé from three southern cities—Bengaluru, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram—alongside Mumbai in western India. Together, these routes account for the majority of IndiGo’s 28 weekly India–Maldives flights.

Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Sales at IndiGo, said: 

“We are pleased to announce daily flights between Thiruvananthapuram and Malé, enhancing access to the recently expanded Velana International Airport. With this, IndiGo will now operate 28 weekly flights to the Maldives from four cities in India. With India being a major source of tourists for the Maldives, and the growing business ties between the two countries, this new route is poised to enhance not only connectivity but also further contribute to strengthening the growing bilateral relations.”

ATR on the Thiruvananthapuram–Malé Sector

The new route will be operated with ATR 72-600 aircraft, seating about 70 passengers. For a sector lasting just over an hour, the ATR offers the ideal blend of fuel efficiency, operating economics, and frequency flexibility.

By choosing the ATR for Thiruvananthapuram–Malé, IndiGo can sustain a daily schedule without oversizing capacity. The smaller aircraft also aligns with the demand profile of a short leisure route, while keeping fares competitive.

For passengers, the benefit is consistency: they can plan trips knowing the service runs every day, at the same time, with an aircraft suited to the journey. IndiGo has described the service as an “affordable and reliable travel experience on a short-haul route, with convenient timings,” underlining its focus on efficiency and accessibility.

Regional Travel Demand

The Maldives welcomed more than 2 million international visitors in 2024, the highest on record. India has consistently ranked among the top contributors, and southern cities like Kochi, Bengaluru, and Thiruvananthapuram are critical origin points due to their proximity and shorter flight times.

Direct links from Kerala and Karnataka mean Indian travellers can reach Malé in little over an hour, making weekend and short-stay holidays more practical. For Maldivian passengers, Kerala offers easy access to education and essential services, reinforcing the value of reliable two-way links.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport itself is expanding its role as a gateway.

The airport handled 4.9 million passengers in FY 2024–25, an 11% increase from the previous year.

With Malé added to its map, the airport now has another high-demand regional connection, complementing Kochi’s already busy schedule of Maldives services.

At the other end, Malé’s Velana International Airport inaugurated its new international terminal in July 2025, expanding annual passenger handling capacity to around 7.5 million. The facility, spanning over 70,000 square meters, is already easing bottlenecks and creating room for airlines like IndiGo to maintain punctual schedules during peak seasons.

IndiGo’s wider network strategy

The new route also aligns with IndiGo’s broader international growth strategy. With a fleet of over 400 aircraft, the airline now operates around 2,200 flights daily, connecting 90+ domestic and 40+ international destinations. In FY 2024–25 alone, IndiGo carried more than 118 million passengers, making it India’s largest and one of the fastest-growing airlines globally.

Adding Thiruvananthapuram–Malé reflects IndiGo’s approach of gradually building a strong short-haul international footprint from multiple Indian cities. Instead of relying only on metro hubs, the airline connects secondary cities like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram directly to popular leisure destinations, saving passengers time and opening new opportunities for regional markets.

Outlook

By linking Thiruvananthapuram to Malé, IndiGo is not only expanding its footprint in the Maldives but also reinforcing South India’s role in regional travel. With 28 weekly flights from India to Malé, including 21 from South India, the airline has positioned itself as the most consistent operator between the two countries.

For travellers, the daily ATR service brings predictability, convenient timings, and access to improved infrastructure at both ends. As demand for Maldives holidays continues to grow, IndiGo’s new service adds capacity where it is most needed, strengthening a corridor that remains central to tourism and mobility in the Indian Ocean region.

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