Airline codes
Q2 · DQA
IATA · ICAO · callsign “SKY SURFER”
Every Maldivian flight number begins with Q2. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code DQA, and the radio callsign is SKY SURFER.
Maldivian (Q2) Guide
No reviews yet
Airline
Malé flights to South Asia, China, seasonal Bangkok and Shenzhen, plus domestic and seaplane routes: fleet, cabins, baggage and tips for Maldivian. Ask a question
In short
Maldivian is the national airline of the Maldives, based at Velana International in Malé. It flies across the Maldives and to Dhaka, India, China and, in season, Bangkok, with a codeshare with Qatar Airways and no alliance. Cabins are Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Dhaka relaunch fares carry 30 kg of checked baggage and the seasonal Bangkok route 25 kg.
Maldivian is the state-owned airline of the Maldives, running everything from seaplanes to an A330 out of Malé.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Maldivian. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
What to expect
Maldivian is the national airline of the Maldives, owned by the state company Island Aviation Services. It was founded on 13 April 2000 under the Island Aviation name and took the Maldivian brand in August 2008. Its hub is Velana International Airport in Malé, and its fleet runs from Twin Otter seaplanes that land beside resort islands to an Airbus A330-200 that joined in January 2025.
South Asia has been part of the network for years. Maldivian first flew to Dhaka in November 2012, suspended the route in 2024, and brought back direct Malé to Dhaka flights on 12 March 2026, starting twice a week with an Airbus A320 and a 30 kg baggage allowance. For about a month from April 2026 the airline cut it to one weekly flight on the larger A330. Search your dates on Dhaka to Male flights and Male to Dhaka flights; US-Bangla Airlines also flies this route.
Thailand is a seasonal market for Maldivian rather than a year-round one. It flew Malé to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi over the 2025 to 2026 holidays and again on Sundays from 12 July to 2 August 2026, with 25 kg of baggage. A separate seasonal A320 service, Malé to Shenzhen via Bangkok, ran in summer 2025, in early 2026 and from 13 July to 24 August 2026. When these flights are on sale, compare them on Bangkok to Male flights and Male to Bangkok flights.
The international map also includes Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi in India, Beijing and Chengdu in China, seasonal Xi'an and a seasonal Melbourne service. At home, Maldivian connects Malé with Gan, Hanimaadhoo, Kulhudhuffushi, Fuvahmulah and other atolls by landplane and seaplane. It codeshares with Qatar Airways.
Who runs Maldivian?
Maldivian is the airline brand of Island Aviation Services, a company wholly owned by the Government of the Maldives since a presidential decree on 23 April 2009. Island Aviation does far more than fly: it handles aircraft engineering, ground handling, flight operations, aerodrome management and refuelling at the public airports of the Maldives, and it employs more than 4,500 people. The airline started in 2000 with one Dash 8-200 and two Dornier 228s, and the Maldivian name was launched on 25 August 2008. Its IATA code is Q2 and its ICAO code is DQA.
How does Maldivian reach the atolls?
The domestic network is the densest in the country. Landplanes serve about 18 island airports, including Dharavandhoo for Baa Atoll, Fuvahmulah, Gan in Addu, Hanimaadhoo in the far north, Ifuru, Kaadedhdhoo, Kadhdhoo, Kooddoo, Kulhudhuffushi, Maafaru, Madivaru, Thimarafushi and Muli. Since 2023 the old Dash 8s have been replaced by ATR 72-600 and ATR 42-600 turboprops.
The seaplane fleet of about 11 DHC-6 Twin Otters lands on lagoons beside resorts in Baa, Dhaalu, Noonu, Raa and Thaa atolls, with Four Seasons Private Island, Vakkaru, Kandima and Niyaama among the properties served. A Beechcraft King Air 360 flies luxury resort guests, and a Dash 8-200 works as an air ambulance for Maldives Emergency Medical Services.
The wide-body era
On 6 January 2025 Maldivian put its first wide-body aircraft, an Airbus A330-200, into service on the route to Chengdu. A second A330 is on order. The airline earlier flew an A321 between 2015 and 2022.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
Checked against trusted sources:
Maldivian official website
See the source
–/5
No reviews yet
Travelled through Maldivian? Your review helps other travellers.
Good to know
- AllianceNone (codeshare with Qatar Airways)
- Founded2000
- Online check-inYes
Everything you should know
At a glance
Maldivian (IATA: Q2, ICAO: DQA) is the national airline of the Maldives, founded in 2000 as Island Aviation Services and based at Velana International Airport, Malé. It flies Airbus A320 and A330, ATR and Twin Otter aircraft to Dhaka, India, China, seasonal Bangkok and Shenzhen, and across the Maldives.
| Headquarters | Malé, Maldives |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A320, A330-200, ATR 42-600, ATR 72-600, Dash 8-300, DHC-6 Twin Otter |
| Official website | maldivian.aero |
Flight routes
Destinations and routes
Many Maldivian international routes are seasonal or holiday-only. These are recently served destinations; confirm the current schedule when you search.
Search flights
Thailand
Malé (MLE) departures2 destinations
FromTo MLE BKK MaléBangkok (seasonal) Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
-
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), seasonal
Bangladesh and India
Malé (MLE) departures3 destinations
FromTo MLE DAC MaléDhaka Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE TRV MaléThiruvananthapuram Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE COK MaléKochi Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
China
Malé (MLE) departures4 destinations
FromTo MLE PEK MaléBeijing Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE TFU MaléChengdu Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
-
Shenzhen (SZX), seasonal via Bangkok
-
Xi'an (XIY), seasonal
Maldives
Malé (MLE) departures6 destinations
FromTo MLE GAN MaléGan Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE HAQ MaléHanimaadhoo Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE KDM MaléKulhudhuffushi Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE FVM MaléFuvahmulah Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE NMF MaléMaafaru Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
FromTo MLE DRV MaléDharavandhoo Available airlines1 airline- Maldivian
Fleet and aircraft
A mixed fleet: Airbus jets for international routes, ATR and Dash 8 turboprops at home, and a large Twin Otter seaplane fleet.
-
Airbus A320 Narrow-body Dhaka, Bangkok and the seasonal Shenzhen service
-
Airbus A330-200 Wide-body Nonstop China routes and long sectors, 18 business, 36 premium economy, 210 economy
-
ATR 42-600 Turboprop Domestic airports across the atolls
-
ATR 72-600 Turboprop Domestic airports across the atolls
-
DHC-6 Twin Otter Seaplane Resort island transfers on floats
Cabin classes
Up to three cabins on the A330.
Business A330 only
18 lie-flat seats
Fully flat bedsDedicated check-in counterIn-seat power and entertainment
Premium Economy A330 and domestic
Extra space and flexibility
36 seats on the A33025 kg on domestic premium economyPriority check-in on domestic routes
Economy All flights
Main cabin
30 kg announced on Dhaka fares25 kg on summer 2026 Bangkok flightsAllowance printed on your ticket
Frequent flyer programme
At Velana International, Maldivian passengers can use the Moonimaa lounge, and the airline runs Kashimaa lounges at Hanimaadhoo and Dharavandhoo for domestic travellers. Besides its Qatar Airways codeshare, Maldivian has interline agreements with Air India, Azerbaijan Airlines, Emirates and Etihad Airways, which can allow a through ticket from an international arrival onto a domestic flight. The tail still carries the blue wave and dolphin that replaced the original Island Aviation design with its dolphins and tuna.
Baggage allowance
Your allowance depends on the route, your cabin and the fare. The exact amount is printed on your booking.
Dhaka route
30 kg (relaunch fares)
Bangkok seasonal
25 kg
Domestic premium economy
25 kg
Cabin baggage
Check your booking
Relaunched Dhaka fares were announced with 30 kg; the summer 2026 Bangkok service carried 25 kg. Domestic premium economy includes 25 kg.
Pro tip: seaplane transfers may follow their own baggage rules, so ask your resort before you pack.
Travel day
Online Check-in
The four steps below take you from your Maldivian booking to the gate, whether you depart from MLE or another airport on its network.
-
Step 1
Check in online
Where your flight allows it, check in on maldivian.aero or app with your surname and booking reference or e-ticket number.
Booking ref + surname -
Step 2
Prepare your documents
Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for.
Passport · visa · ID -
Step 3
Arrive early
Each airport has its own Maldivian check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international Q2 departures.
Well before departure -
Step 4
Drop your bags
Maldivian desks and bag-drop points take your hold luggage. Keep the bag-tag receipt with your boarding pass until the bags come off at the end of your Q2 trip.
Maldivian counter
Ready to check in?
Check in and manage your booking on the official Maldivian website.
Save money
Cheap tickets
Practical advice for flying Maldivian, from thinly scheduled international routes to seaplane transfers.
-
01
Book thin routes early
Some Maldivian international routes run only once or twice a week, so a full flight leaves no same-airline fallback for days. Lock in the flight before anything else.
Weekly services -
02
Watch for the Bangkok season
Maldivian sells Bangkok only in short holiday and summer windows. Outside them, fly a different airline or route through another hub.
Seasonal only -
03
Ask about seaplane weight
If your resort books you on a Maldivian seaplane, ask in advance what baggage the transfer allows, as it can differ from your international ticket.
Resort transfers -
04
Leave a buffer in Malé
Domestic and seaplane flights can slip with weather, so avoid booking the last transfer of the day before an international departure.
Same airport -
05
Plan around the operating days
The Dhaka route has run with as few as one or two flights a week since its return, so plan a Maldives holiday around the operating days first and book the resort transfer second. A missed weekly flight can mean several extra nights in Malé.
-
Ready to compare fares?
Search Maldivian alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Maldivian flights
Reviews and questions
Contribute:
No reviews yetFlown Maldivian recently? Be the first to share your experience with other travellers.
Recently viewed airlines
Others of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
Visitors are asking
Q2, with the ICAO code DQA.
Velana International Airport, Malé (MLE).
Island Aviation Services, a state-owned Maldivian company.
Still looking?
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Maldivian.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying Maldivian.
We check these Maldivian answers with the airline’s own sources and aviation references every season.
General
Yes. Maldivian restarted direct flights between Dhaka and Malé on 12 March 2026 after a break that began in 2024. Check current days on Dhaka to Male flights.
Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, both from Velana International in Malé.
25 kg of checked baggage, plus priority check-in on domestic routes.
No. Maldivian runs Bangkok as a seasonal route, most recently weekly from 12 July to 2 August 2026, and earlier over the December to January holidays. Outside those windows, look at other airlines on Bangkok to Male flights.
The Bangkok stop is part of a seasonal Malé to Shenzhen service, which last ran from 13 July to 24 August 2026 with an A320. Whether the Bangkok to Shenzhen leg is sold on its own varies, so check availability for your dates.
Airbus A320 and A330-200 jets on international routes, ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 turboprops on domestic flights, and DHC-6 Twin Otter seaplanes for resort transfers.
Its Airbus A330-200 has 18 business seats, 36 premium economy seats and 210 economy seats. Other aircraft in the fleet have different layouts, so check the seat map for your flight.
We could not find a published Maldivian frequent flyer programme. If earning miles matters, ask the airline whether its Qatar Airways codeshare flights can be credited anywhere.
Yes. Beijing and Chengdu are in its network, with Shenzhen sold seasonally via Bangkok and Xi'an as a seasonal route.
Maldivian is headquartered in Malé, Maldives. Its main hub is Velana International.
Getting there
Since March 2025, domestic premium economy includes 25 kg of baggage, one free date change and priority check-in at the airport.
Yes, both use Velana International Airport. On separate tickets, leave several hours between flights, because domestic and seaplane timings can shift with weather.
Maldivian uses the IATA code Q2 and the ICAO code DQA. Its radio callsign is SKY SURFER.
Stay & facilities
Yes. Its Twin Otter seaplanes serve resort islands in atolls including Baa, Dhaalu, Noonu, Raa and Thaa. Resorts usually arrange these transfers, so ask your hotel which carrier it uses.
Booking
Maldivian has interline agreements with Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air India and Azerbaijan Airlines, so a through ticket may be possible. Ask the airline or your agent to issue it.
