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British Airways adds new Maldives services – Avios seats available

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If you’ve wanted to fly to the Maldives on Avios, today is your lucky day.

British Airways seems to have relaunched the Maldives as a year-round service, albeit in a limited way.

A new service has appeared in the timetable today.

British Airways Avios Maldives

It departs on Fridays, leaving Heathrow at 19.15, arriving into Male at 09.40 on Saturday.

It departs Male at 11.40 on Saturday, arriving back into Heathrow at 19.05

Avios seats are available

British Airways has only made the minimum number of Avios seats available – 4 in World Traveller and 2 in Club World.

However, they are available, at least at 5.45pm on Thursday.

If you can find a pair that work for you, either for 8 or 15 nights, I would jump on it ASAP.


How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Comments (33)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Journeying John says:

    I wonder if they’re still using the clapped out old 777 with non functional IFE, damaged seating, leaking a/c that took me there a couple of years ago…
    When combined with inadequate catering load, never again…. with BA

    • babyg says:

      they have brand new 777-300er with club suite on this route (but equipment swapping is common at the moment)

      • Martin Pelant says:

        the seat map for a random booking this summer shows the old club world cabin (not club suite)

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    Prices??

  • Dominic Barrington says:

    It’s a four-class 777…

  • BSI1978 says:

    Not seeing year-round availability (i.e. post Oct 21) or perhaps I have misunderstood this statement….?

  • Mart says:

    Waiting patiently for ours to be cancelled 7th march -21march £999 747 special fares and will amend for later in the year, departure time altered 5hrs yesterday so could get refund but would prefer rebook not interested in vouchers

  • Vikki Schofield says:

    No availability showing for sept, October or November…

  • Ikaz says:

    I just booked RFS tickets in economy (Business was already sold out on my dates), it was actually cheaper to book with the lowest amount of avios 11,400 + £540. RFS on this route is actually amazing value.
    I had already booked up the Waldorf Astoria, the Intercontinental and the W on points, I was waiting for some nice flexible flights to go with it in case we can’t travel, and these are the exact dates that I wanted.
    Amazing timing, thanks for flagging meta/rob!

  • Si says:

    If anyone wants them – there’s 2 economy seats out 22nd Jan, back 30th for 60k Avios and £150 each.

    Sadly I can’t do it, and also it’s all well-and-good to fly there for next to nothing but it’s then a £1k or something a day to stay there!!

    • Si says:

      Sorry £1k a day!

      • marcw says:

        There are cheaper resorts…

        • meta says:

          Indeed. Look at the Radisson. It’s not Intercontinental, WA or St Regis in terms of service, but standard room is overwater pool villa and it’s relatively new. You can add on cheap meal package to points booking. Only 23.33k Amex MR points or you can get them cheaply in points sale).

          Sadly from autumn there is no more seaplane transfer deal.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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