Wide-open business class Avios availability (9+ seats per day) to the Maldives in November

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• Sam says:

  25 Apr25 April 14:34

  Couple of my family members went last year using the BA points.
  Literally right up until 24 hrs before, CS was showing on seat layout in MMB, then was switched to CW.
  The exact same happened for the return leg.
  So perhaps best not to expect CS on this route.

  • Rob says:

    25 Apr25 April 14:43

    Very very few 777 left without CS though, if any (apart from a couple on loan from Gatwick). First 787 has just been done.

    • SamG says:

      25 Apr25 April 15:48

      Maldives is a 777-300ER route and there is just one left flying in the old config – G-STBC which is mainly harassing punters on the Houston route and will be off for reconfiguration shortly

      As Rob says – there are 3 x 777-200s with 14 First class seats which mainly ply routes out of T3 but these do not do the Maldives

      • SamG says:

        25 Apr25 April 15:48

        This is in the winter – last Sunday in Oct onwards. Summer is a 787-9 with old seats

    • Sam says:

      25 Apr25 April 15:58

      Cheers Rob. They also took a gamble in not paying for seat selection so were left with pretty bad seats on top of that!

• pbcold says:

  25 Apr25 April 14:47

  I have done this route a few times and always had CS – my experience of the weather in The Maldives in October/November has not been great, however.

• barry cutters says:

  25 Apr25 April 15:35

  Problem i have with Maldives redemption is you get exceptionally good package deals through travelzoo type websites to the Maldives which include upgraded rooms in hotel/flights/transfers.

  You don’t get that if booking a points flight. Transfers and hotels can be extortionate.

  unless anyone on here has any specific ideas for a hotel ?
  i have close to 2 million IHG points, or could pay cash.

  • SamG says:

    25 Apr25 April 15:50

    Agree – I looked often whilst living in Singapore but it seemed very expensive for a hotel vs doing as a package via UK. I would like to go in 2025 so interested to know how to find some kind of deal to go with my BA 2-4-1 flights I plan to secure!

  • Sam says:

    25 Apr25 April 15:51

    See my reply earlier in this post re Conrad Rangali.
    Looked at cashing in 480,000 HH points last year.

  • pbcold says:

    25 Apr25 April 17:39

    I/C Maldives is a wonderful property (and a great use of IHG points), as is Conrad Rangali. My new favourite is Amangiri, however, which is slightly cheaper and the speedboat transfer means it is 30 mins from landing @ MLE to check-in which is infinitely preferable to the lengthy seaplane transfer imo.

  • Will says:

    25 Apr25 April 19:53

    Have you got any examples of what a package from travel zoo or the like prices at / what resorts you can expect?

    • Rob says:

      25 Apr25 April 19:57

      Luxury Escapes home page shows Hard Rock Maldives at £1569 for 5 nights vs £3716.

      Reethi Rah is also on there at the moment with a headline banner of 22% off. Soneva Fushi is flagged as 18% off.

      Hotel only, not flight inclusive.

      • meta says:

        25 Apr25 April 20:14

        Plus you get £60 off as new member and since you are spending over £1k, there is £200 off with Amex. Many of the offers also have seaplane transfers included.

      • Will says:

        27 Apr27 April 10:20

        I don’t know how you’d structure it but given it’s a top destination for a lot of readers a Maldives article perhaps on merits of points vs cash and potential discounted rates on such sites would be of interest to me at least.

        Value of points bookings is definitely questionable with transfers and meals excluded but one thing I would say is they can still give excellent value at peak times when you won’t be getting a discounted rate.

• Bhavesh says:

  25 Apr25 April 16:02

  Booked the Maldives 2 weeks ago using my business companion voucher, only the outbound flight had business available so i booked the inbound in Economy. However i am now seeing Business is available which i know will cost more avios and more £… Does this mean i have to cancel my whole booking now in order to get business both ways using my companion voucher?

  • Rob says:

    25 Apr25 April 16:27

    No, you can call BA and upgrade the inbound leg. You keep the same booking reference.

  • AspirationalFlyer says:

    26 Apr26 April 07:36

    Hello!

    It’s relatively straightforward. I managed to use my companion voucher to the Maldives in March this year. When I booked the outbound there was no return availability in Club. When it was released I just called and they booked the return for us in a few minutes. I was charged a fee of £35 per person though.

    Booking reference remains the same. Outbound seat selection not impacted.

• Traumahawk007 says:

  25 Apr25 April 16:27

  I was looking for return availability from MAN for Jan recently & nothing was there, given the article had another look and have now been able to book a trip for me & Mrs 007 for 180k avios + £900 back end of Jan.
  Thanks Rob (Gareth)

• RH says:

  25 Apr25 April 16:57

  Conrad Rangali is superb as per the reiviews HFP did. I also enjoyed the Hilton Amingiri when I went in March 24. Rangali is better, but Amingiri much less hassle to get to with the Speedboat. I also did the Radisson Blu on points as well but not as nice IMO. I’d love to go back to the Rangali.

• Kevin C says:

  25 Apr25 April 17:19

  Rangali is lovely. Amingiri is not on such a pretty island but has superb entry level villas which each have their own pool. You’ll pay a lot of money for food and drink at both and it isn’t worth it on points if you aren’t at least Gold with Hilton.

  You do get some deals on sites like Secret Escapes for hotels without flights.

  • Sam says:

    25 Apr25 April 18:19

    My plan last year was to use 480,000 HH points (5 for 4) for 5 nights for the Sunrise Water Villa.

    On top I was quoted:
    £4,420 for the all inclusive add on package
    £1,100 return seaplane transfers

    Then flights from UK on top.

    Even with using the Hilton points it’s still crazy pricing. I can’t see how anyone wouldn’t be better off doing a package and saving the hotel points for something else.
    Even with the business availability – the separate hotel/food/drink booking costs will swallow up any saving.

    • RH says:

      25 Apr25 April 19:50

      I have managed to book both the flights and the island on points/airmiles. That leaves more for the transfers and food, it is expensive but the free happy hour for gold/diamonds and the bottle on arrival helps.

    • Will says:

      25 Apr25 April 19:51

      I did 5 nights at the ritz on points recently, 2 adults and 2 kids.
      You don’t get free breakfast there with status.
      We ordered more food than we could eat at every meal, 2 bottles of Prosecco a day and the food and drink bill was under £2500 which I still regarded as extreme but we ate where we wanted when we wanted and often dishes that would have been a supplement on a meal plan.

      I think my point really is that unless you’re going to drink absolutely huge amounts I can’t see when that amount of money for AI makes sense.

      For reference it cost us 478k Marriott points, £1800 speed boat transfer and £2500 in food/drink/tips.

      It was Easter holiday and the cash rate for full board was $20k

      • Sam says:

        25 Apr25 April 20:04

        I agree, I don’t think all inclusive is worth it here. You’d have to eat/drink 247.
        With Rangali, Diamond benefits are the breakfast and cocktails/mocktails happy hour – but the fact you are not permitted to take alcohol into Maldives puts me off, as that would have been a potential saving.
        And even with the all inclusive package, it still excludes select cocktails!

      • Tom H says:

        25 Apr25 April 21:05

        Hi Will that’s really useful. I ve done the WA twice on points now most recent was 2 weeks ago. 2 adults and 2 kids and we spent 5k on transfers f&B. Did you look at the WA aswell? Any more in the room or how hard it was to get a redemption?

        • will says:

          25 Apr25 April 22:50

          Having done a sea plane for the Maldives before with young kids I wanted to avoid it if possible. Originally I booked the Hilton Amingiri but then I read more and the Ritz Carlton was considered by some as the best resort in the maldives and given the cost of getting out there the marginal amount extra wasn’t really significant.

          I only booked 6 weeks in advance and it was over easter holidays so no availability at WA to even consider but I’d have chosen the Ritz because of what I read.

          There’s a complimentary boat transfer to the next Island, Patina, which is owned by the same entity as the RC and the dining options there are really good.

          I’ve done the St Regis (which I thought was pants and I was lucky enough to be in the Knickerbocker Villa at something like 500sqm) and Sun Siyam Iru Veli which although much more rustic thought was brilliant, particularly for the price.

          I really liked the idea of being able to go to another island and it was a really brilliant aspect of the holiday. Rooms at RC although smaller than the WA are designed incredibly well. Kids playing in the pool at the foot of the bed and the beach in front.

          Not having breakfast included actually created a more chilled out morning where we just ordered some fruit, juices and yoghurt to the Villa and then ate a decent lunch which is what I’d do at home.

          Service at RC was faultless, then a short boat trip to Patina opened up a variety of different (In my opinion superior) dining options.

          You have access to the pools and kids clubs on both islands with no additional charge and they bill any spend on Patina to the RC. It’s a brilliant concept.

          They will also allow 2 children (up to 11 I think) to stay in a regular room even though it doesn’t allow you to book them in on the Marriot website, you just book and email to add the extra child.

          The resort was fairly full but you’d never have known it, I’m not one to lounge in the room all day so we went out for lunch, pool/beach and dinner daily but a lot of people order in to the villa so the communal areas are very quiet.

          Food was excellent and I’ve stayed in some pretty nice places and never had service levels as good as at the RC.

        • Rob says:

          26 Apr26 April 07:03

          Reethi Rah is a boat transfer.

      • Ilou says:

        25 Apr25 April 22:03

        Were able to be accommodated in one bedroom villa ? Not two ?
        Thanks

        • Will says:

          27 Apr27 April 10:24

          Yes. A 1 bed villa at RC can take 2 children up to (I think) 11

          Email them, they were very clear about it even though the Marriott website will not allow you to add it on there.
          We booked with one child and emailed to add the second. It’s fairly common with families there.

  • Tracey says:

    25 Apr25 April 20:47

    If you want private pool in your villa and all inclusive, take a look at Angsana Velavaru

• Dan says:

  25 Apr25 April 18:51

  OT – How much is the additional guest fee for lounge access through priority pass – amex plat? (I know I get one free guest, we’re traveling as 3 pers.)

  I can find an article from 2022 suggesting £24, but nothing more recent

  • Alex H says:

    25 Apr25 April 20:00

    I got charged £30.80 for an extra guest last week

    • tony says:

      25 Apr25 April 20:21

      Wow. That’s jumped up. Was £20 when we did this last summer…

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