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Having visited the Maldives ‘a few times’ over the years—whether you take a luxury yacht to/from Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, a TransMaldivian seaplane ride to/from the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli, or a speedboat then a domestic Maldivian Dash-8 flight to/from the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa—there is one truth every points and miles traveler has learned to dread: the old Velana International Airport (MLE).
Welp, not anymore. As Ben chronicled here, the new Terminal 1 is finally open. Thankfully, it was worth the wait. The transformation at MLE is truly night and day. I had the chance to go through the new facility earlier this year; here is a firsthand look at how the ‘new’ airport handles the arrival side of the journey.
International Arrivals: Vastly Improved
For anyone who remembers landing at the old MLE (officially re-named ‘Terminal 2,’ now handling domestic flight traffic), the arrival process used to mean sweating through your clothes on a remote stand, taking the steps down to a packed bus, and eventually shuffling through a suffocating, overcrowded arrivals hall. Some things remain the same (like the heat and humidity), though, many positive changes are in order.
Jet Bridges (If You’re Lucky): Terminal 1 introduces the airport’s very first actual jet bridges (ooh lala); allegedly, there are 7 currently operational, with plans for 12 to 15 total once fully completed. Because the new MLE is still opening in phases, your aircraft may still be directed to a remote stand. For those who get lucky (wink), walking straight from the cabin into a cool, modern terminal is a major upgrade. IYKYK.
Immigration & Customs: Once inside, you’ll experience the new immigration arrivals hall. While the physical infrastructure is vastly improved, the bottleneck hasn’t vanished—during peak arrival banks, you can still expect to spend some real time clearing customs and collecting bags. Use that spare time to enjoy the beautiful modern conveyor belts, local artwork, and brand-new restrooms.
A Note on the Maldives Travel Declaration: IMUGA—the Maldives traveler declaration form—remains a required step for arrivals, though the departure declaration was thankfully dropped a while back.
Transfers: Emerging into the modern Arrivals Hall, things are far more organized than before. Resort representatives and seaplane company booths are all consolidated inside now (sweet, sweet air conditioning, ahh). Most visitors will be whisked away to either the also-new Noovilu Seaplane Terminal, the domestic terminal (Terminal 2), or a speedboat/yacht transfer coordinated by your resort. (Alternatively, you could cross the Sinamalé Bridge for a quick tour of Malé, but… you probably will just want to get to your overwater bungalow. Eh, you do you.)
Background: How We Got Here
To truly appreciate why Terminal 1 is such a monumental shift, it helps to look at the scale of what came before it. The legacy international terminal—built in 1981—was originally designed to handle just 1.5 million passengers a year. In reality, it was routinely forced to process upwards of four million travelers, funneling guests through a severely strained, half-century-old facility.
The fix was a decade-long saga. First launched under a master plan backed by international development funds, the new terminal project weathered multiple presidential administrations, pandemic setbacks, and years of missed deadlines before finally opening its doors on July 26, 2025.
Spanning over 70,000 square meters, the facility triples the airport’s capacity to handle up to 7.5 million passengers annually, introducing 47 check-in desks, 20 outbound immigration counters, an automated high-speed baggage system, and those long-overdue jet bridges.
Bottom Line
The Maldives has long been a crown jewel for points and miles enthusiasts chasing aspirational luxury. Until recently, Velana International Airport was the painful administrative bookend that ruined an otherwise pristine vacation on the way in.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I cover the departure experience through Terminal 1—including a look inside the brand-new Koveli Lounge!
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