The flight from London
A private jet from Farnborough, Luton, Biggin Hill or Stansted to Velana, non-stop or with one stop in the Gulf.
How the flight works
Maldives private island trips from London
The flight from London, the last leg across the water and the island itself, planned as one trip through one contact. Tell us the dates, the party and the kind of island you have in mind.
Bank transfer or cryptoAny major currency, or crypto.
Three legs to a Maldives private island
A private island in the Maldives is reached in stages: a long flight from London to the main airport near Malé, a shorter hop across the atolls, then the island. We arrange the three as one itinerary, so each leg is timed around the next.
The transfer
A seaplane, a boat or a domestic flight from Velana to the island, booked with the island and timed to the jet.
Seaplane, boat or domestic flightThe island
An island let to your party alone, or a separate island within a resort, with its own villas and staff.
Kinds of private islandLondon to Velana by private jet
Velana International (MLE), beside Malé, is the country's main airport, with a 3,400-metre runway according to its operator, Maldives Airports Company. An ultra-long-range jet such as the Gulfstream G650, Global 7500 or Falcon 8X flies there from London non-stop in about 10 and a half hours. A heavy jet stops in Dubai, for a block time of about 12h 30m.
The Maldives run five hours ahead of London in winter, so the departure time decides whether you land with enough daylight for the seaplane. We work back from the island's last transfer of the day to the hour you leave London.
A private or charter flight into the Maldives needs permission from the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority. The operator applies for it with the flight plan; the permits, the handling at Velana and parking for the aircraft are set out in the written proposal.
The flight in detail
Prices by cabin, block times, the London airports and the return.
Private jet from London to the MaldivesVelana, Maafaru and Gan
The three airports that take private jets, and which suits which atoll.
Private jet to the MaldivesThe non-stop aircraft
Cabin, range and seats of the jet that flies London to Malé without a stop.
The Gulfstream G650From Velana to the island: seaplane, boat or domestic flight
Velana sits on Hulhulé island beside Malé, and every resort island is reached from it by water or by air. Islands in the atolls near the capital are reached by speedboat or yacht; the more distant ones by seaplane from the Noovilu Seaplane Terminal at Velana, or by a domestic flight to a regional airport followed by a boat. The island tells us which applies, and books or confirms the transfer with the flight.
Seaplanes fly by day only. Trans Maldivian Airways, one of the seaplane operators at Velana, flies from sunrise to sunset and asks guests to land in the Maldives by 15:30 local time to reach their resort the same day. A later landing means a boat if the island is close enough, a night near Velana, or a departure from London timed for a morning arrival.
The seaplane also carries less than a jet. Trans Maldivian's standard allowance is 20 kg of checked luggage and 5 kg of hand luggage per person, with excess charged by the kilo. A dedicated aircraft can be requested when the trip is booked, which we do when the party or the luggage calls for it.
Private islands in the Maldives: a whole island or an island within a resort
A private island here takes one of two forms. Some islands are let to one party at a time, with every villa and the staff for that party alone. Others are a separate island belonging to a resort, with its own villas, jetty and team, close to the resort's main island.
Two examples of the second kind, as their resorts describe them. They are named for illustration, not as a recommendation or an offer: what is available for your dates, at what rate and on what terms comes with the proposal.
Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island, Noonu Atoll
Four bedrooms for eight guests on its own one-hectare island, reached by a private jetty. The resort says Randheli is reached by seaplane, so arrival depends on daylight.
Ithaafushi Private Island, South Malé Atoll
A four-bedroom residence, a three-bedroom beach villa and a two-bedroom overwater villa on 32,000 square metres, part of Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. About 40 minutes from Velana by the resort's yacht, according to its 2021 announcement.
Elsewhere in the world
The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and other island groups, with the jet and the boat arranged to each.
Private island retreatsEntering the Maldives
British tourists receive a 30-day visa on arrival, according to the UK government's travel advice. The passport must be valid for at least one month after the date you arrive.
Maldives Immigration asks every tourist for confirmed return tickets, a prepaid, confirmed booking at a registered tourist facility and enough funds for the stay. The island booking is therefore confirmed and paid before you fly. Each traveller also completes the free Traveller Declaration on the government's IMUGA site within 96 hours before arrival.
The UK government's advice also lists what may not be brought in: alcohol, pork products and anything deemed contrary to Islam, such as idols for worship. The flight's catering and what you carry off the aircraft are planned with that in mind. Rules change; we check them against the official sources when we confirm the itinerary.
One itinerary, from London to the island
Four steps, whichever parts of the trip you ask us to arrange. Bank transfer in any major currency; crypto also accepted.
Share your brief
Dates, the party, the kind of island and a budget. The form below or a WhatsApp message is enough.
Other ways to reach usReceive options and their terms
Aircraft and islands that suit your dates, the transfer for each, and their prices, inclusions and cancellation terms.
Approve the arrangements
Nothing is booked until you approve an option and its payment terms are met. Each booking is confirmed in writing.
Receive the itinerary
Departure from London, landing at Velana, the transfer and arrival on the island, with a contact for each.
Frequently asked questions
Can you rent a private island in the Maldives?
Yes, in two forms: an island let to one party at a time, or a separate island within a resort with its own villas and staff. Which one an option is, what it includes and its terms are set out in the proposal for your dates.
How do I get from London to a private island in the Maldives?
By private jet to Velana International near Malé, about 10 and a half hours non-stop in an ultra-long-range jet or about 12h 30m with a stop in Dubai in a heavy jet. Then a seaplane, a boat or a domestic flight to the island, depending on how far it lies from Malé.
Can a seaplane meet an evening arrival?
No. Trans Maldivian Airways flies from sunrise to sunset and asks guests to land in the Maldives by 15:30 local time for a same-day transfer. After that, the choice is a boat if the island is close enough, a night near Velana, or a departure from London timed to land in the morning.
Do I need a visa for the Maldives?
British tourists receive a 30-day visa on arrival. Maldives Immigration also asks for a passport valid for at least a month after arrival, confirmed return tickets, a prepaid booking at a registered tourist facility, enough funds for the stay, and the IMUGA Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before arrival.
How much does a Maldives private island trip cost?
The flight from London starts at about $110,000 one way for the whole aircraft in a heavy jet with a stop. The island's rate is set by its owner or resort for your dates, and the proposal shows the flight, the transfer and the stay separately.
Are you based in the Maldives?
No. We have no office in the Maldives and own no aircraft, islands or boats. We coordinate the trip and arrange each part through the operators and resorts that provide it, and the proposal names who provides what.
Plan your Maldives island trip
Dates, the party and the parts you would like arranged; the island stay goes under Villa. We reply with options and their terms; nothing is booked until you approve one.