Deal alert: Fly to the Maldives for less than $900 round-trip
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
If you've been dreaming about the luscious beaches and overwater bungalows of the Maldives, you have the chance to make that dream a reality for a round-trip ticket to this destination for just $745–$854.
Flights to the destination usually cost around $1,250, so this is definitely a solid deal.
Deal basics
Airlines: Qatar Airways.
Routes: ORD/LAX/JFK/IAD to MLE.
How to book: Directly through Qatar.
Travel dates: February–May; September–November 2022.
Book by: N/A.
This deal was originally sent out by Thrifty Traveler Premium, which emails members cheap flights, award flight sales and business-class deals for a $7.99 monthly fee or $49.99 annually.
Sample flights
This deal features round-trip flights to Malé (MLE) from four major U.S. cities:
- From Chicago (ORD), starting at $745.
- From New York (JFK), starting at $755.
- From Washington, D.C. (IAD), starting at $786.
- From Los Angeles (LAX), starting at $854.
To search this deal, you can either head to Google Flights or book through Qatar Airways directly.
If you use Google Flights, note that you may see lower-priced flights listed through third-party booking sites, which do not extend the same booking policies as the airline itself, so be sure to read the fine print in case you end up needing to change or cancel your flight.
Qatar Airways is currently offering unlimited free changes for all travel completed by Sept. 30, 2022, and has extended the validity of all tickets, including those refunded, for an additional two years from its issued date.
The listed fares will be in Qatar's Economy class, which is considered among the best for long-haul flights for their attentive service, sustainable menu offerings and spacious seats. The flights will include one stop in Doha (DOH).
Maximize your purchase
Don't forget to use a card that earns points for airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) (3 points per dollar on air travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel).
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
The Maldives currently requires all travelers to present results of a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours of departure. You can see more details about the entry requirements in our country-by-country guide to COVID-19 recovery.
Although this deal does not have a specific expiration date, we always advise acting quickly given the nature of deals.
Related: It's all in the details: What it's like to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands