Private jet to Villa International Airport Maamigili
Villa International Airport Maamigili (IATA VAM, ICAO VRMV) is the airport of South Ari Atoll, on Maamigili island in the administrative atoll of Alifu Dhaalu. It is privately owned and operated by Villa Group, and the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority lists it among the six airports where private aircraft may land. For guests of South Ari resorts it is the closest runway, a short speedboat ride from the resort jetty.
Maamigili is a smaller airport than Velana, and that shapes how it is used. A super midsize jet can fly in directly from the Gulf, India or South East Asia; from Europe, only Velana is reached nonstop in a large cabin jet, and the group continues by seaplane or by the short domestic flight to Maamigili. Maldives Private Jet works out both options for each request and shows which one brings you to the resort sooner.
The airport at a glance
| Item | Villa International Airport Maamigili |
|---|---|
| Codes | IATA VAM, ICAO VRMV |
| Location | Maamigili island, Alifu Dhaalu (South Ari) Atoll |
| Owner and operator | Villa Group, a private Maldivian company |
| Runway | 09/27, 1,800 m x 30 m |
| Status | opened as a domestic airport and later upgraded to international standards |
| Scheduled flights | domestic flights from Malé with Villa Air (Flyme) |
| Private flights | MCAA permit, prior permission and a handling agent |
The airport was developed by the Maldivian businessman Qasim Ibrahim, who grew up on Maamigili, so that aircraft could land close to his group's resorts instead of stopping in Malé. Universal Aviation Maldives, one of the handling agents for business aviation, supervises flights at Maamigili as well as at Velana, Gan and Hanimaadhoo.
Which jets can use Maamigili
At 1,800 m, the runway is little more than half as long as the 3,400 m runway at Velana. We therefore usually suggest super midsize jets for Maamigili, such as the Praetor 600 with up to 12 seats and the Challenger 350 with up to 10. Whether a larger aircraft can use the airport depends on its performance at the planned weight and on the weather, and the operator checks it before quoting.
Range is the other limit. A super midsize jet reaches Maamigili nonstop from Dubai, Riyadh, Mumbai, Singapore and Hong Kong, but from Europe it needs one fuel stop. A Gulfstream G650 from Europe flies nonstop, but to Velana.
- you start in the Gulf, India or South East Asia
- a jet with up to 10 or 12 seats is enough for the group
- your resort is in South Ari and reached by speedboat from Maamigili
- you land late in the day, when seaplanes no longer fly
- you fly nonstop from Europe in a large cabin jet
- the group needs more than 12 seats
- your resort sends a seaplane from Malé
- you want the VIP/CIP building and its lounges on arrival
Resorts and transfers in South Ari
The resorts near Maamigili publish their own transfer options, usually a seaplane from Velana by day and the domestic flight to Maamigili plus a speedboat as the alternative. Examples from their websites:
- Radisson Blu Resort Maldives on Huruelhi, South Ari, 105 km from Velana: a 20-minute domestic flight to Maamigili and a 15-minute speedboat, or a 30-minute seaplane direct to the resort.
- Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, South Ari: a 30-minute seaplane, which the resort operates from 06:00 to 15:30; for evening arrivals the resort offers a short domestic flight and a speedboat instead.
- Villa Group resorts: the airport provides direct transport to two of the group's resorts on the neighbouring islands.
When the jet lands at Maamigili itself, only the speedboat remains. We send the resort the landing time, the passenger names and the luggage, including dive gear, as soon as the flight is confirmed. More about the atoll, its resorts and dive sites is on our page about private jets to Ari Atoll.
Late arrivals and the daylight rule
Seaplanes fly only between sunrise and sunset, and Trans Maldivian Airways asks guests to be in the Maldives by 15:30 for a transfer the same day. A jet from Europe that lands at Velana in the evening would normally mean a night in Malé or Hulhumalé before the seaplane.
For South Ari there is a way round this. The domestic flight to Maamigili and a speedboat is the alternative that South Ari resorts publish, and Conrad offers a domestic flight and speedboat specifically for evening arrivals. A private jet that lands at Maamigili directly needs only the boat. Either way, the resort must accept a late arrival, which we confirm before the flight is booked.
Whale sharks of South Ari
Many guests choose South Ari for one reason: the South Ari Marine Protected Area, known as SAMPA. According to the official tourism board, whale sharks gather there all year round, and the area has the highest re-sighting rate of any whale shark hotspot in the world, because the same animals return again and again. Most of the time they are seen cruising.
Trips to see them are booked through the resort's dive or excursion centre. Ideas for the rest of the stay are on our page things to do in the Maldives.
Prices to Maamigili
Guide prices one way for the whole aircraft, without passenger taxes and fees, for the two super midsize jets our data plans into Maamigili:
| From | Praetor 600 | Challenger 350 | Flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough | €90,000 | €86,000 | 12 h 43 min, 1 fuel stop |
| Paris Le Bourget | €88,000 | €84,000 | 12 h 22 min, 1 fuel stop |
| Geneva | €85,000 | €81,000 | 11 h 57 min, 1 fuel stop |
| Zurich | €84,000 | €80,000 | 11 h 46 min, 1 fuel stop |
| Moscow Vnukovo | €75,000 | €72,000 | 10 h 30 min, 1 fuel stop |
| Dubai Al Maktoum | €32,000 | €34,000 | 4 h 18 min, nonstop |
| Riyadh | €36,000 | €39,000 | 5 h 6 min, nonstop |
| Mumbai | €21,000 | €24,000 | 2 h 40 min, nonstop |
| Singapore | €35,000 | €37,000 | 4 h 50 min, nonstop |
| Hong Kong | €45,000 | €48,000 | 6 h 37 min, nonstop |
From the Gulf and Asia the Praetor 600 is the cheaper of the two, from Europe the Challenger 350. Six passengers in the Praetor 600 from Mumbai pay €3,500 each, and eight passengers from Dubai €4,000 each, one way before taxes. Route pages such as Mumbai to the Maldives and Hong Kong to the Maldives list more aircraft for each city.
Prices to Velana for comparison
From Europe a large cabin jet flies nonstop to Velana, and the group continues to South Ari by seaplane or domestic flight. Guide prices one way for the whole aircraft:
| From | Aircraft | Flight time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough | Gulfstream G650 | 10 h, nonstop | €135,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget | Gulfstream G650 | 9 h 42 min, nonstop | €130,000 |
| Geneva | Gulfstream G650 | 9 h 20 min, nonstop | €125,000 |
| Zurich | Gulfstream G650 | 9 h 10 min, nonstop | €120,000 |
| Moscow Vnukovo | Gulfstream G650 | 8 h 1 min, nonstop | €105,000 |
| Dubai Al Maktoum | Legacy 650 | 4 h 9 min, nonstop | €46,000 |
| Riyadh | Legacy 650 | 4 h 56 min, nonstop | €51,000 |
| Mumbai | Legacy 650 | 2 h 30 min, nonstop | €32,000 |
| Singapore | Legacy 650 | 4 h 36 min, nonstop | €48,000 |
| Hong Kong | Gulfstream G650 | 5 h 49 min, nonstop | €85,000 |
The Challenger 350 costs the same to both airports from London Farnborough, €86,000, and from Paris Le Bourget, €84,000, so for a smaller group the direct flight to Maamigili saves the connection at no extra cost. Transfers between Velana and Maamigili in a foreign aircraft are arranged through local operators and quoted on request.
Planning a flight to Maamigili
- RequestTell us the dates, the number of passengers, the resort and the luggage. We check whether a direct flight to Maamigili or a large cabin jet to Velana suits the group better.
- Permit and handlingThe handling agent requests the MCAA permit and prior permission and confirms immigration, customs and opening times at Maamigili for your arrival. Allow at least a month from November to March.
- TransferThe resort books its speedboat, or the seaplane or domestic flight if you land at Velana. We pass on the times.
- FormalitiesEvery traveller completes the IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival. The rules on alcohol, pets and other imports are on our know the rules page.
- DepartureEach foreign passenger on a private jet pays a departure tax of US$480 and an airport development fee of US$480 when leaving the Maldives.
Send us the dates, the number of guests and your resort in Ari Atoll, and we will reply with aircraft and prices for Maamigili and Velana. For other ways to reach the islands, see to and from the airport.
Questions about private jets to Maamigili
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- Can a private jet land at Maamigili?
Yes. Villa International Airport Maamigili is one of the six airports where the Civil Aviation Authority allows private aircraft. A permit, prior permission and a handling agent are needed, as at Velana.
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- How long is the runway at Maamigili?
1,800 m long and 30 m wide. Super midsize jets such as the Praetor 600 and the Challenger 350 are the usual choice there; larger aircraft are checked by the operator for each flight.
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- Can we fly nonstop from Europe to Maamigili?
Not in the jets suited to the runway: from London Farnborough the Challenger 350 needs one fuel stop and takes 12 h 43 min. A Gulfstream G650 flies nonstop, but to Velana, in 10 h.
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- Which resorts use Maamigili?
Resorts in South Ari, among them Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, 15 minutes by speedboat from the airport, and the Villa Group resorts on the neighbouring islands.
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- How long is the domestic flight from Malé to Maamigili?
About 20 minutes, according to the transfer details of Radisson Blu Resort Maldives. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island offers a domestic flight and speedboat to guests who arrive after its last seaplane.
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- Is Maamigili cheaper than Velana?
For the same aircraft the prices are close: the Challenger 350 from London Farnborough costs €86,000 to either airport. Against the heavier jets planned to Velana, a Praetor 600 to Maamigili is cheaper, for example €32,000 from Dubai against €46,000 for a Legacy 650 to Velana.
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- Can we see whale sharks near Maamigili?
South Ari is known for them. The tourism board describes the South Ari Marine Protected Area as a year-round whale shark aggregation site, with the highest re-sighting rate in the world.
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- Does Maamigili clear international arrivals?
It was upgraded to international standards and is open to private aircraft. Immigration and customs for your arrival time are confirmed with the permit; if a direct arrival is not possible, the jet clears at Velana first.