Star Alliance members LOT Polish Airlines and Turkish Airlines team up to bring you incredibly cheap flights between the Polish capital of Warsaw and the Maldives. For as little as €353 (~PLN 1,656) you can reach the island paradise with a stop in Istanbul. The fare includes full board service, as well as a checked bag up to 23 kg.
Currently, you merely need to fill out this traveler declaration within 72 hours of departure to enter the Maldives.
The fare rules suggest availability from September 2022 through March 2023. We have been able to find flight dates predominantly in October and November 2022.
A LOT Polish Airlines Embrear E-Jet takes you from Warsaw to Istanbul. Afterwards, an Turkish Airlines A330-300 hosts you on the long journey Southeast. The long-haul jets have a 2-4-2 seating pattern with personal entertainment in every seat back.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, tickets are on sale for this price until May 16, 2022 for travel between September 2022 and March 31, 2023. A minimum stay of two days applies, the maximum stay is six months.
Sadly, neither Google Flights (shows no dates) nor the ITA Matrix (shows all dates) are reliable when it comes to finding the cheap tickets. You have to fool around a bit in our flight search or on Turkish Airlines’ website.
Outbound flight dates
- October 11
- October 18
- October 25
- November 1
- January 31
Inbound flight dates
- November 9
- November 16
- November 23
- November 30
- February 8
In general, combining a Tuesday outbound with a Wednesday inbound seems to be a good way to get the cheapest tickets. Tickets on Turkish Airlines’ website start at €385.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are three main reasons for that:
- The Covid-19 Pandemic
During the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, planning international travel got more and more risky because of ever-changing restrictions. In contrast to many online travel agencies, most airlines modified their terms & conditions to become more customer friendly. Rebooking conditions are eased, change fees are waived and cancellations are much easier when there is no third party involved.
Further, by adding an OTA to your plans, you increase the risk of one service provider involved going bankrupt. Now, the airline and the online travel agency involved could vanish along with your money. - Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward you information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. You may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong. - Baggage Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are more and more common. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
Mileage
LOT and Turkish Airlines issue tickets for all flight segments in booking class U. That means minimal mileage for most frequent flyers:
- 2,306 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 1,000 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 502 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 500 Miles on Asiana Club
- 428 Award Miles + 72 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 428 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 428 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 428 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 418 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 418 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 418 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 418 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 418 Miles on TAP Miles & Go
- 418 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 418 Miles on South African Voyager
- 418 Miles on EgyptAir Plus
- 250 Miles on Miles&More
- 250 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More 2024
Hotels in the Maldives
The Maldives are famous for their paradise like luxury resorts. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is searching on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Cover Picture: Photo by Jailam Rashad on Unsplash