VIA’s new terminal sees movement of 2,000 passengers in under a week

The new international passenger terminal at the Velana International Airport (VIA) has seen the movement of over 2,000 passengers since its grand opening last weekend.

The new terminal at the Maldives national airport opened to record-breaking fireworks on July 26. The terminal was operationalized the next day, with the arrival of passengers from a flight from India’s Kochi.

According to the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the new terminal has seen the movement of passengers from 14 flights operated by the national airline Maldivian between July 27 and July 30.

The passengers, totaling 2,410, included 1,454 inbound travelers and 956 outbound travelers.

The new terminal is current used for international flights operated by Maldivian. MACL plans to gradually add in more airlines, completing the shift from the old terminal to the new one ahead of peak tourism season in December.

Behold the Maldivian pride! The symbol of Maldivian greatness. pic.twitter.com/VKQ9JFU5yi

— Maldives Airports Company Ltd (@MACLmedia) July 29, 2025

Key features of the new terminal include:

• 47 check-in counters for passengers
• 6 self-check-in kiosks
• 20 immigration counters for departures
• A dedicated area for duty-free shopping and food
• Walkalator and escalators for easier navigation within the terminal, including four walkalators and 14 escalators
• 15 aerobridges for direct boarding from the terminal
• 28 immigration counters for arrivals

Witnessing the delight of passengers enjoying effortless journeys through Velana International Airport’s Terminal 1. pic.twitter.com/vvSvUf1Mst

— Maldives Airports Company Ltd (@MACLmedia) July 31, 2025

The development of the new terminal, which can accommodate 7.5 million passengers annually, took nine years and cost around MVR 7 billion.