Travel Guide: Cheap flights to Malta
Malta Airlines and Airports
Airline and airport information plus insider tips for Malta
Malta and its neighbouring island of Gozo occupy an important spot in the Mediterranean midway between Sicily and North Africa. Tourists flock here in their droves, attracted no doubt by the increasing number of cheap flights to Malta in recent years.
Small specks of land they may be, but over the centuries there has been a lot of living done on the Maltese Islands with an archaeological record that stretches back some 7,000 years.
Today the islands are regarded as an open-air museum offering a treasure-house of exhibits to explore, from prehistoric Neolithic temples (believed to be the oldest stone buildings on Earth) to a World War II underground military operations complex. You'll feel like you're stepping off your flights to Malta and into a different world.
Those with a thirst for history will most definitely benefit from booking cheap flights to Malta. The most profound legacy that the islands preserve is that of the Knights of St John, who were given Malta as a gift in 1530. The order made the island their private empire for 270 years, imposing their doctrine and dogma and erecting impressive buildings to the glory of God and themselves. Many of these Baroque edifices remain as tourist attractions in the capital, Valletta, a lively town catering for tourists with a multitude of shops, cafes and restaurants. Many cheap flights to Malta land in Valletta.
Besides plenty of fascinating sites to visit, Malta rates as a top holiday destination because it is blessed with some lovely little bays and long, languid beaches. The colour of Malta's golden sand is reflected in the stone of the attractive coastal towns and all of this is just a short journey away - flights to Malta take approximately three hours.
Find the best flight prices to Malta
When to fly to Malta
Peak season:
Malta is a year-round destination with its glorious Mediterranean climate of lots of sunshine and little rain. Winters are generally mild and peak season can extend into October, but it may still be possible to find cheap flights to Malta at this time.
Off season:
October through to April is the off season, though the weather can still be mild during this time. Some tourist destinations will be closed but there is still plenty to see and do - often at reduced prices. Travel at this time to take advantage of cheap flights to Malta.
Getting Around
There is no need for internal Malta flights within the tiny island itself. Flights via helicopter are the quickest way to travel between Malta and its neighbour Gozo, but there is also a popular ferry service. Bus services are available throughout Malta, as is car-hire. Driving is on the left. A traditional way to see the island is by horse-drawn carriage.
Flying to Malta
Major airports in Malta include:
Malta International (MLA)
Airlines offering cheap flights to Malta include:
Air Malta
British Airways
BritishJET
MyTravel Airways
Ryanair
Thomas Cook Airways
Thomsonfly
XL Airways
In-flight Reading
Try our in-flight reading suggestions for your flight to Malta:
The Jukebox Queen of Malta
by Nicholas Rinaldi
Wartime love story. Rocco, an American soldier, meets and falls in love with beautiful Melita, but the war exacts a heavy price on him and he is desperate to escape. Read this and flights to Malta will fly by.
Walking in Malta: 33 Routes on Malta, Gozo and Comino
by Paddy Dillon
The author, a prolific outdoor writer with more than 30 books published, offers a good guide to walks on the islands. You'll want to start walking as soon as you step off your Malta flights.
Battle Over Malta: Aircraft Losses and Crash Sites 1940-42
by Anthony Rogers
Despite the dry title, this interesting book is composed of interviews with survivors of and witnesses to the war that raged in the skies above Malta between 1940 and 1942.
Insider Information on Malta
The capital, Valletta, is a World Heritage city. It has many attractions including St. John's Co. Cathedral and Museum, which was built between 1573 and 1577. Caravaggio's masterpiece, the Beheading of St. John, hangs in the Oratory. The artist was on the run in Malta from Italian authorities when he painted it in 1607.
Marsaxlokk is a fishing village in the southeast of Malta. Visit on a Sunday after you and your travelling companions have disembarked from your cheap flights to Malta. This is when the fishermen sell their catch on the quay.
Vittoriosa is, along with Senglea and Cospicua, one of The Three Cities. It is the most beautiful and interesting of the three, with a lovely waterfront, some beautiful old streets in 'The Collachio' and the old Fort St Angelo, where the Knights of Malta had their headquarters. On the seafront is the Maritime Museum, while the Folk Museum is in the Inquisitor's Palace.
The Hypogeum (underground cavity) in Valletta is the world's largest underground religious site. It consists of halls, chambers and passages cut out of the rock. There are three levels - upper, middle and lower - all dated to between 3600 BC and 2500 BC. Visiting the Hypogeum takes some planning. To preserve the site, just 80 visitors a day are admitted and tours are often booked up weeks in advance so it's advisable to reserve your place before you buy your cheap flights to Malta. Book online.
Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, Gozo, is a megalithic site. In Maltese, Ggantija means 'belonging to the giants', which gives some clue to its size. The two temples are ancient, more than 5,500 years old. They are the world's oldest free-standing structures, older than Stonehenge or the pyramids in Egypt, and are thought to have been the site of an Earth Mother Goddess Fertility Cult.
Travel Tips
- Finding Cheap FlightsOur golden rules for finding a cheap flight
- Airlines with low-cost ticketsAn essential guide to how the main carriers operate
- Before You GoAdvice on everything you need to do before you set off
- Regional UK and Irish AirportsFlying from the four corners of the UK and Ireland
- Glossary of Flying TermsAn A-Z of common terms you’ll need to know
- Travel Sickness and DVTHow to stay happy and healthy in the air
Travel links
- Currency converterFind the current exchange rate
- WeatherThe weather in Malta today
- Destination GuideLonely Planet's guide to Malta