Malta Explorer

Practical · Getting there & around

A passenger aircraft on final approach to Malta International Airport at golden hour, the honey limestone landscape of southern Malta visible below

Getting to Malta: flights, airports and the no-ferry reality

Direct flights from most European hubs, the airlines that fly the routes, the limits of the airport, and why there is no ferry from mainland Europe to Malta.

Malta is reached by air. There is no ferry from mainland Europe and never has been (the closest ferry routes go between Sicily and Tunisia or between Sicily and Genoa). The only sea route into Malta from outside the archipelago is the seasonal Virtu Ferries fast catamaran from Pozzallo in Sicily, which runs about twice daily in season (90 minutes, around €80 each way). Most travellers fly.

The airport

Malta International Airport (MLA) sits at Luqa, 7 km south of Valletta. One terminal, two-level (departures upstairs, arrivals downstairs), with the bus and taxi rank outside the arrivals hall. The airport handled around 8 million passengers in 2025, which puts it in the middle range of European destinations: busy enough for direct flights from almost every major city, small enough that gate-to-baggage-claim takes about 15 minutes on a normal day.

Practical notes:

  • Wifi is free, requires a brief web sign-up.
  • ATMs are in the arrivals hall (Bank of Valletta, HSBC). Card payment is universal in Malta; you do not need cash for the bus or taxi.
  • Currency: Malta uses the euro (joined the eurozone in 2008).
  • Power sockets: type G (the British three-pin square). Bring an adapter from continental Europe.

Who flies to Malta

The route map covers most of Europe directly. Approximate flight times from the main hubs (one way):

  • London (LHR, LGW, STN, LTN): 3 hours
  • Paris (CDG, ORY, BVA): 2 hours 50 minutes
  • Amsterdam (AMS): 3 hours
  • Frankfurt (FRA): 2 hours 50 minutes
  • Madrid (MAD): 3 hours
  • Rome (FCO, CIA): 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Milan (MXP, BGY): 2 hours
  • Brussels (BRU, CRL): 3 hours
  • Vienna (VIE): 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Zurich (ZRH): 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Berlin (BER): 3 hours
  • Copenhagen (CPH): 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Lisbon (LIS): 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Dublin (DUB): 4 hours

The airlines that actually fly the routes:

  • KM Malta Airlines is the national carrier (the rebranded successor to Air Malta, which ceased operations in March 2024). Covers most major European cities with daily or near-daily flights.
  • Ryanair is the dominant low-cost carrier with the most Malta destinations.
  • easyJet flies from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan and several other hubs.
  • Lufthansa from Frankfurt and Munich.
  • Wizz Air from Eastern European hubs (Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest).
  • Air France, KLM, ITA Airways, Brussels Airlines, Aer Lingus all run scheduled flights in season.

When to book

Malta runs hot in season pricing. Booking patterns:

  • June to September: book 4 to 6 months ahead for the best fares.
  • October and April-May: 2 to 3 months ahead is typically enough.
  • November to March: 4 to 6 weeks ahead, often cheaper closer to departure.

The price difference between July and February on the same Ryanair London-Malta route can be €40 vs €240 round trip. Off-season trips are dramatically cheaper.

Getting from the airport to your base

Three options, in order of cost:

  1. Bus is the cheapest. The X-line express buses run from the airport to all the main destinations:
    • X4 to Valletta City Gate, 25 minutes, €2.50.
    • X2 to Sliema and St Julian’s, 45 minutes.
    • X1 to Cirkewwa (north Malta, Gozo ferry), 90 minutes via St Julian’s.
    • X3 to Bugibba and the north-east, 60 minutes. The €2.50 single fare is reduced to €2 if you pre-purchase a Tallinja card (worth it for stays over 4 days with daily bus use).
  2. Bolt (the dominant ride-hailing app) is the practical middle option. From the airport: €15-25 to Valletta or Sliema, €30-45 to Mellieha. Cheaper than the taxi rank by a wide margin.
  3. Airport taxi rank charges fixed prices by zone, paid at the kiosk before the rank: €25 to Valletta, €25 to Sliema, €40 to Mellieha. Receipts issued.

Renting a car at the airport

All major rental agencies (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Goldcar) and several local Maltese operators (Mayjo, Sicily Car Hire, Princess) have desks in the arrivals hall. Off-airport agencies (Wize, MaltaCarHire) typically meet you with a shuttle from the arrivals exit.

Rates from €25 a day for a small economy car in shoulder season, up to €60 a day in July-August. Pre-booking online is usually significantly cheaper than walk-up rates. The roads are left-hand drive (see driving in Malta for the full picture).

If your stay is Valletta-Sliema-airport only and you do not plan a Gozo or south Malta day, a car is more burden than help. If your trip includes Mellieha, Marsaxlokk, Dingli or any of the inland villages, a car saves significant time over the buses.

Arriving late or leaving early

The X4 bus to Valletta runs until 23:00. The X2 to Sliema until around 22:30. After that, the airport taxi rank is the only public option until 06:00 when bus services resume. Bolt operates 24/7 with surcharges between 23:00 and 06:00.

For very early flights, the airport taxi rank is the reliable option from any base. Allow 90 minutes from front door to gate for a typical European destination.

Connecting flights

Malta is not a hub for long-haul flights. The longest-direct routes are Dubai (Emirates, 6 hours 30 minutes) and the seasonal Air Malta charter to Tel Aviv. For destinations beyond Europe and the immediate Middle East, expect a connection in London, Frankfurt, Rome or Istanbul.

For Americans flying via London or Paris, the typical total travel time from New York to Valletta is around 14 to 16 hours including the layover.

Onward to Gozo

Gozo is reached by ferry from Cirkewwa in north Malta. See the ferry to Gozo guide for the practical mechanics. For travellers without a car, the fast Valletta-Mgarr passenger ferry is an alternative that bypasses the Cirkewwa drive entirely.