How to Get to Seychelles? [Updated for 2019]

With its warm, turquoise waters, sandy beaches, tropical forests and rich cultural heritage, Seychelles is a popular destination for sun seekers. This small island nation located off the coast of East Africa is accessible by plane.

International flights

If you’re considering taking a trip to Seychelles, this article explains how you can get there. Most likely, if you’re from North America, Australia or New Zealand, you’ll need to first fly to Paris, Frankfurt, Istanbul or to cities in Africa, Asia or the Middle East that are close to Seychelles.

Regardless of which direction you fly in, you will arrive at Seychelles International Airport on Mahe, which is seven miles south of the capital, Victoria. This well-connected airport – the only one in the country – has regular flights arriving from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

If you are traveling from Europe, expect a layover in the Middle East or Africa, although some flights fly directly to Seychelles. Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi has daily flights to Mahe, as does Qatar Air Airways (Doha) and United Arab Emirate Airline (Dubai). There are flights from Addis Ababa every day except for Wednesday.

Other cities where you can take a direct flight to Seychelles are Durban, South Africa (Air Seychelles, Thursday, Saturday), Frankfurt, Germany (Condor, Fri, Sat), Istanbul, Turkey (Turkish Airlines, every day except Thursday), Johannesburg, South Africa (Air Seychelles, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun), Mumbai, India (Air Seychelles, every day except for Monday), Paris, France (Air Seychelles, every day except for Tue) and Vienna, Austria (Austrian Airlines, Wed and Tue).

Domestic Flights

When you’re Seychelles and want to visit some of the 115 islands that make up this archipelago, Seychelles International Airport offers domestic flights that are inter-island. If you’re a person who gets easily seasick, you might want to consider taking the flight from Mahe to Praslin instead of a boat. Getting to Praslin by boat can be a bit rough during the monsoon season so taking the plane is a much better option anyway. This flight is a great addition to any Seychelles holiday, giving you a fantastic view of the country and the Indian Ocean. The domestic terminal is just a few minutes’ walk from the international terminal, which is convenient for you.

A Seychelles vacation is an unforgettable experience. Keep in mind that most flights from Europe do require a layover – usually in the Middle East or Africa – where you will switch planes.

If you would like to get more information regarding Seychelles, be sure to check out our Seychelles travel guide!