Flying to Mauritius

General Information

The country has a national carrier, Air Mauritius, and only two airports on its territory: one on Mauritius Island (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, near Mahebourg) and one on Rodrigues. While the latter only handles Air Mauritius flights from Mauritius or seasonal Air Austral flights from Réunion, the former serves an international role with around thirty regular destinations.

Deals and Special Offers

Genuine airfare-only promotions are quite rare for Mauritius. However, all-inclusive packages (flight + hotel) often come with preferential rates. Occasionally, these can even be more competitive than the price of the flight alone.

From France

Direct Flights from Mainland France

In addition to Marseille and Lyon, Corsair flies to Mauritius from Orly, while from Roissy, you can find flights with Air France and Air Mauritius. Expect around 11 to 11.5 hours of flight time for 850 € to 1,300 €.

Connecting Flights

Among the available options, British Airways (via London) or Air Austral (via Réunion) are the most commonly offered from mainland France, with Emirates via Dubai also available as a secondary option.

From Réunion

Logically, there are good connections between the two islands, with flights from either Saint-Denis with Air Austral and Air Mauritius, or Saint-Pierre seasonally (Air Austral). However, be aware that this route remains quite expensive, even though the flights last only about thirty minutes.

Note that an Air Austral ticket from mainland France to Mauritius via Réunion will always be much cheaper than two separate tickets: mainland France to Réunion plus Réunion to Mauritius.

From Another Country

Belgium, Switzerland, Canada

No direct flights are available, so you’ll need to take a connecting flight, often via Paris.

Other

Europe: Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), London (British Airways + Air Mauritius), Frankfurt (Condor), Vienna (Austrian), plus Milan and Rome (Neos, ITA) all offer flights to Mauritius, among others.

Africa: South Africa (3 cities), Nairobi, the Seychelles, and Antananarivo are served by Air Mauritius or local carriers.

Asia and Australia: Dubai, India (4 cities), Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Perth also have flights, primarily with Air Mauritius.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport

This is the only airport on Mauritius Island (the other being on Rodrigues). It is located in the southeast, closer to Mahebourg than to Port Louis.

Name: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport

IATA Code: MRU

Hub: Air Mauritius

Number of Terminals: 2

Annual Passenger Capacity: 4 million

Passenger Traffic: between 3.5 and 4 million.

Distance to Cities: 45 km from Port Louis and 10 km from Mahebourg

Website: http://aml.mru.aero/

Services

With its new terminal, the airport offers the full range of "standard" services found in mid-sized airports: a tourist office, currency exchange, vehicle rental, and free Wi-Fi. A post office is also available from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM on weekdays and until 11:30 AM on Saturday mornings. The airport itself is open 24/7.

Transport

Public Transport

The Mahebourg–Port Louis bus line passes near the airport, with a stop a few hundred meters away. This is by far the most economical option for reaching any part of the island, though it’s neither the fastest nor the most convenient if you’re carrying luggage. Many hotels also offer shuttle services for their guests.

Taxis

A taxi service is available at the airport. A ride to Mahebourg costs around a dozen euros, about twenty euros to Port Louis, and 30 € to 35 € to Grand Baie. Nighttime trips are naturally more expensive.