Short answer — most visitors combine Dubai and the Maldives in one of these common ways:

1. Direct Dubai ↔ Malé (DXB ⇄ MLE) — single‑leg connection

• Route: Dubai International (DXB) to Velana (Malé) (MLE).
• Why it’s popular: frequent daily non‑stop flights (Emirates and flydubai), roughly 4–4.5 hours. (emirates.com)

2. United States → Dubai → Maldives (one stop in Dubai)

• Many U.S. travellers fly Emirates/other carriers to DXB, then take the direct DXB→MLE flight (there are no nonstop US→Malé services). This is the most common routing from the U.S. because Dubai is a major hub. (emirates.com)

3. Europe / UK → Dubai (stopover) → Maldives (or Europe → direct seasonal Malé)

• Travellers from Europe often build a multi‑centre trip (city time in Dubai then island time), or use seasonal/charter direct flights from Europe to Malé when available. Tour operators commonly sell “Dubai + Maldives” twin‑centre packages. (vacations.aircanada.com)

4. Doha (Qatar) or Abu Dhabi (Etihad) hub routings

• Doha (Qatar Airways DOH→MLE) and Abu Dhabi (Etihad AUH→MLE) are frequent hub options with direct services to Malé — popular for connections from many global cities. (flightconnections.com)

5. South Asia routings / Sri Lanka stopovers

• India and Sri Lanka are common origin/hub points: Mumbai/Delhi have regular direct services to Malé (IndiGo, Air India, SriLankan, etc.), and Colombo–Malé is a short hop — useful for combining Sri Lanka + Maldives itineraries. (flightconnections.com)

Practical notes travellers use when combining Dubai + Maldives

• Typical itinerary order: either Dubai first (city break) then Maldives for relaxation, or Maldives first then Dubai as a “finish” for shopping/desert tours — both are equally common. (originaldiving.com)
• Maldives resort transfers: most resorts require seaplane, domestic flight + speedboat, or speedboat from Malé — seaplanes operate only in daylight and add 20–75 minutes (and extra cost), so leave at least a few hours buffer between international arrival/departure and resort transfers. (maldives.com)
• Timing & visas: if you need a late‑night arrival into Malé (after seaplane hours) you’ll often overnight in Malé/Hulhumalé or use a domestic flight + speedboat option — plan connections accordingly. (atolltransfer.com)

If you tell me your departure city (or whether you prefer shortest travel time, lowest fare, or a Dubai stopover), I can show the most efficient routings and typical carriers for that exact trip.