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SriLankan Airlines (UL) Guide

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In short

SriLankan Airlines is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka, based at Bandaranaike International near Colombo. It flies to about 33 destinations in 21 countries across South Asia, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Europe, with Colombo as the connecting point. SriLankan belongs to oneworld and runs FlySmiLes. Cabins are Business and Economy.

SriLankan Airlines, originally Air Lanka, is Sri Lanka’s state-owned national airline and a member of oneworld since 2014.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with SriLankan Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

SriLankan Airlines (IATA UL) is the state-owned flag carrier of Sri Lanka, flying from Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo to India, the Maldives, the Middle East, East Asia, Australia and Europe. It is a oneworld member and a practical choice for anyone visiting Sri Lanka, or connecting through Colombo between South Asia, the Gulf and the Far East.

Air Lanka to SriLankan

The airline was founded on 11 January 1979 as Air Lanka, after the government closed the loss-making Air Ceylon, and it began flying on 1 September 1979 with two Boeing 707s leased from Singapore Airlines. Wide-body Lockheed TriStars arrived from 1980, and a Boeing 747 joined briefly in the mid 1980s. In 1994 Air Lanka became the Asian launch customer for the Airbus A340-300.

In 1998 Emirates bought a 40 per cent stake, later raised to 43.6 per cent, and took over management. The airline was rebranded as SriLankan Airlines during this period. The management contract ended in 2008, and the government bought back the Emirates shares in a deal completed in 2010.

On 1 May 2014 SriLankan joined oneworld, the first airline from the Indian subcontinent in the alliance. It flew its last A340 in January 2016, absorbed its low-cost sister Mihin Lanka in October 2016, and opened direct flights to Melbourne in October 2017.

Government ownership and heavy losses

The Government of Sri Lanka owns almost all of SriLankan Airlines. The airline lost heavily for many years; in 2020 alone it lost about US$200 million, and its debt to state banks and the state fuel company passed US$900 million.

The 2022 to 2023 financial year was the first in over a decade in which it broke even, with a small net profit of about US$3 million. A privatisation plan launched in 2023 was dropped by the new government in September 2024, so SriLankan remains a state airline. Sarath Ganegoda is chairman and Vipul Misra is acting chief executive.

Network from Colombo

SriLankan flies to about 33 destinations in 21 countries from Colombo, as of October 2026. Codeshare partners take the total to 114 destinations in 62 countries, and interline and oneworld partners extend the reach to more than 1,000 cities in 160 countries.

The heart of the network is the Indian subcontinent, with flights to many Indian cities, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Further east it serves China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and it flies to the Gulf, Australia and European cities including London, Paris and Frankfurt. The Colombo hub works well for travellers between southern India or the Maldives and points in East Asia or Europe, because connections run through one compact terminal.

The airline also sells Rail and Fly packages that combine its flights with train travel, and the Serenediva transit hotel at Colombo gives passengers on long connections a place to sleep without passing through immigration.

Cargo and other businesses

SriLankan Cargo carries freight in the holds of passenger aircraft. In February 2026 it became the first airline in South Asia to gain IATA's CEIV certification for handling live animals. The group also runs SriLankan Catering, the only airline caterer in Sri Lanka, plus ground handling, engineering, training and holiday businesses.

Tips for flying SriLankan

Bandaranaike International Airport is at Katunayake, north of Colombo city, so allow time for the road trip when you leave for the airport. If you are connecting through Colombo between India, the Maldives and another destination, book both sectors on one SriLankan ticket so your bags are checked to the final stop and a missed connection is the airline's problem to fix.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

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SriLankan Airlines

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  1. SriLankan Airlines: About us
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Good to know

  • Founded1979
  • Online check-inYes

Everything you should know

Airline codes

UL · ALK

IATA · ICAO · callsign “SRILANKAN”

Every SriLankan flight number begins with UL. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code ALK, and the radio callsign is SRILANKAN.

Key facts

Main hub

Colombo (CMB)

Bandaranaike International

Network

About 33 destinations

21 countries · South Asia · Asia · Middle East · Australia · Europe

SriLankan has one of the largest networks into India of any foreign airline, plus the Maldives, East Asia, the Gulf, Australia and London.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Economy

and Business

Business and Economy; flat-bed Business on the A330.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Colombo works well as a connecting point between India, the Maldives and the rest of the network. Plans to privatise the airline were dropped in 2024. Official website: srilankan.com.

Frequent flyer

FlySmiLes

Member of oneworld

SriLankan is a oneworld member; its programme is FlySmiLes.

How it works

Start a new search

Search your dates on bookingMentor to see SriLankan next to the other airlines flying from Colombo, then pick the fare that suits your trip.

Safe travels on SriLankan.

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At a glance

SriLankan Airlines (IATA: UL, ICAO: ALK) is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka, founded in 1979 as Air Lanka and based at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. A oneworld member, it flies about 23 Airbus A320-family and A330 aircraft to around 33 destinations in 21 countries.

Key facts about SriLankan Airlines
HeadquartersAirline Centre, Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, Sri Lanka
Fleet typesAirbus A330-300, A330-200, A321neo, A320neo, A320
Frequent flyerFlySmiLes
Official websitesrilankan.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
SriLankan serves the places below according to its published network. Routes are added, paused and rescheduled, so confirm the current SriLankan timetable when you search. Search flights

South Asia

Colombo (CMB) departures11 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

23 Airbus aircraft in January 2026: 7 A320, 2 A320neo and 4 A321neo on regional routes, plus 3 A330-200 and 7 A330-300 wide-bodies.

  • Airbus A330-300 Wide-body London, Europe, Australia, Japan and busy routes
  • Airbus A330-200 Wide-body London, Europe, Australia, Japan and busy routes
  • Airbus A321neo Narrow-body · 4 Regional and Middle East routes
  • Airbus A320 Narrow-body India, the Maldives and regional routes
  • Airbus A320neo Narrow-body India, the Maldives and regional routes

Cabin classes

Business and Economy. Economy passengers can pay for extra-legroom seats or bid for a Business upgrade; meals follow a Taste of Sri Lanka theme and special meals can be pre-ordered.

Economy All flights

Full service with Sri Lankan food

MealsChecked bag included

Business All aircraft

Flat beds on the A330

Serendib Lounge in ColomboPriority servicesExtra baggage

FlySmiLes

FlySmiLes is SriLankan’s frequent flyer scheme, and you can sign up on srilankan.com.

FlySmiLes has four tiers: Blue, Classic, Gold and Platinum. It replaced Serendib Miles. As a oneworld member, SriLankan flights also earn in programmes such as British Airways Executive Club and Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Baggage allowance

SriLankan does not give every passenger the same allowance: the route, the cabin and the fare you buy each change it. Your UL e-ticket shows what you have.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Depends on fare
Extra bags
Cheaper before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Allowances depend on route, cabin and fare and are shown on your e-ticket.

Pro tip: connecting in Colombo between two SriLankan flights on one ticket, bags are usually checked through.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Getting through check-in for SriLankan is simpler in this order. Start online and finish at bag drop.

  • Online check-in available
  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Online check-in for UL flights is on the official SriLankan website or app. You need the UL booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Before leaving for the airport, check that your passport is valid and that you hold any visa or entry document needed at the other end of your SriLankan flight. Domestic UL passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Each airport has its own SriLankan check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international UL departures.

    Well before departure
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    At the airport, take your bags to the SriLankan bag-drop point. Collect a printed UL boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.

    SriLankan counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official SriLankan website.
Check in with SriLankan
Save money

Cheap tickets

A few booking habits that tend to cut the cost of flying SriLankan.

  1. 01

    Try midweek UL flights

    SriLankan fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak seasons

    December holidays and the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April are busy times to fly to Sri Lanka.

    December & April
  3. 03

    Compare SriLankan fare types

    A SriLankan fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.

    Baggage & changes

  4. Ready to compare fares?

    Search SriLankan alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search SriLankan flights

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying SriLankan Airlines.
Checked against srilankan.com and public aviation references, with a review each season.

Getting there

SriLankan Airlines is a member of oneworld, which it joined on 1 May 2014. Passengers can connect to oneworld airlines and earn or redeem miles on eligible partner flights.