Flying from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB): what you need to know
Take a direct flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport and you'll be in the air for an average of 10 hours 50 minutes.
The timezone in Colombo is UTC+5:30, which is five hours 30 minutes behind Melbourne.
Flights from MEL to CMB start from 16:10 — the earliest with SriLankan Airlines. The latest departure is at 17:25 with SriLankan Airlines. Overall, you can take your pick of 13 weekly Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport flights.
Leave enough time to make your MEL to CMB flight. As a rule of thumb, arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
You can expect longer queues in popular months such as January. Arriving up to four hours in advance for an international flight and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.
SriLankan Airlines offers direct flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport. Book with this popular airline, then get ready to discover the sights in Colombo — and maybe even more of Sri Lanka if time allows.
Most travellers choose to travel with SriLankan Airlines on this route.
SriLankan Airlines is the most punctual carrier that operates MEL to CMB flights.
Consider adding a stopover when booking your ticket from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport. Just deselect 'Direct flights only' to break up your trip, or perhaps explore a new destination along the way. Here's where you can stop between MEL and CMB:
Changi International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
Right now, ر.ق. 758 is the lowest price we've seen for a one-way Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport flight. The best price for a return plane ticket is ر.ق. 1,593. Bear in mind that fares could change due to demand at the time of booking.
To secure cheap tickets from MEL to CMB, book your trip six months ahead of your departure.
Organise your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport. If you're flexible with your dates, try out the 'Whole month' tool to see the cheapest price across every month.
There's no need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll let you know the moment a special offer becomes available on cheap flights from MEL to CMB.
Tailor your flights using filters. Choose your departure and arrival times, total journey duration and airlines. You can also sort results by 'Fastest,' 'Cheapest' or 'Best' flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport.
Handy information about Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)
When it comes to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport's on-time performance, 67.71% of flights complete their journey on time.
To reach Melbourne Tullamarine Airport from central Melbourne, it takes around 30 minutes if you're going by car. Of course, this depends on traffic. It's approximately 24 kilometres from the airport to the city centre.
Taking public transport? Expect a journey time of around 40 minutes.
Searching for a handy hotel close to MEL? If you've booked an early flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport, these accommodation options will have you moments from your departure lounge:
Arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
If you're landing on a late Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport flight, few things beat the convenience of staying near the terminal. Grab your luggage from the carousel and then be showered and resting shortly after at one of these accommodation options near CMB:
Grab a Bandaranaike International Airport rental car and discover Colombo and beyond with your own set of wheels. Sr Rent A Car, Green Motion and Sixt are top providers to choose from here.
Lock in the best deal by reserving your vehicle from Bandaranaike International Airport about two weeks before your travel date.
Getting from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to central Colombo
From Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo is approximately 32 kilometres away. It takes around 40 minutes to reach the centre by car.
When travelling on public transport, expect a journey time of around 1 hour 30 minutes.
When to fly to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
The quietest month for a flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport is April, while February is the busiest. Choose the ideal time to visit Colombo based on whether you prefer a more fast-paced or easygoing experience.
The warmest month in Colombo is March, with temperatures ranging between 24ºC and 33ºC. Lock in your flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport in this month if you enjoy this type of weather.
January has average temperatures of between 22ºC and 32ºC. Look for cheap tickets from MEL to CMB sometime around then if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.
Explore more of Sri Lanka
Moratuwa is just one of the many places in Sri Lanka waiting to be explored once you've taken in the sights of Colombo. Around 18 kilometres away to the south, its top attractions include Boat House, Angulana Beach and Dilmah Conservation One Earth Arboretum.
If you're interested in discovering another well-known destination in Sri Lanka, consider Jaffna, roughly 306 kilometres north of Colombo. Jaffna Fort, Dambakola Patuna Sangamitta Temple and Jaffna Public Library are key reasons to visit.
