# Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB / VCBI)

**Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport** (IATA: CMB, ICAO: VCBI) is a large airport in Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It opened in 1944. It has one runway, 3,350 m (10,991 ft) long, asphalt. It is operated by Sri Lanka Air Force. In 2019 it handled 10.0 million passengers.

Web page: https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcbi

## At a glance

- IATA / ICAO: CMB / VCBI
- Type: Large airport
- Operator: Sri Lanka Air Force
- Serves: Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Opened: 1944
- Elevation: 9 m / 30 ft
- Coordinates: 7.1808, 79.8841
- Runways: 1
- Longest runway: 3,350 m / 10,991 ft
- Passengers: 9,962,670 (2019)
- Time zone: UTC+5:30 · Asia/Colombo
- Website: http://www.airport.lk/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandaranaike_International_Airport (40 languages)
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60900
- Weather station: VCBI · WMO 43450
- Ident: VCBI

## Timeline

- 1944: Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport opens.
- 3 May 1986: Air Lanka Flight 512. 21 killed.
- 24 Mar 2000: Q120268703. 9 killed.

## Runways

| Ident | Length | Width | Surface | True headings | Lighted |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 04/22 | 3,350 m / 10,991 ft | 45 m / 148 ft | Asphalt | 037° / 217° | yes |

## Passengers per year

| Year | Passengers | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2011 | 6,174,215 | Wikidata |
| 2012 | 7,145,091 | Wikidata |
| 2013 | 7,311,842 | Wikidata |
| 2014 | 7,819,847 | Wikidata |
| 2015 | 8,500,000 | Wikidata |
| 2017 | 9,805,045 | Wikidata |
| 2019 | 9,962,670 | Wikidata |

## Routes

48 destinations in 26 countries. From the airport's Wikipedia article.

### Year-round (43)

- [GIU](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vccs.md) Sigiriya Air Force Base · Sri Lanka · 127 km / 79 mi · Cinnamon Air
- [KCT](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcck.md) Koggala Airport · Sri Lanka · 141 km / 88 mi · Cinnamon Air
- [WRZ](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vccw.md) Weerawila Airport · Sri Lanka · 181 km / 112 mi · Cinnamon Air
- [BTC](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vccb.md) Batticaloa International Airport · Sri Lanka · 206 km / 128 mi · Cinnamon Air
- [TRR](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcct.md) China Bay Airport · Sri Lanka · 208 km / 129 mi · Cinnamon Air
- [IXM](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vomd.md) Madurai Airport · India · 355 km / 221 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [TRV](https://dromopedia.com/airports/votv.md) Thiruvananthapuram International Airport · India · 357 km / 222 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [TRZ](https://dromopedia.com/airports/votr.md) Tiruchirappalli International Airport · India · 418 km / 260 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [COK](https://dromopedia.com/airports/voci.md) Cochin International Airport · India · 506 km / 314 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [CJB](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vocb.md) Coimbatore International Airport · India · 530 km / 329 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [MAA](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vomm.md) Chennai International Airport · India · 647 km / 402 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [BLR](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vobl.md) Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru · India · 710 km / 441 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [MLE](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vrmm.md) Velana International Airport · Maldives · 778 km / 483 mi · flydubai, Emirates, Gulf Air, SriLankan Airlines
- [HYD](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vohs.md) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport · India · 1,129 km / 702 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [GAN](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vrmg.md) Gan International Airport · Maldives · 1,151 km / 715 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [BOM](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vabb.md) Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport · India · 1,526 km / 948 mi · Air India, SriLankan Airlines
- [AMD](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vaah.md) Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport · India · 1,930 km / 1,199 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [DAC](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vghs.md) Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport · Bangladesh · 2,166 km / 1,346 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [KTM](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vnkt.md) Tribhuvan International Airport · Nepal · 2,353 km / 1,462 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [KHI](https://dromopedia.com/airports/opkc.md) Jinnah International Airport · Pakistan · 2,391 km / 1,486 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [BKK](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vtbs.md) Suvarnabhumi Airport · Thailand · 2,392 km / 1,486 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [DEL](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vidp.md) Indira Gandhi International Airport · India · 2,395 km / 1,488 mi · Air India, SriLankan Airlines
- [KUL](https://dromopedia.com/airports/wmkk.md) Kuala Lumpur International Airport · Malaysia · 2,467 km / 1,533 mi · Batik Air Malaysia, SriLankan Airlines
- [SIN](https://dromopedia.com/airports/wsss.md) Singapore Changi Airport · Singapore · 2,750 km / 1,709 mi · Singapore Airlines, SriLankan Airlines
- [LHE](https://dromopedia.com/airports/opla.md) Allama Iqbal International Airport · Pakistan · 2,766 km / 1,719 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [SGN](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vvts.md) Tan Son Nhat International Airport · Vietnam · 2,966 km / 1,843 mi · VietJet Air
- [DXB](https://dromopedia.com/airports/omdb.md) Dubai International Airport · United Arab Emirates · 3,287 km / 2,042 mi · flydubai, Emirates
- [AUH](https://dromopedia.com/airports/omaa.md) Zayed International Airport · United Arab Emirates · 3,301 km / 2,051 mi · Etihad Airways, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
- [CGK](https://dromopedia.com/airports/wiii.md) Soekarno-Hatta International Airport · Indonesia · 3,318 km / 2,062 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [DOH](https://dromopedia.com/airports/othh.md) Hamad International Airport · Qatar · 3,613 km / 2,245 mi · Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines
- [TFU](https://dromopedia.com/airports/zutf.md) Chengdu Tianfu International Airport · China · 3,629 km / 2,255 mi · Air China
- [BAH](https://dromopedia.com/airports/obbi.md) Bahrain International Airport · Bahrain · 3,751 km / 2,331 mi · Gulf Air
- [DMM](https://dromopedia.com/airports/oedf.md) King Fahd International Airport · Saudi Arabia · 3,835 km / 2,383 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [CAN](https://dromopedia.com/airports/zggg.md) Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport · China · 3,995 km / 2,482 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [RUH](https://dromopedia.com/airports/oerk.md) King Khalid International Airport · Saudi Arabia · 4,040 km / 2,510 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [KWI](https://dromopedia.com/airports/okkk.md) Kuwait International Airport · Kuwait · 4,142 km / 2,574 mi · SriLankan Airlines, Kuwait Airways
- [ICN](https://dromopedia.com/airports/rksi.md) Incheon International Airport · South Korea · 5,768 km / 3,584 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [NRT](https://dromopedia.com/airports/rjaa.md) Narita International Airport · Japan · 6,894 km / 4,284 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [FRA](https://dromopedia.com/airports/eddf.md) Frankfurt Main Airport · Germany · 8,067 km / 5,013 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [MEL](https://dromopedia.com/airports/ymml.md) Melbourne Airport · Australia · 8,358 km / 5,193 mi · Jetstar Airways, SriLankan Airlines
- [CDG](https://dromopedia.com/airports/lfpg.md) Charles de Gaulle International Airport · France · 8,483 km / 5,271 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [LHR](https://dromopedia.com/airports/egll.md) London Heathrow Airport · United Kingdom · 8,715 km / 5,415 mi · SriLankan Airlines
- [SYD](https://dromopedia.com/airports/yssy.md) Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport · Australia · 8,763 km / 5,445 mi · SriLankan Airlines

### Seasonal (2)

- [SVO](https://dromopedia.com/airports/uuee.md) Sheremetyevo International Airport · Russia · 6,576 km / 4,086 mi · Aeroflot
- [LGW](https://dromopedia.com/airports/egkk.md) London Gatwick Airport · United Kingdom · 8,694 km / 5,402 mi · British Airways

### Cargo (5)

- [MAA](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vomm.md) Chennai International Airport · India · 647 km / 402 mi · Afcom Holdings
- [MLE](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vrmm.md) Velana International Airport · Maldives · 778 km / 483 mi · Afcom Holdings
- [KMG](https://dromopedia.com/airports/zppp.md) Kunming Changshui International Airport · China · 3,157 km / 1,962 mi · SF Airlines
- [HKG](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vhhh.md) Hong Kong International Airport · Hong Kong SAR China · 4,013 km / 2,494 mi · Magma Aviation
- [JNB](https://dromopedia.com/airports/faor.md) O.R. Tambo International Airport · South Africa · 6,688 km / 4,156 mi · Magma Aviation

## Airlines

The figure is how many destinations each airline flies from CMB, as the routes above have them. Hubs from Wikidata.

### Hub airlines (4)

- UL [SriLankan Airlines](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/srilankan-airlines) · 33
- C7 [Cinnamon Air](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/cinnamon-air) · 5
- 8D [FitsAir](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/fitsair)
- QL [Lankan Cargo](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/lankan-cargo)

### Passenger (15)

- AI [Air India](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/air-india) · 2
- EK [Emirates](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/emirates) · 2
- FZ [flydubai](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/flydubai) · 2
- GF [Gulf Air](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/gulf-air) · 2
- SU [Aeroflot](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/aeroflot) · 1 · seasonal
- 3L [Air Arabia Abu Dhabi](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/air-arabia-abu-dhabi) · 1
- CA [Air China](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/air-china) · 1
- OD [Batik Air Malaysia](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/batik-air-malaysia) · 1
- BA [British Airways](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/british-airways) · 1 · seasonal
- EY [Etihad Airways](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/etihad-airways) · 1
- JQ [Jetstar Airways](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/jetstar-airways) · 1
- KU [Kuwait Airways](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/kuwait-airways) · 1
- QR [Qatar Airways](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/qatar-airways) · 1
- SQ [Singapore Airlines](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/singapore-airlines) · 1
- VJ [VietJet Air](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/vietjet-air) · 1

### Cargo (3)

- [Afcom Holdings](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/afcom-holdings) · 2
- [Magma Aviation](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/magma-aviation) · 2
- O3 [SF Airlines](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/sf-airlines) · 1

Former hub of [Mihin Lanka](https://dromopedia.com/airlines/mihin-lanka).

## Rankings

Ranked among 48,075 open airports; = marks a shared place.

| Measure | Value | World | Region | Country |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Passengers | 10.0M (2019) | #217 of 3,974 | #70 in Asia | #1 in LK |
| Longest runway | 3,350 m / 10,991 ft | =677 of 29,858 | =203 in Asia | #2 in LK |
| Elevation | 9 m / 30 ft | =40,463 of 43,403 | =2,780 in Asia | #12 in LK |
| Age | Opened 1944 | =2,300 of 15,079 | =152 in Asia | #3 in LK |
| Runways | 1 | =4,364 of 29,978 | =185 in Asia | =1 in LK |

## Radio frequencies

| Type | Description | MHz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| APP | COLOMBO APP | 120.900 |
| ATIS | ATIS | 127.200 |
| GND | COLOMBO GND | 121.900 |
| TWR | COLOMBO TWR | 118.700 |

## Nearby airports

- [RML](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vccc.md) Colombo Ratmalana International Airport · 40 km / 25 mi
- [ACJ](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcca.md) Anuradhapura Airport · 138 km / 86 mi
- [KCT](https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcck.md) Koggala Airport · 141 km / 87 mi

## Sources

- [NOAA Aviation Weather Center](https://aviationweather.gov/data/api/): Weather data: NOAA Aviation Weather Center (Public Domain (US Government))
- [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/): Airport data from OurAirports (Public Domain)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org): Structured data from Wikidata (CC0 1.0)
- [Wikipedia: “Bandaranaike International Airport”](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bandaranaike_International_Airport&oldid=1375860208), revision of 20 Sep 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [timezone-boundary-builder](https://github.com/evansiroky/timezone-boundary-builder): Time zone boundaries © OpenStreetMap contributors, timezone-boundary-builder (ODbL 1.0)
- Every figure with its source: https://dromopedia.com/airports/vcbi/data