Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport is located at Katunayake around 30 km from the CBD of Colombo. It is the only international airport in Sri Lanka.

There is one terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport. A pier with eight aerobridges, which was inaugurated in November 2005, is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. The various airlines operating from the airport include AOM French Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines and Thai Airways.

Prayer Rooms

The Muslim prayer room is located on the 1st floor of the departure/transit lounge. It has separate male and female facilities. For Wudhu one needs to use the washrooms near the prayer rooms as no specific Wudu facilities are available. They are well fitted with hand showers and more interestingly even has a place to wash the legs for wudhu without trying to be acrobatic...

There a few of mosques on the way to the Airport from Colombo. If you are traveling on a hired transport, the driver will be able to find a mosque for you. However only a limited number of Mosques in Sri Lanka have convenient facilities for prayer and Wudhu for females.

Halal Dining

There are no halal certified restaurants at the airport. You can find beverages at two of the snack outlets there which have Sri Lanka Halal certification (ACJU) logo.

Transport

There are many different ways of traveling to the city from the airport and vice versa. Buses and taxis are available at the airport. However, travelers are advised to arrange their own transport as public transport is not always reliable.

The best option for travelers not familiar with Sri Lanka is to get the picked up by the Hotel or book a taxi from the Airport Taxi service counters located just after passing the customs. The Taxi to the city will cost Sri Lankan Rupees 2000 to 3000.

The trip from Colombo city center to the Airport will take anywhere between 45 minutes to one and half hours depending on the traffic.

Money Changers

There is only one ATM at the airport and travelers are advised to carry cash or travelers cheques with them in case it is out of order. There are many banks just outside the Arrivals Hall providing currency exchange and re-exchange facilities.

Shopping

There are quite a few duty-free shops located in the Arrival & Departure Terminals. These offer a variety of products, including electrical and electronic household appliances, perfumes, chocolates, ‘Ceylon Tea’, handicraft, watches, souvenirs and other Sri Lankan products.