SL air travel rebounds with 7.5 mn passengers in nine months

The local aviation industry recorded steady growth between January and September 2025, reflecting a continued post-pandemic rebound in travel connectivity and tourism demand. Data released by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) showed a 14.08 percent increase in international passenger movements and a 15.35 percent rise in aircraft movements compared with the same period in 2024.

A total of 7.56 million passengers passed through the country’s three main international airports – Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) and Jaffna Jaffna International Airport (JIA) – during the first nine months of the year. 

Arrivals accounted for 49.15 percent of the traffic, departures 50.85 percent, while transit passengers remained steady at over 680,000, highlighting Sri Lanka’s strategic position in regional and long-haul networks.

Air tourism continued to drive the sector, with 1.7 million tourists arriving by air, representing nearly 46 percent of total arrivals. Domestic travel made up the remaining 54 percent, indicating a balanced market between local and international demand.

Cargo movement, however, declined 4.01 percent to 140,569 metric tonnes, which analysts attribute to global freight normalisation following heightened post-pandemic cargo activity.

The sector’s year-end outlook remains positive, supported by new routes and expanded schedules. Kuwait Airways will resume flights to Colombo on October 27, followed by Belavia Airlines (Belarus) and Red Wings Airlines launching new charter and scheduled services to Mattala on October 28. Edelweiss/SWISS International Air Lines will start winter operations to BIA on the same date, while Enter Air will commence regular flights from Warsaw to Colombo on October 30, operating through April 2026.

Early 2026 is expected to bring further growth, with Beijing Capital Airlines and Jetstar, a Qantas subsidiary, planning routes connecting Sri Lanka with Beijing and Australia, respectively.

To manage increasing passenger volumes, AASL plans to introduce 12 new check-in counters at Bandaranaike International Airport from 1 November 2025. The initiative, launched in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism, includes the construction of a temporary marquee to ease capacity constraints until Terminal 2 opens in 2026.