Summary

  • London Heathrow is SriLankan Airlines’ top route with 48,265,470 ASMs in June 2024.
  • Sydney Airport is third on the list with 29,098,278 ASMs despite its long distance.
  • Tokyo Narita Airport ranks second with 22,552,932 ASMs, serving as an important route for the airline.

From its hub at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), SriLankan Airlines operates a fleet of 21 aircraft to more than 30 destinations across the world. The carrier’s route network stretches from London Heathrow (LHR) in the west to Tokyo Narita (NRT) in the east and Melbourne (MEL) in the south. It also has a significant presence in India, flying to nine destinations throughout the country.

A SriLankan Airbus A330 about to land at Malé International Airport.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Using data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, we take a look at the five routes in the carrier’s network with the most available seat miles in June 2024. But first, what are available seat miles (ASMs)? ASMs are calculated by multiplying the number of miles an aircraft flies by the number of seats on the aircraft. They are often used as a measure of capacity within the aviation industry and offer a different perspective on an airline’s activity.

Find out more here:

Analysis: Inside SriLankan Airlines’ Intercontinental Network

The airline’s intercontinental routes are few, but they are important to its survivability.

5

King Khalid International Airport (RUH)

20,986,936 ASMs

SriLankan Airlines uses its Airbus A330 aircraft to fly once daily between Colombo and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The carrier’s fleet consists of two A330 variants – the A330-200 and A330-300 – both of which were deployed on this route in June 2024. SriLankan Airlines’ A330-200s each carry 270 passengers, although the aging aircraft have gradually been replaced by the younger A330-300s. Two of the airline’s A330-200s were also destroyed in the 2001 Bandaranaike Airport attack.

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-200

Photo: Soos Jozsef | Shutterstock

The route is 2,511 miles (4,041 km) in length, and SriLankan Airlines is the only carrier to connect the two cities directly. Elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, the airline also operates to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) and Dammam King Fahd International Airport (DMM).

4

Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT)

22,552,932 ASMs

SriLankan Airlines operates four flights per week to Tokyo Narita Airport, primarily with the Airbus A330-300, although it also deploys the A330-200 on a small number of services in June 2024. Each of the carrier’s A330-300s can carry a total of 297 passengers in a two-class configuration – 28 in business class and 269 in economy class.

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330 oneworld livery

Photo: Gilang Putraditya Purba | Shutterstock

Data from ch-aviation shows that SriLankan Airlines’ fleet of seven Airbus A330-300s has an average age of 9 years old. The aircraft began to join the airline in October 2014, replacing the aging A340-300, which was formerly the backbone of the carrier’s long-haul operation. Elsewhere in East Asia, SriLankan Airlines also flies to Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN).

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The airline serves over 40 destinations.

3

Sydney Airport (SYD)

29,098,278 ASMs

Colombo to Sydney is the longest route in SriLankan Airlines’ network, coming in at 5,443 miles (8,759 km). However, its less-than-daily frequency (four times per week) means that it did not have the most ASMs in June 2024, putting it instead in third place.

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-300

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

SriLankan Airlines deploys its Airbus A330-300s on the route, and does not face any direct competition. Travelers looking for alternative options would need to consider connecting via an Asian hub such as Hong Kong (HKG), Singapore (SIN), or Kuala Lumpur (KUL).

2

Melbourne Airport (MEL)

46,223,990 ASMs

The second of SriLankan Airlines’ two Australian routes to make the list, Colombo to Melbourne, is also flown with the Airbus A330-300. The daily frequency of the 5,189-mile (8,350 km) service makes it the carrier’s route with the second-highest ASMs in June 2024.

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-300

Photo: Vytautas Kielaitis | Shutterstock

Similarly to its Sydney route, SriLankan Airlines is the only carrier to offer direct flights between Colombo and Melbourne. The airline offers plenty of connections throughout Australia thanks to its codeshare agreement with fellow oneworld member, Qantas (SriLankan Airlines joined the alliance in May 2014). ​​

1

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

48,265,470 ASMs

SriLankan Airlines flies once per day between Colombo and London with its Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The length of the route (5,417 miles or 8,717 km) plus its daily frequency help to push London Heathrow to the top of the list when it comes to SriLankan Airlines’ routes with the most ASMs in June 2024. Flights operate as per the following schedule:

Flight number

Route

Departure

Arrival

UL503

CMB-LHR

13:05

20:00

UL504

LHR-CMB

21:30

12:45

There is no direct competition on the route, but travelers have plenty of one-stop options between Sri Lanka and London, such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways, via their respective hubs of Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), and Abu Dhabi (AUH). After scaling back its European network in the late 2010s, the carrier resumed service to two other European hubs – Paris (CDG) and Frankfurt (FRA) – after the pandemic.

SriLankan Airlines Top 5 ASMs

How does this list of SriLankan Airlines’ top five routes with the most available seat miles compare to the five routes the carrier operates most frequently? The airline’s most frequent route is the short hop to Malé (MLE), which it flies three times per day with a mixture of widebody Airbus A330 and narrowbody A320 aircraft. However, despite its high frequency, the short distance of the route means that in terms of ASMs, it is not among the airline’s top five.

Find out more here:

Top 5: These Are SriLankan Airlines’ Most Frequently-Served Routes

Malé, in the exotic Maldives, is the airline’s top destination.

What do you think of SriLankan Airlines’ five routes with the most available seat miles? Have you flown on one of the routes listed above? Share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below.


  • srilankan-airlines-ceo-interview-capa-live-getty

    SriLankan Airlines

    IATA/ICAO Code:
    UL/ALK

    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier

    Year Founded:
    1972

    Alliance:
    oneworld

    CEO:
    Richard Nuttall

    Country:
    Sri Lanka

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