Emirates Marks 40 Years of Operations to Colombo, Connecting Sri Lanka to Dubai and the World
Colombo, Sri Lanka – 18 June 2026: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, marks 40 years of service to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since its inaugural flight in April 1986, Emirates has transported over 15 million passengers on more than 97,000 flights to and from the country. Additionally, in the last two decades alone, Emirates’ flights have uplifted more than 403,000 tonnes of cargo between Sri Lanka and the rest of the airline’s expansive network. The growth of the Dubai-Colombo market since 2022 has experienced an average annual growth of 20.5%, reinforcing Dubai as a business, work, and tourism destination for thousands of Sri Lankans.
Emirates currently operates three daily flights, connecting Sri Lanka’s largest city to over 135 destinations on its vast network and supporting trade and tourism. In the past year, Emirates has connected Sri Lanka to important markets for business and tourism in Europe, notably the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
The airline has also provided seamless international connectivity via its Dubai hub to emerging economies in the Middle East and Africa. On flights to and from Colombo, passengers enjoy the “Fly Better” experience aboard the Boeing 777 as well as its latest aircraft to join its fleet, the A350.
The mix of both aircraft types offer seats in four cabin classes including Premium Economy. To boost connectivity for its customers, Emirates expanded its partnership with Sri Lankan Airlines in 2023 to encompass 30 routes on an interline basis.
The collaboration provides valuable benefits for customers travelling to popular destinations in the Far East, Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, including seamless travel on one-ticket itineraries and greater connectivity to points on the networks of both airlines. Emirates and Sri Lanka Tourism also maintain a strategic partnership to promote the island destination to audiences in the airline’s robust network.
Last year, Emirates reinforced its commitment to delivering premium travel experiences for travellers to and from Colombo by introducing its Premium Economy cabin on the airline’s latest A350 aircraft, featuring industry-first technologies, and also on the retrofitted B777 operated on flights EK650/651 with four refurbished cabin classes to provide its latest signature experience with its ultra-modern and premium aesthetic.
The movement of cargo into and out of Sri Lanka has been fulfilled through Emirates’ cargo operations, with a capacity of up to 20 tonnes in the belly hold of the aircraft serving the Colombo-Dubai route. Key exports from the island nation include apparel and world-renown blends of Ceylon tea. Key imports include textiles, machinery, sugar and metals used in manufacturing.
Over the years, Emirates has consistently delivered an exceptional passenger experience by offering generous baggage allowances, starting at 23 kg bags in Economy* and two 32 kg bags in First and Business Class per traveller. All passengers can enjoy regionally inspired menus by award-winning chefs and access to over 6,500 entertainment channels including content in Tamil and Sinhala.
*Depending on fare type