After spending an incredible 3 nights in Colombo, it was finally time to head back to India. My return flight from Colombo to Mumbai was booked on SriLankan Airlines� using Qatar Privilege Club Avios points, making this another amazing luxury budget travel experience using points and miles.
I checked out from Courtyard by Marriott Colombo and headed towards Bandaranaike International Airport using the airport bus from Colombo Bus Stand. If you are looking for the cheapest and most economical way to reach Colombo Airport from Colombo city, the airport bus is honestly a fantastic option for budget travellers and backpackers visiting Sri Lanka.
Since my flight was scheduled in the early evening and I was travelling using public transport, I decided to leave early to avoid any last-minute issues. I reached the airport well ahead of time expecting to relax and explore the lounges at Colombo Airport. However, this time my experience with SriLankan Airlines was slightly mixed compared to my smooth Mumbai to Colombo journey a few days earlier.
Booking the Flight Using Avios
Flight cost:
- 9,000 Avios
- Approximately ₹4800 in taxes
Flight Details :
Delayed Check-in Experience at Colombo Airport
One disappointing part of the experience was the delayed opening of SriLankan Airlines check-in counters at Colombo Airport. The counters took forever to open and many passengers were left waiting in long queues. It became a little frustrating as the delay reduced the amount of time I had planned to spend exploring the airport and lounges.
Once the counters finally opened, the process itself was fairly smooth. I quickly received my boarding pass and headed towards immigration. Thankfully, immigration at Colombo Airport was surprisingly fast with mostly empty counters during the afternoon hours.
Priority Pass Lounge Access at Colombo Airport
One of the biggest advantages of carrying the American Express Platinum Card India is the unlimited Priority Pass lounge access. I was excited to explore two lounges at Colombo Airport using my Priority Pass membership.
Unfortunately, I later realised that the famous Ceylon Tea lounge and restaurant was located outside the immigration area. Since I had already cleared immigration, I could no longer access it. This left me with only one lounge option inside the international departures area — the Palm Strip Lounge.
Palm Strip Lounge Colombo Review
Palm Strip Lounge was compact and relatively crowded because it is currently one of the only Priority Pass accessible lounges after immigration at Colombo Airport.
Although the lounge was small, it still served its purpose well for a short visit. I quickly had lunch, charged my mobile phone, relaxed for a while and then proceeded towards my boarding gate. If you are planning to access this lounge during peak hours, expect it to be crowded.
SriLankan Airlines Economy Class Experience
Boarding at the gate was smooth and organised. One pleasant surprise on this flight was the legroom. Compared to my earlier SriLankan Airlines flight from Mumbai to Colombo, this aircraft felt much more spacious and comfortable.
My seat was located near the emergency exit area which offered noticeably better leg space. For a short international flight between Sri Lanka and India, the comfort level was honestly quite decent.
The take-off from Colombo was smooth and the cabin crew was professional throughout the journey. Despite the short duration of the flight, a hot meal was served onboard. The food was surprisingly delicious and satisfying, something SriLankan Airlines generally does well on regional routes.
In-Flight Entertainment Experience on SriLankan Airlines
Another positive aspect of this SriLankan Airlines flight from Colombo to Mumbai was the in-flight entertainment system. Although the personal entertainment screen was slightly small compared to newer aircraft standards, it still offered a good overall entertainment experience for this short international journey.
The system had a decent collection of Hollywood movies along with several TV shows, music options and games to keep passengers entertained during the flight. I especially liked the Hollywood movie selection, which included a variety of popular and recent titles. The interface was simple and easy to use, making it convenient to browse through the entertainment options quickly after take-off.
For a relatively short flight between Sri Lanka and India, the entertainment options were more than sufficient and helped make the journey feel comfortable and enjoyable. Combined with the good legroom and hot meal service, the overall onboard experience on SriLankan Airlines� was quite satisfying.
Landing Experience at Mumbai Airport
As we approached Mumbai, there was some congestion at Mumbai Airport which resulted in the aircraft hovering for a while before getting landing clearance. Thankfully, the landing itself was smooth and comfortable.
After landing in Mumbai, it marked the end of another memorable international trip booked almost entirely using travel points and miles.
Was Booking SriLankan Airlines With Avios Worth It?
Overall, this was a good redemption using Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios points. I booked this Colombo to Mumbai flight for just 9,000 Avios points, which is excellent value for an international flight.
However, one important thing travellers should remember is that taxes can vary significantly depending on the departure airport. While I paid only around INR 1,900 in taxes for my Mumbai to Colombo flight on the same airline, the Colombo to Mumbai sector had taxes of nearly INR 4,800 despite costing the same 9,000 Avios points.
So if you are planning to redeem Avios points for SriLankan Airlines flights between India and Sri Lanka, keep the higher Sri Lankan departure taxes in mind.
Final Verdict
Even though the delayed check-in experience at Colombo Airport was frustrating, the overall journey on SriLankan Airlines was still comfortable and enjoyable. The spacious seating, decent onboard meal, smooth boarding process and affordable Avios redemption made this a solid value-for-money international flight experience.
For travellers looking to visit Sri Lanka using points and miles, redeeming Qatar Privilege Club Avios on SriLankan Airlines remains one of the best sweet spots for budget luxury travel from India.
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