Jetstar commenced the first direct low-fares flights between Sri Lanka and Australia on 25 August 2026, landing its inaugural service at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo that evening. Shortly after, the airline operated the first departure from Colombo to Melbourne Airport using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.
Operating three times weekly year-round, the service offers over 100,000 seats annually between Colombo and Melbourne. Jetstar launched a promotional fare sale starting at LKR 67,770 one-way, available from 7:30 AM IST on 25 August and running until 9:29 PM IST on 31 August 2026, or until sold out.
Route connections and network
The route connects Bandaranaike
International Airport in Sri Lanka with Melbourne Airport in Victoria, Australia. Through Jetstar’s domestic network, passengers can connect onward within Australia to Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Tasmania, and extend travel to New Zealand destinations including Auckland and Queenstown on a single booking.
Hayleys Advantis acts as Jetstar’s General Sales Agent in Sri Lanka, supporting the commercial and operational management of the route to help it perform in both directions.
Addressing long-standing connectivity gaps
The direct service fills a significant gap in direct air capacity between Colombo and Australia. Previously, travelers had to make costly connecting flights via third countries. This new route provides
consistent year-round capacity beyond peak travel seasons.
Jetstar anticipates strong demand for the service, particularly because Victoria hosts the largest Sri Lankan community in Australia, attracting both holidaymakers and those visiting friends and relatives.
Passenger benefits and aircraft upgrades
The direct flights offer Sri Lankan travelers affordable and convenient access to Melbourne and onward destinations. The use of Jetstar’s fleet of 11 widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliners ensures comfort on this long-haul route.
This year, Jetstar began a comprehensive upgrade of its 787 cabins, doubling the number of business class seats and adding Wi-Fi capabilities for streaming entertainment. The aircraft also feature new lie-flat crew rest
areas, enabling extended flight range up to 16 hours, which could facilitate future expansion of long-haul routes.
A Jetstar spokesperson said, “We’ve already seen strong demand for flights, and Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Sri Lankan community, so we’re expecting the route to be popular with holidaymakers and those visiting family and friends. We’re looking forward to becoming a familiar sight at Bandaranaike.”
Shano Sabar, Deputy Managing Director of Hayleys Advantis, stated, “Until now, travelling between Colombo and Australia has meant connecting through a third country at a higher cost. Three weekly widebody services on a year-round schedule change
that, with capacity that holds through the off season rather than only at peak. For Sri Lankans, this is affordable access to family in Victoria and, through Jetstar’s domestic network, onward to Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Tasmania, Auckland and Queenstown on a single connection. For Sri Lanka, it opens a large outbound leisure market at a point when the tourism sector needs consistent inbound capacity.”
