Is a 45 min layover in Colombo long enough?
CMB · Bandaranaike International · Colombo, Sri Lanka
It Depends
Meets the domestic-linked MCTs but is the bare minimum, risky during the midnight-to-4am crunch.
Quick Stats
2
20m
20m
SriLankan Airlines
Minimum Connection Times
45min
tight45min
tight45min
tight60min
✗AD PLACEMENT — CONTEXTUAL
Tips for 45 min Connections
Expect the busiest crowds between midnight and 4am when SriLankan Airlines' overnight bank of flights arrives and departs simultaneously.
If your connection routes through Terminal 2, confirm whether your airline provides a shuttle, as the walk outdoors can take 15-20 minutes.
Transit passengers must go through a security re-screening checkpoint even when staying within Terminal 1, so don't assume airside continuity.
Duty-free and food options are limited, so don't expect a long layover to be entertaining — grab essentials early.
Because the airport is compact, gate-to-gate distances within Terminal 1 are generally short once past security.
Busyness — Connection Risk
12a6a12p6p12a
Low risk
Moderate
High risk
Tight connections are safer outside peak hours. Morning rush (6–9a), midday (11a–2p), and evening (4–8p) are highest risk.
Getting Between Concourses
Most connecting passengers stay within Terminal 1, walking between gates after a security re-screening point near the transit desk. Terminal 2, opened to relieve congestion, is a separate building reached by a shuttle bus or a longer outdoor walk, and passengers connecting between the two terminals should allow extra time as it is not directly linked airside.
Is 45 minutes enough for a layover at CMB?
Meets the domestic-linked MCTs but is the bare minimum, risky during the midnight-to-4am crunch.
Other Layover Durations at CMB
AD PLACEMENT — BEFORE FOOTER