Flight fares rise 50% as fans head to Colombo for India-Pakistan match

Airfares to Colombo surge up to 50 per cent ahead of India-Pakistan clash on February 15, with hotel tariffs also moving up amid strong cricket-driven travel demand

Flight fares to Colombo rose by as much as 50 per cent across some travel platforms for February 13–14, ahead of the India-Pakistan match being held in the Sri Lankan capital on February 15, with hotel booking platforms reporting room tariffs moving up as well.

 

“Flight fares to Colombo have more than doubled on our platform. From major cities like Delhi, direct flights are currently priced at over ₹1 lakh,” Bharatt Malik, senior vice-president – air and hotel business, Yatra Online, told Business Standard. 

Sporting events, especially marquee cricket matches, consistently act as high-impact travel catalysts for India’s sport aficionados across leisure and corporate MICE segments. The India–Pakistan fixture has driven strong travel interest to Sri Lanka, said industry watchers. 

“We are witnessing demand despite a significant increase in airfares compared with average pricing earlier in the month,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, holidays, MICE and visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited.

 

Last-minute round-trip fares to Colombo are currently at approximately ₹70,000 ex-Mumbai; ₹90,000–₹1,00,000 ex-Delhi; ₹80,000 ex-Hyderabad; ₹60,000–₹65,000 ex-Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune; and around ₹50,000 ex-Chennai and Cochin.

 

“Yes, prices have increased by approximately ₹1,000–₹2,000, which is 10–20 per cent, especially on the 13th and 14th. On the 15th, there is no increase since it is the match day,” said a spokesperson from online travel aggregator Cleartrip.

 

Hotels have also seen upward revisions, particularly for centrally located and premium properties in Colombo, Kale added.

 

The India–Pakistan match has inspired strong travel intent to Colombo not only from metros but also from Tier-II and Tier-III markets in regional India, reflecting broad-based cricket-driven travel interest. The trend, according to market trackers, includes the core traveller segment of Indian fans — working professionals, millennials and groups of friends — with a meaningful share of requests coming in within a short lead window since the announcement.

 

“Interestingly, we are also organising a 180-pax incentive group to Colombo for the match, highlighting strong corporate interest in marquee sporting events,” said SD Nandakumar, president and country head – holidays and corporate tours, SOTC Travel.

 

“While a significant segment is opting for two- to three-night match-focused itineraries, we are also seeing extensions into nearby beach destinations and curated leisure experiences. Beyond the stadium, travellers are opting for distinctive Colombo experiences such as the Geoffrey Bawa architecture trail, private street food walks through Pettah, art gallery circuits, Bolgoda Lake kayaking, cinnamon estate visits and heritage explorations around Kelaniya,” he added.