Ratmalana International Airport with a private driver

Ratmalana Airport (IATA: RML) is Sri Lanka's oldest operating airport, located in the Ratmalana suburb of southern Colombo, about 16 kilometres south of Colombo Fort. It handles domestic flights, charter traffic, military aviation and a small number of regional carriers. For travellers using Ratmalana rather than Bandaranaike, the key logistical advantage is proximity to the south coast: Ratmalana is approximately 50 minutes from Bentota and 90 minutes from Galle, compared with 90 minutes and 2.5 hours respectively from Bandaranaike. Private drivers for Ratmalana arrivals typically access the airport from the Southern Expressway; the residential roads through Moratuwa that connect Ratmalana to the expressway can be slow during peak hours, so early arrivals should allow for traffic.