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Airfares to Colombo have surged sharply, in some cases more than tripling, after confirmation that the India–Pakistan T20 World Cup group match will go ahead in Sri Lanka’s capital on February 15, data from online travel platforms and the websites of Air India, IndiGo, and Sri Lankan Airlines showed.
From Delhi and Mumbai, where demand is strongest, fares have moved from mid-range international prices to premium long-haul territory. A Delhi–Colombo ticket that typically costs around Rs 30,000 is now selling for over Rs 90,000, with business class touching about Rs 2.25 lakh on some services. A three‑hour Mumbai–Colombo flight on Air India is now priced up to Rs 60,000 in economy and about Rs 84,000 in premium economy for travel on match day.
Cost of Rivalry
“Compared with average pricing earlier in the month, last-minute round-trip fares to Colombo for the Indo-Pak match are witnessing a significant increase in pricing with current fare levels approximately at Rs 70,000 ex-Mumbai; Rs 90,000–1,00,000 ex-Delhi; Rs 80,000 ex-Hyderabad; Rs 60,000–65,000 ex-Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune; and around Rs 50,000 ex-Chennai and Cochin, reflecting elevated demand in the lead-up to the match,” Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head – Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook (India) Limited & SOTC Travel said in a statement.
Southern gateways that usually offer cheaper access to Sri Lanka are also seeing heavy pressure, with one-way fares from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi to Colombo rising to about Rs 30,000, and direct seats from Thiruvananthapuram sold out, with some return itineraries via Delhi crossing Rs 1 lakh. A direct Kochi–Colombo return was quoted around Rs 66,000, compared with advance‑purchase fares that typically sit between Rs 40,000 and Rs 45,000.
“Sri Lanka is seeing strong travel interest, led by the marquee India vs Pakistan fixture that continues to evoke deep passion and sentiment among Indian cricket aficionados. Sports-led travel remains a key demand driver, and interest levels are strong despite marked increases in airfares,” Rastogi added.
Rajiv Mehra, General Secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), said: “Cricket is of huge interest to Indians and a match with Pakistan always draws huge attention. The spike in demand is further aided by the visa-on-arrival facility and the absence of a visa fee. NRIs from the Gulf region also often make their presence felt in contests like these.”
Airline executives and travel experts also said the onset of Valentine’s Day and the late confirmation of the fixture have combined to push prices higher.
“The weekend was already popular because of Valentine’s Day, but the sudden announcement that the Pakistan-India match would take place added to the rush for seats and the consequent increase in fare,” a senior executive from Air India told Fe.
Executives at Air India and IndiGo also said that the airlines are planning to add more flights to Colombo if they manage to get slot clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Sri Lankan authorities by the weekend.
Diplomatic U-Turn
Similarly, travel agents said that some fans from metro cities are now routing themselves through cities in south India like Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kochi because direct fares from Mumbai and Delhi have become prohibitive.
Pakistan’s government eventually reversed an earlier boycott stance after discussions involving the International Cricket Council, the Pakistan Cricket Board, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, a move that reports say helped the ICC avoid a revenue hit estimated at $ 174 million.
“Within minutes of the confirmation, round‑trip Mumbai–Colombo fares rose by roughly Rs 10,000–30,000, and prices on several India–Colombo routes nearly doubled,” the executive from Air India said.
Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/
