SFO - CMB

$386 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Colombo

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Colombo departing on 1/19. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Colombo.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Colombo.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$761
Typical prices: $962-$1,477
China Eastern
Wed 1/14Sat 1/24
SFO - CMB • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$386
Typical prices: $512-$793
Air India
Mon 1/19
SFO - CMB • 2 stops
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 12% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
September
Cheapest • 24% price drop
December
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Colombo (SFO-CMB)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Colombo that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San Francisco to Colombo

Wed, Jan 14 - Sat, Jan 24
China Eastern Logo
5:55 am - 7:00 pm
SFO
-
CMB
47h 35m2 stops
China Eastern Logo
1:05 am - 9:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
45h 25m2 stops
$761China Eastern
Sat, Jan 17 - Sun, Feb 8
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
SFO
-
CMB
41h 30m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
8:20 pm - 9:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
26h 10m1 stop
$782China Eastern
Sat, Jan 17 - Sat, Feb 7
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
SFO
-
CMB
41h 30m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
1:05 am - 9:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
45h 25m3 stops
$789China Eastern
Sat, Mar 14 - Fri, Mar 27
China Eastern Logo
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm
SFO
-
CMB
41h 30m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
8:20 pm - 10:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
26h 10m1 stop
$791China Eastern
Sat, Mar 14 - Fri, Mar 27
China Eastern Logo
1:00 pm - 11:40 pm
SFO
-
CMB
46h 10m3 stops
China Eastern Logo
8:20 pm - 10:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
26h 10m1 stop
$792China Eastern
Tue, Jan 27 - Thu, Feb 26
Air India Logo
3:00 pm - 7:20 am
SFO
-
CMB
26h 50m1 stop
Air India Logo
4:00 pm - 8:50 pm
CMB
-
SFO
42h 20m2 stops
$797Air India
Wed, Jan 14 - Sun, Jan 25
China Eastern Logo
5:55 am - 7:00 pm
SFO
-
CMB
47h 35m2 stops
China Eastern Logo
8:20 pm - 9:00 am
CMB
-
SFO
26h 10m1 stop
$801China Eastern
Sun, Feb 8 - Fri, Feb 27
Air India Logo
2:25 pm - 7:20 am
SFO
-
CMB
27h 25m2 stops
Air India Logo
4:00 pm - 8:50 pm
CMB
-
SFO
42h 20m2 stops
$809Air India
Thu, Jan 22 - Mon, Feb 16
Cathay Pacific Logo
10:55 pm - 11:30 pm
SFO
-
CMB
35h 05m1 stop
Cathay Pacific Logo
12:45 am - 4:20 pm
CMB
-
SFO
29h 05m1 stop
$818Cathay Pacific
Tue, Feb 10 - Fri, Feb 27
Air India Logo
2:25 pm - 7:20 am
SFO
-
CMB
27h 25m2 stops
Air India Logo
4:00 pm - 8:50 pm
CMB
-
SFO
42h 20m2 stops
$819Air India
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Colombo flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Francisco to Colombo to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

How much is a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport departing in January.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Colombo?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Colombo on a Sunday and more expensive on a Wednesday. On your return trip to San Francisco, you should consider flying back on a Sunday, and avoid Tuesdays for better deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport is September, where tickets cost $898 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,661 and $1,625 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 12% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 20 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonNovember
Cheapest flight$386
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 17% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 37% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Colombo

When to book flights from San Francisco to Colombo

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Colombo based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking San Francisco to Colombo flights

  • Which documents do I need for traveling from San Francisco to Colombo?

    To travel from San Francisco to Colombo, you will require a valid passport with at least six months of remaining validity. Also, you will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. Additionally, it is advisable to carry your confirmed return flight tickets or an onward ticket to a third country.

  • Can I bring my meals on board for flights from San Francisco to Colombo?

    Yes, you can bring your own meals on board during flights. However, It is important to respect the comfort and experience of fellow travelers. As such, Singapore Airlines allows the carriage of food items on board if they are not offensive to travelers, such as food items with strong smells.

  • What are some of the cities I can drive to after arriving in Colombo?

    After arriving at CMB, you can embark on drives to the historic city of Kandy, which is approximately 72 miles east of Colombo. In addition, Galle is around 95 miles south of Colombo. Furthermore, the coastal city of Negombo is just 5 miles north of Colombo.

  • Which are some common layovers between San Francisco and Colombo?

    For flights from San Francisco to Colombo, Qatar Airways often has a layover at Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) while Emirates frequently connects through Dubai International Airport (DXB). Malaysia Airlines offers layovers at Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). Additionally, Air Canada will have layovers at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR).

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport was $386 for a one-way ticket and $761 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and Colombo?

    Yes, you'll most likely have to show a valid passport before boarding the plane in San Francisco and on arrival in Colombo.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San Francisco to Colombo?

    When flying out of San Francisco you will be using San Francisco. You will be landing at Colombo, also known as Colombo Bandaranaike Intl.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Colombo?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Colombo?

    SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between San Francisco and Colombo, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Colombo from San Francisco?

    Singapore is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Colombo.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Colombo, Singapore Airlines or Emirates?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Colombo are Singapore Airlines and Emirates. With an average price for the route of $1,326 and an overall rating of 8.1, Singapore Airlines is the most popular choice. Emirates is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $2,136 and an overall rating of 8.1.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Colombo?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San Francisco to Colombo.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to Colombo?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Colombo from San Francisco is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco to Colombo?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Colombo with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and CMB can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to Colombo?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Colombo from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San Francisco to Colombo Bandaranaike Intl Airport

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves as a major hub for Alaska and United Airlines. Also, SFO serves as a top departure point for airlines like Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, among others. This leads to increased connectivity to Colombo and other layover points, improving flexible trip scheduling.
  • A first-class ticket is recommended for this over 21-hour trip from San Francisco to Colombo. Booking American Airlines first class offers enhanced comfort with spacious seating, ample legroom, and reclining options. Secondly, you will enjoy premium meals, priority boarding, and access to luxurious lounges to make the long journey more enjoyable and rejuvenating.
  • If you're traveling with kids, Qatar Airways is the perfect choice for family travel. They allow one infant item for free, such as a carrycot or stroller. Additionally, they provide creative and educational kits filled with stickers, activity books, and crayons, to ensure kids stay engaged during the flight. Children are also treated to a tasty and nutritious kid's menu.
  • For unaccompanied minor travel, we recommend Etihad Airlines. The airline allows children between 5 and 11 years to book Unaccompanied Minors (UM) service. The service is free of charge as long as the minor is booked on a regular fare and the service was booked before checking in at the departure airport.
  • Getting downtown from CMB airport is convenient using public transportation. The most popular and efficient option is to take a taxi or a ride-sharing service. Also, the Colombo Express bus is available at CMB, which takes approximately 1 hour to reach downtown. This provides a convenient and cost-effective means of transportation for travelers on a budget.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Colombo

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Colombo. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Colombo? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.1
Singapore AirlinesOverall score based on 1413 reviews
8.6Crew
8.3Boarding
7.8Food
8.0Comfort
8.0Entertainment
Airline reviews

Pleasant business class flight experience with good onboarding experience. Flight service team was excellent with usual book-the-chef menu available

8.0 ExcellentWee Keng, Nov 2025
ICN - SIN
Read more Singapore Airlines reviews

Pleasant business class flight experience with good onboarding experience. Flight service team was excellent with usual book-the-chef menu available

Wish the underseat compartment don’t have a restriction, can fit a personal item such as backpack fully like most Boeing

The staff on the plane were attentive and friendly. The frustration with the cabin crew was that we were served second to special diet people. And, we were in economy section. The boarding staff was mediocre. Got scolded for requesting to sit with spouse on 14 hours long flight home. Was told they cannot break up families for us. Didn’t understand how we were denied sitting together as we are husband and wife. After many words of exchange, we were accommodated. Cleaning crew did a horrible job! Bathrooms were unsanitary or dirty from beginning of flight! Didn’t expect sparkling as its economy, but did except decent.

Crew and service excellent. 2 hour delay for takeoff. SQ app showed flight on time.

Food from Surabaya was below average but from Singapore is much better

Very good flight from Boarding to landing -efficient and comfortable with decent entertainment options

Excelent service and plenty of food and drinks during the flight. Flight crew very attentive to our needs. Leg room between rows are very disappointing.

Construction at PDX resulting in very lung walk from the rental car to the gate. SFO, extremely long walk between terminals to get to connecting Singapore airlines flight. My smart watch recorded a total of 3 miles.

Crew and service was excellent, but passengers should be offered a welcome drink before take off which did not happen. Food was very good. Unfortunately the lie-flat bed in business class was one of the most uncomfortable I have experienced. The configuration forces you to sleep with your legs at an angle instead of in a straight line, plus there is very little padding on the bed so it wasn't possible to sleep for more than 2-3 hours on an 18 hour flight. For what the airlines charges for a business class ticket their hard product leaves a lot to be desired.

Everything was great keep up the good work 😁, can't ask for more.

I wish there were more bathrooms available on these larger carriers.

My flight was suppose to be at 7:45pm to fly but it didnt fly out until 8:55 to dallas so then all of my other flights was late and delay ihad to wait at the airport for extra 14 hours to be able to get on a different plane

There were delays at boarding and landing. These events resulted in a tight transfer time in HK. Poor signage for transfers. Finally, lost luggage at final destination.

It was good. The planes needed to be updated though, they were dated and the entertainment systems were old. Service was amazing. The pre-booked meals were lacklustre.

Super delayed. Unnecessary. Need more competent people doing logistics to keep things moving on time. Totally unacceptable.

Overall, not good. Super late boarding in Hong Kong because some last minute issue with a plane. The boarding process is chaotic. Kathy Pacific should seek to do better with punctual departure time. Caused a lot of trouble with missed connecting flight.

Flew from lax economy on cathay 777. Seat configuration 3-4-3. When the forward seat reclines it feels like someone is leaning forward and staring you. If you are slightly big tray tables will touch your abdomen even with seats upright. AVOID this above 777 configuration at all cost for a long flight. However their Airbus 350 3-3-3 configuration felt spacious and Seats wider.

Crew on this flight dedicate their business class service to their high priority members. They would get priority service even the seats are behind me, and meals priority service and orders. I get the left over choices. I refused to eat because I felt discriminated, never booking this airline.

First time tying out business class with this airline, hat a disappointment, never returning. We didn’t get the meal as requested from Singapore to HKG flight. While meals served connecting flight, crew takes meal order based off passenger membership status by giving the. Priority selection of meals. It was a battle, plain disappointment, not worth the hype, price, class as categorized/ advertised

Leg room wasn't that great. Other than that it was a good flight

All good. Over four hours flight if provided snacks like Qatar Airways would be better

Lobster starter in business class was not good, tough, served cold, and without butter. Movie selection was missing latest releases, did not offer older classic, high quality movies

Food was absolutely pathetic. I wasted so much food which I thought was inedible. I also loathe the inflight entertainment system which has very little content

My entire row did not have power for the full duration of a 14.5 hour flight. Could not charge any devices such as laptop or phones for the entirety of the long flight. The flight attendants tried to remedy the issue by resetting the power, but were not successful. The only other solution provided was to move me to another seat on the plane which was in the middle row. I had paid for a “preferred” seat that was a window seat. This was a downgrade being offered due to the power issue.

Nothing to complain. The staff and flight was good especially the seats which was better compared than the cloth ones on Qatar airways

I was travelling 3.5 years after. Agree Economy is no business class but the food was mediocre. Ordered a Hindu meal, the salads were bitter . The food was really below quality and had no tast from what I had in the past. Indian Railways probably have a better quality food when compared. However the kids meal was really nice and really appreciate how they were taken care of. The restrooms were dirty .

My flight was with American Airlines 120. The flight was delayed 3 hours and I missed my connection. When I arrived in Doha, the AA staff told me to call an 800 number to rebook a different flight, which was unacceptable. Eventually a Qatar Air staff member helped rebook me on a flight to Manila, that was 12 hours later. They offered me a hotel and meal voucher which I declined, because I didn’t want to leave the airport. Long story short, I spent 12 hours in the Doha airport waiting for my next flight.

Overall the experience was neat with crew being nice and caring especially to parent with kids. The free snacks option was okay. The kiosk at Philly airport didn’t work.

Reason for travelling Tampa to Orlando is to fly Qatar Airline. we end up with American Airline. This was the miserable experience I ever had in my entire travel history. Flight attendants were rude. They hit my knee with the food cart and I was holding ice pack for 2 hours. I still have the pain after a week. WE boarded the flight twice because of the temperature inside the plan.

First keep the airline as you promise. Reason for travelling from Orlando to Tampa is to go with Qatar Airline. We end up with American Airline. As expected the service was horrible.

Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!

The only personel that smiled at all were the flights attendants. Desk agents, lounge people none of them had a smile or even a hello. They were like dealing with dead fish. Again flight attendants were good. All other personnel looked like they didn’t want to be there or help.

good flight. food is only so so. I actually did not eat the snack. it does not look too good on the passenger next to me.

Food no variations only beef of chicken no veggie meals

Super surprised with the entire experience. Business class is incredible. Flight attendants around the world could learn customer service from these people. Simply fabulous experience all the way around.

Pillow and blanket are dirty. My son got multiple bites during the flight

Flight was on time. My group paid for seat’s so that us four can be seated next to each other. We all got separated. We all got middle seats, which made it more difficult to be able to get up and stretch or use the restroom. We tried talking to the employees at China Eastern and they were of no help. We will not be taking this flight or recommend this route to others in the future. Also I will be contacting customer service on how I can get our money back for paying for assigned seats.

China eastern was fantastic. I had read so many bad reviews that had made me nervous. However, I found that the flight attendant’s, and customer service check in etc. etc. was excellent. I had no problems. I would fly with them again!

Excellent! I had read some negative reviews but I found out that it was not all was not true! The staff was courteous and helpful. The flight take off and landing was nice & easy. The food was good! I asked for a second and I got it easily and without an attitude! All was wonderful!

Excellent experience however older aeroplanes used by China Eastern Airlines.

Horrible flight. No entertainment or WiFi for a 14-hour flight. No explanations either. I’ll never fly Air India again.

Several seats in business class were broken. Some would not recline, others had other problems. They need to really update the seats and AV.

Never can get flight and nof light for three days .finally travel by bus. Very bad experience.

Food not of any international or even Indian standard. We have many cuisine available but only paneer & sundry items. Improve & provide some good indian items. Entertainment website or channel out of order.

First and the foremost I was shocked to see airindia standards have come down so low . The food was horrible . They served us 3 meals for vegetarian and all the was paneer . The orange juice was not at all cold it was smelly . After you take this heavy price air India should learn from other air lines . I at one point felt like throwing up . After all this when we landed we were not given landing slip . We had to wait for 45 min at the immigration just because no one was given landing slip . To top it all we were 3 passengers and had checked in 4 check in luggage . Out of which 3 have not yet arrived . Basically status says the loaded it in our flight ( this was a direct fight ) and it never reached . We are still waiting . There is nothing great to tell about our flight . The he only good thing was the crew were very helpful .

Lay out shows 1st row and second row given after taking payment. It's a fraud

The seats were extremely uncomfortable. Air India seats used to be very comfortable . with sufficient legroom. In this aircraft there was no legroom. It is a shame that for your profit margins you are trying to pack people like cattle on these long haul flights. The food was terrible. The bread was hard like a rock. Mr CEO of Air India, why don’t you take a flight in economy from India to USA and experience the hardships first hand. It is utter disgrace

Absolutely nothing. Cold and unpleasant airline staff, and to top it all, the entertainment system was broken. Really harrowing experience.

BAD experience. Entertainment system was not working and most of the passengers had this issue. Staff was not helpful. Meal was yuck. Bad old flights.

Communication was terrible. Flight was delayed for 4-5 hours in DC (on the front end, and also after we boarded, we had to get off - some issue with fueling the old plane correctly). There was little to no information on timing or what was happening. Once we reach Delhi airspace, apparently there was weather that caused us not to land - we were actually near the ground, saw the run way, and lifted back up to the sky after being sooo close. Then we circled for about 30 minutes, and they decided to go to Jaipur to land until the weather cleared and to refuel. Again, once we landed in Jaipur (wrong city), there was little to no information on timing or what was happening. Then we heard that the crew was reaching their 24 hours. We sat on the place, on the tarmac for another 3 HOURS, with no food and not enough water for everyone on the flight. Then, they kicked us off the plane with no plan, in the wrong city. We went thru customs, got our bags (thank goodness), and had to ask a bunch of staff what was happening and what to do. Eventually, their soltuion was to bus people back to Delhi (like 6 hours we were told) but not everyone would fit on the bus, and unknown timing on when it would leave. At this point it was 9PM (we were scheduled to arrive in Delhi at 11AM...). My husband and I decided to risk it and take a cab that we had to pay ourselves (about $200 US dollars) to get to Delhi (about 5 hour drive). We both had terrible trips back to the US as well - almost missed connecting flight, forced to pay for carry-on luggage (a small back pack!) and duty-free goods by the Air India staff last minute. Just terrible experience all around. Never again with AI! The ONLY good thing was the air hostesses were kind and patient - example: they made sure people with food allergies got their correct.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Colombo

Information on your arrival and departure airports