On the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka lies the mystical land of Colombo with its captivating allure.
From its glistening beaches to its delectable cuisines, travelers have a lot to explore here.
However, high airline fares often become an issue for tourists looking forward to soaking in the vibrant culture of Colombo.
Fret not because we have the ultimate tips to help you find affordable Mumbai to Colombo flight tickets and have a fulfilling tour without straining your pockets.
Top 12 Tips On How to Plan Sri Lanka Trip from India
Sri Lanka is considered one of the best Asian countries to visit and should feature on all traveler’s bucket lists!
Below we share our top 12 tips to embark on a budget-friendly trip from India to Sri Lanka, Colombo.
1. Be an Early Bird
If you want to grab the best discounts on flight tickets from India to Sri Lanka, you will have to be an early bird. Most airline companies, including the best airlines in Asia, are always increasing their flight ticket prices at the last minute.
So, you will be able to explore discounted rates by booking your tickets in advance.
Usually, you should consider purchasing an international flight ticket around no less than 4 to 6 weeks before your travel date.
Airline companies will set a baseline price, which will continue to go higher with time. When you are booking the ticket in advance, you will be able to get it at the baseline price.
2. Book Your Flight Ticket in Another Currency
Budget airlines often require you to pay in the currency of your departure location.
But at times, using a different currency can lead to cheaper flight tickets. If you are paying using another currency, leverage a credit card without any foreign transaction charges to truly save money.
Another method is to utilize a virtual private network (VPN) and set your location as another country when booking your ticket.
3. Find the Cheapest Days for Travelling
Hunting down the cheapest airfare can feel like an art and science mixed. The key is flexibility.
Rather than just entering dates and hoping for the best, take an hour to really immerse yourself in the world of flight options across an entire month.
Visually scan the rates day-by-day using your handy flight search engines. You’ll start to see trends appear before your eyes – weekdays are usually cheaper than weekends on certain routes or vice versa.
But there’s no hard and fast rule across every destination. It takes research, but that’s part of the fun. And be sure to use travel websites to compare your options across airlines and get the full picture.
Sign up for fare alerts, too, so irresistible deals don’t slip by unnoticed.
If you study the patterns and stay agile with dates, you’ll land on that magic stretch of days where the airfare plunges. Then, you can celebrate getting to where you want to go for less.
4. Don’t Choose Direct Flights
Saving money on flights to exotic locales often means getting creative rather than booking that convenient nonstop.
Opting for a flight with a short layover in the Sri Lankan hub rather than having it be the final destination proved to be a sneaky travel hack that led to huge savings.
And considering Colombo is a major transfer hub, the savings realized by enduring a brief stopover can amount to significant rupees.
5. Enjoy Discounts at the Last Minute
Each airline has a set amount of discounted tickets available, and once they are sold, prices increase.
Although it is commonly thought that booking flights at the last minute means higher prices, there are instances where waiting until the final week can result in getting exclusive last-minute deals directly from the airline.
Of course, this is subject to customer demand and the specific route.
6. Take Advantage of Frequent Flyer Programs
Frequent flyer programs are the ultimate way for loyal customers to be rewarded for their dedicated choice of airline.
Whenever you fly with a specific airline, you’ll earn points that accumulate in your account. These points can be exchanged for exciting discounts and even free flights.
7. Travel During Off-Season
Most buyers who are looking for affordable flights from India to Colombo Sri Lanka, often consider travelling during the off-season.
During peak holidays and seasons, airlines strategically raise their ticket prices. Ticket prices can significantly increase within just three weeks of the departure date.
To save money, it is recommended to either book your tickets a month in advance for peak-season travel or opt for off-season travel.
8. Keep Your Flight Searches a Secret
When you search for flights, several websites are likely to save your browsing history. Unfortunately, frequently searching for a certain route can make the prices go high.
That’s why you should search for flights in incognito or private mode. This way, your browsing history is not saved, and you get to explore the cheapest flight fares.
9. Get Hold of Non-Refundable Tickets
One sneaky trick to score the lowest fares for your next adventure is to search for non-refundable tickets specifically.
Airlines can afford to offer these for cheap since there’s no risk of getting them back. A non-changeable ticket means major savings compared to pricier refundable options.
While locking yourself in can feel risky, as long as you’re confident in your travel dates, embrace the non-refundable route.
10. Check Payment Method for Hidden Flight Discounts
Booking flights from India to Colombo Sri Lanka, is the fun part; paying is usually just a tedious necessity.
But hold that credit card a minute before you check out – the payment you pick could end up saving you big time. Lots of times, there are various discounts – 10, even 20% cash back – just for choosing a certain payment method over another.
Maybe your Visa offers triple airfare rewards points for checkout, while Mastercard features a site-wide airline coupon.
So before auto-piloting to whatever card is handy, check all avenues first. The way you pay could unlock one more exciting discount off that hard-earned vacation budget.
11. Enjoy Student and Adult Discounts
Airline companies offer special discounts to students and elderly people.
Student discounts are available to those under the age of 26. Senior citizens can also enjoy special discounts on flight tickets.
Students and senior citizens can also enjoy extra baggage allowance, which can help them save even more.
12. Don’t Fly During Long Weekends
Flight prices reach an all-time high during long weekends or the holiday season. This happens due to the rush of tourists.
You should avoid traveling during these times to enjoy discounted flight fares for your trip.
Final Thoughts: How to Plan Sri Lanka Trip from India
If you want the best deals on India to Sri Lanka flight tickets, Cleartrip should be your go-to place.
This website has exclusive offers on domestic and international flights to help wanderlusts explore enticing locations without breaking the bank.
So, check out the deals and book your ticket today.
