Travelling from Colombo to Penang International Airport (PEN): What you need to know
Planning your getaway begins with working out where you'll fly out of in Colombo. Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is the city's main base, so explore your options for reserving a flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport (PEN) departing from here.
George Town is two hours 30 minutes ahead of Colombo. Penang International Airport is located in George Town, which is in the UTC+8 timezone.
Give yourself plenty of time to get on your flight from Colombo to PEN. As a general rule, turn up two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Longer lines at security and check-in are likely if you're travelling during high season, so allow some extra breathing room. The recommendation for peak periods? Arrive up to four hours ahead for international flights and at least two hours for domestic departures.
Airports in Colombo
Colombo Ratmalana Airport (RML)
RML is around 16 kilometres from central Colombo. If you're catching a cab, driving or ride-sharing from the centre, it'll take 40 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the trip time to be around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Planning to catch an early flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport? Avoid the hassle of rushing to the terminal (and enjoy a little extra shut-eye) by staying at one of these stays close to Colombo Ratmalana Airport:
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
Experience more along the way with a stopover on your flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport. Check out these connections between Bandaranaike International Airport and PEN:
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
Changi International Airport (SIN)
Using public transport, you can travel from central Colombo to CMB in around 1 hour 30 minutes. The airport is roughly 32 kilometres away, and making the trip by car will take approximately 40 minutes.
Want to treat yourself to an extra night away before catching your Colombo to PEN flight? Kick back in a hotel near Bandaranaike International Airport before your holiday officially begins. These stays are expecting you:
Bandaranaike International Airport has an on-time performance of 75.71%. This figure highlights how frequently flights that depart from this airport reach their destination on time.
About Penang International Airport (PEN)
The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport. Check in to one of these accommodation options near PEN instead:
Explore without limits with a Penang International Airport rental car. Book your wheels from ASIA CAR, Paradise or Hawk and venture far and wide through George Town and beyond.
Lock in the lowest price by booking your ride around four weeks before your Colombo to Penang International Airport flight.
How to find the cheapest flights from Colombo to Penang International Airport (PEN)
Currently, RM552 is the best price we've found for a one-way ticket from Colombo to Penang International Airport. The cheapest price for a return flight is RM996. Remember fares can change due to demand at the time of booking.
Don't wait until the last minute. You're more likely to walk away with cheap flights from Colombo to PEN if you book ahead. Airlines often offer some fantastic early bird deals.
Cheap Colombo to Penang International Airport tickets are easier to find if your travel dates are flexible. Use the 'Whole month' search function to compare fares throughout the month and then choose the cheapest day.
Snapping up a cheap plane ticket from Colombo to PEN is easy with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch when there's a price drop.
Find an affordable flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport by using filters. Choose your preferred times, number of stops and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
The best time to fly from Colombo to Penang International Airport (PEN)
Think about the kind of experience you want when planning the timing of your trip. February is the quietest month to go to George Town. August is when most people book flights from Colombo to Penang International Airport (PEN), which may be ideal if you're chasing more excitement.
Lock in a Colombo to PEN plane ticket departing in March if you're eager to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in George Town to range from 23ºC (73ºF) to 33ºC (91ºF).
January has temperatures of between 23ºC (73ºF) and 31ºC (88ºF). Look for cheap tickets from Colombo to Penang International Airport around that time if you like travelling in cooler conditions.
More about George Town
After booking your flight from Colombo to Penang International Airport, choose a hotel that puts you where you want to be. Make one of these options your base for exploring George Town:
There are so many things to explore in this city, it can be difficult to know where to start. George Town, Malaysia UNESCO AREA, Georgetown Heritage site and George Town are top sights which should be on any good George Town itinerary.
Explore more of Malaysia
Kota Bharu is just one of the many cities in Malaysia waiting to be explored after you've experienced George Town. Around 241 kilometres away to the north-east, well-known attractions include Istana Negeri Kelantan, Museum Of Islamic Culture and Masjid Al Karomah.
Kuala Lumpur is another standout destination in Malaysia and is around 290 kilometres south-east of George Town. No journey is complete without experiencing PETRONAS Tower 2, Petronas Twin Towers and Petronas Tower take photo point.