Flying Cinnamon Air Direct from Weerawila to Colombo
Since our first experience with Cinnamon Air had been such a highlight of the trip, our expectations were already fairly high heading back to Colombo. This time there would be no water landings or multiple stops along the way. Instead, we were booked on a direct route from Weerawila back to Colombo aboard a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan (4R-CAG) with four additional passengers. The journey itself would only take around 45 minutes this time around since there would be no additional stops along the way.
Flying Out of Weerawila: What You Should Know Before Arriving
One important thing to know if you're departing from Weerawila is that it isn't a typical airport. Because Weerawila operates as an active Sri Lanka Air Force station, there are a few procedures in place that can make the experience feel a little different from flying commercially.
This is 30% of the waiting room and the only thing behind me is chairs.
Passengers aren't supposed to arrive more than about 45 minutes before their scheduled flight time. If you arrive too early, you'll wait near the entrance gate until it's time to go through. We left our resort early and had minimal traffic on the way so we encountered this and spent a little time waiting near the front before eventually being allowed inside. Once you arrive at the main gate to Weerawila, you’ll be asked to hand over your passports so they can check your information against the manifest, and they’ll be returned to you before you drive down to the waiting room.
There really isn't much of a terminal to speak of. Calling it a waiting lounge might be giving it too much credit. It was essentially a small room with a guard sitting inside waiting for the aircraft to arrive. There weren't crowds of people (we left within minutes of the rest of our passengers arriving), restaurants, or shops to wander through while waiting. In fact, compared to traditional airports, the entire experience felt refreshingly simple.
Travel days can often become long, drawn-out affairs filled with lines, security checks, and endless waiting around. Here, there was almost none of that.
Boarding Happens Fast—Really Fast
Once our aircraft landed the pace picked up quickly. I honestly don’t even recall seeing the passengers disembark, so maybe that’s why it felt so much quicker for us, but within minutes we were boarding ourselves.
The entire process couldn't have taken more than five minutes. Like in Colombo, the process felt much more like a private aviation experience where things simply moved.
For families traveling with children, especially after a long trip, there was something incredibly refreshing about minimizing all of the usual airport stress.
The Grand Caravan Felt Different Than Our Seaplane
Our aircraft for the return flight was noticeably different from the amphibious plane we'd flown south earlier in the trip. For starters, it was purple, not blue, and clearly not a seaplane.
This time we boarded 4R-CAG, a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, and the interior immediately felt slightly more refined. The cabin had carpeting, the seats felt softer and more plush, and the entire space felt just a bit more polished.
Not luxury in the sense of international business class luxury but more comfortable than the amphibious aircraft we'd flown previously. It still maintained that small-aircraft atmosphere that makes flying Cinnamon Air comfortable, but there was a slightly upgraded feel to this plane that is noticeable right away.
Since we happened to be moving at our usual family pace, Millie and I ended up as the slow ones and claimed the back row while London and Brandon sat in the rear-facing seats in the middle section with 2 other passengers.
Forty-Five Minutes of Beautiful Views
The flight back to Colombo itself passed incredibly quickly. Less than 45 minutes after takeoff, we were already preparing for landing.
We encountered more clouds than we had on our earlier journey, but the scenery below was still beautiful whenever the skies cleared. Once again, the pilots continued one of our favorite parts of flying with Cinnamon Air by pointing out landmarks along the route whenever possible.
That was something we appreciated throughout both of our flights. The crew never treated passengers like seat numbers or simply another route on the schedule. There was a friendliness that made the experience feel more personal.
Arriving Back in Colombo Was Just as Easy
One thing we appreciated about Cinnamon Air was that the seamless experience didn't end once we landed.
After arriving back in Colombo, staff asked passengers where everyone was headed and what type of transportation they needed. In our case, we were all connecting onward to international flights, so we were loaded into a van and driven directly to CMB.
Within minutes we were dropped right at the international departures area and ready to continue our journey home.
Those small logistical details that probably sounds minor on paper felt incredibly helpful in practice, especially after traveling as a family. By that point in a trip, reducing extra transportation steps and avoiding additional confusion is always appreciated. There was a noticeable effort to make the entire process feel smooth from beginning to end.
Another Five-Star Experience
By the end of our Sri Lanka trip, we had flown Cinnamon Air twice and experienced two completely different journeys. One gave us water landings and an unexpected seaplane adventure while the other offered a quick, comfortable direct flight back to Colombo.
Despite the differences, both flights had one thing in common: they made transportation feel like part of the vacation. As parents, that matters. Travel days with children can easily become the most stressful parts of a trip, but Cinnamon Air somehow made them enjoyable. Between the smooth logistics, friendly crews, scenic views, and genuinely memorable experience onboard, this ended up being one of our favorite transportation experiences in Sri Lanka.
If you're considering flying domestically while traveling through Sri Lanka, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Cinnamon Air.
Want to read more about our trip to Sri Lanka? Check out these other blogs!
All flights were paid by me and all options are my own. Information is accurate as of May 2026.
