IndiGo is India's largest low-cost carrier, and SriLankan Airlines is Sri Lanka's government-owned, full-service flag carrier and a oneworld member. Travellers compare them mainly for trips between India and Sri Lanka.
Quick verdict
SriLankan Airlines suits travellers who want a full-service product: a business cabin, seat-back entertainment on most aircraft and oneworld connections. IndiGo suits those who want the lowest base fare and are happy to pay for extras such as meals and seat selection. IndiGo is also the better fit if you are connecting across India. Check current schedules with either airline before booking.
Choose IndiGo if…
- You want a low base fare and will add only the extras you need.
- You are connecting within India, where its Delhi hub and large domestic network help.
- You may want a paid IndiGoStretch business seat on selected flights, with meals included.
Choose SriLankan Airlines if…
- You want a full-service flight with a Business cabin and seat-back entertainment on most aircraft.
- You are continuing beyond Colombo to the Maldives, the Middle East, Southeast Asia or London Heathrow.
- You collect oneworld status through FlySmiLes or want a 30 kg Economy checked allowance, which varies by route and fare.
At a glance
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Key differences
Network and hubs
IndiGo is built around Delhi, with bases at Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad, and a mostly domestic network. SriLankan has a single hub at Colombo, with about 35 destinations across South Asia, the Maldives, the Middle East, East and Southeast Asia and London.
Cabins and seats
SriLankan offers Business and Economy. Business is full-flat on long-haul aircraft, with a 1-2-1 layout on the A330-300. On the A320 family it is a 2-2 layout. IndiGo is mainly one-class economy. Its IndiGoStretch business product, introduced in November 2024, is sold on selected flights and includes meals and advance seat selection. SriLankan is the one with a business cabin across its aircraft types.
Baggage and fares
SriLankan's general checked allowance is 30 kg in Economy and 40 kg in Business, varying by route and fare. IndiGo prices are unbundled. According to its baggage page, international allowances depend on fare type and sector, so check your specific fare. Extra baggage costs more. Compare the total with bags and seat selection included, not just the headline fare.
Food and entertainment
IndiGo economy passengers buy meals on board, and there is no seat-back entertainment. IndiGoStretch includes meals, and a streaming tie-up with SonyLIV was announced in 2019. SriLankan has seat-back entertainment in Economy on all widebodies and most narrowbodies, plus paid Wi-Fi on some aircraft. Confirm details for your flight, as fit varies.
Fleet and long-haul
SriLankan operates 23 Airbus aircraft (January 2026), including A330-200 and A330-300 widebodies. IndiGo operates about 434 aircraft (August 2025), mostly A320 family and ATR turboprops. It is expanding long-haul with the A321XLR, first delivered in January 2026, plus wet-leased widebodies and an order for 60 A350-900s with deliveries expected from 2027.
Reliability and loyalty
IndiGo's December 2025 scheduling crisis led to thousands of cancellations, and chief executive Pieter Elbers resigned in March 2026, with Willie Walsh named as successor. It is an operational issue rather than a safety event. IndiGo's loyalty programme is BluChip, and it has no alliance. SriLankan's FlySmiLes is tied to oneworld tiers, which helps if you fly other member airlines.
Frequently asked questions
Is SriLankan Airlines better than IndiGo?
For service, SriLankan is better: it has a business cabin, seat-back entertainment on most aircraft and oneworld links. IndiGo is usually the cheaper option and has more flights within India.
Does IndiGo or SriLankan include checked baggage?
SriLankan's general allowance is 30 kg in Economy and 40 kg in Business, depending on route and fare. IndiGo's allowance depends on fare and sector, and extra bags are paid, so check at booking.
Do both airlines fly between India and Colombo?
Check each airline's current timetable for your route and dates, as schedules change.
About IndiGo Read more
Overview
IndiGo is an Indian low-cost airline. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 2005 by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal, and began flying on 4 August 2006. It is headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, is listed on the Indian stock exchanges, and is not a member of an airline alliance. It became India's largest carrier by passenger share in December 2012. In March 2026 chief executive Pieter Elbers resigned after the December 2025 scheduling crisis, and Willie Walsh was named as the incoming CEO.
Network and hubs
Delhi is the main hub. Operating bases include Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Wikipedia lists 128 destinations; a mid-2026 analysis cites 141 destinations, including 45 international cities, and more than 2,200 daily flights. IndiGo has codeshare and interline partnerships, including a codeshare with AEGEAN announced in September 2025, with A321XLR flights between India and Greece planned for 2026.
Fleet
As of August 2025, Wikipedia lists 434 aircraft, mostly Airbus A320 family jets plus ATR 72-600 turboprops. IndiGo also wet-leases two Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines and has wet-leased Boeing 787s from Norse Atlantic. The analysis report cites about 440 aircraft in mid-2026, the first A321XLR delivery in January 2026, and an order for 60 Airbus A350-900s, with deliveries expected from 2027.
On board
- Cabins: mainly economy. IndiGoStretch, a business class product, was introduced in November 2024 on selected flights, with complimentary meals and advance seat selection.
- Meals: economy passengers buy food on board.
- Entertainment: no seatback entertainment in economy. IndiGo announced a streaming tie-up with SonyLIV in 2019.
Good to know
- The loyalty programme is BluChip.
- Paid options include pre-assigned seats, priority check-in and extra baggage allowance. Check the official website for current baggage rules and change fees, as these were not verified for this profile.
- The December 2025 crisis led to the cancellation of thousands of flights, so travellers may wish to check current schedules and disruption policies.
About SriLankan Airlines Read more
Overview
SriLankan Airlines is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka. It was founded on 11 January 1979 as Air Lanka and began flying that September. It took the SriLankan Airlines name on 13 July 1999. The government of Sri Lanka is the parent company. Emirates held a stake from 1998 until its ten-year partnership ended in 2008. The airline is based at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, and joined the oneworld alliance after being announced as a member-elect in June 2012.
Network and hubs
The only hub is Bandaranaike International Airport, near Colombo. Wikipedia lists 35 destinations, covering South Asia, the Maldives, the Middle East, East and Southeast Asia, and London Heathrow. Dubai is also served, while Abu Dhabi is listed as terminated. Check the airline's website for current routes.
Fleet
As of January 2026 the airline operated 23 aircraft, all Airbus, according to Wikipedia:
- Airbus A320-200: 7
- Airbus A320neo: 2
- Airbus A321neo: 4
- Airbus A330-200: 3
- Airbus A330-300: 7
No orders were listed.
On board
There are two cabins, Business and Economy. Business has full-flat seats on long-haul aircraft. The A330-300 has a 1-2-1 layout. The A320 family has a 2-2 Business layout with a seat pitch of 39 to 49 inches. Wikipedia reports seat-back entertainment in Economy on all widebodies and most narrowbodies. It also reports paid Wi-Fi and mobile services on the A330-300 and A320 family. These details come from a general reference and may have changed, so confirm them for a specific flight.
Good to know
- Baggage: the airline's FAQ gives a general checked allowance of 30 kg in Economy and 40 kg in Business. The airline may vary this by route, fare or promotion. A third-party guide gives cabin limits of one 7 kg bag in Economy and two 7 kg bags in Business.
- Loyalty: FlySmiLes is the frequent-flyer programme. Its tiers are linked to oneworld status.
- Fees and lounges: change fees, lounge access and on-time statistics were not confirmed from sources. Check the airline's website before booking.
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