Colombo Ratmalana International Airport — Colombo, Sri Lanka

Long before Bandaranaike International Airport opened north of the capital in 1967, RML served as Sri Lanka's principal gateway to the world, handling the island's international traffic from a site in the Colombo suburb of Ratmalana. The airfield dates to the colonial era and played a strategic role for British and Allied forces during the Second World War, when Ceylon served as an important base against Japanese advances into the Indian Ocean. Today the airport has settled into a quieter role, supporting domestic flights, general aviation, flight training, and a growing number of short regional international routes to nearby Indian cities. Sri Lanka's air force also maintains a base on the grounds, reflecting the site's long military history. Sitting close to the coast just south of central Colombo, RML remains a compact, low-key alternative to the country's much larger main international airport to the north.