HRImedium airport

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport

Mattala, Sri Lanka

Explore Mattala city guide Navigate to this airport

Routes out

Destinations

ICAO

VCRI

Elevation

157 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport

HRI

Location

Mattala · 3 · Sri Lanka

Connectivity

7 routes · 4 destinations

Position

6.284°, 81.124° · 157 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

AI Travel Editor

A closer look

Living guide content for Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport — read or listen in 46+ languages.

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TravelerPulse profile

Sri Lanka's underutilized second international gateway.

Opened

2013

Location

Mattala, Sri Lanka

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (IATA: HRI, ICAO: VCRI) is located near Mattala in the Hambantota District of southern Sri Lanka. It was built as part of a major infrastructure development drive and officially opened in 2013, intended to serve as the country's second international airport alongside Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. The airport has been widely described as one of the world's least-utilized international airports, with extremely low passenger and flight traffic since its opening. It has struggled to attract sustained commercial airline services, leading to periods of near-dormancy and significant financial losses. In recent years, the Sri Lankan government explored leasing portions of the airport and its facilities, including discussions with India for potential use of the airport for cargo and other operations. The airport remains operational but continues to face challenges in becoming commercially viable.

Terminals

The airport has a single passenger terminal with capacity designed to handle significantly more traffic than it currently receives.

Getting to & from

Ground transport to the nearest major city, Hambantota, and onward to Colombo is primarily by road, with no rail link to the airport.

Airlines here

The airport has seen very limited and intermittent airline service, with no major carrier currently operating regular scheduled flights.

Notable facts

›Often cited as one of the world's emptiest and least-used international airports.
›Built at a cost of approximately $209 million, largely financed by Chinese loans.
›Located about 250 km southeast of Colombo, near the Hambantota port.
›The airport was named after former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
›India and Sri Lanka have discussed leasing the airport to an Indian company for cargo and aviation operations.

Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Route map (4 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Etihad Airways

SriLankan Airlines

Routes

HRI → CMBEY · 32S

HRI → CMBMJ · 320

HRI → JEDMJ · 343

HRI → CMBUL · 320 343

HRI → JEDUL · 343

HRI → PEKUL · 332

HRI → PVGUL · 332 343

Aircraft operating here

Airbus A340-3004 routes Airbus A3202 routes Airbus A330-2002 routes 32S1 routes

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City & Place Guide

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Passport, Visa & Immigration

Flying internationally via HRI? Check entry, transit and customs requirements for Sri Lanka from official government sources.

Sri Lanka visa & entry information →Embassy & consulate finder →

Latest news

The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine· 5/18/2026

Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Refuses to Disappear

Read at The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine

South China Morning Post· 4/30/2026

Elephant in room: can Sri Lanka’s ‘world’s emptiest airport’ attract investors?

Read at South China Morning Post

islands.com· 4/23/2026

The Truth Behind The 'World's Emptiest Airport' That's All But Abandoned

Read at islands.com

EconomyNext· 8/13/2026

Sri Lanka evaluating 19 proposals for loss-making Mattala airport

Read at EconomyNext

Moneycontrol.com· 4/26/2026

China-built 'world’s emptiest airport' back in spotlight as Sri Lanka seeks investors

Read at Moneycontrol.com

Ada Derana· 9/12/2026

Five SLAF personnel arrested over deer poaching, venison trafficking at Mattala Airport

Read at Ada Derana

About on Wikipedia

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport

International airport located in Sri Lanka

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) is an international airport serving southeast Sri Lanka. It is located in the town of Mattala, 18 km (11 mi) from Hambantota. It is the first greenfield airport and the third international airport in the country, after Ratmalana International Airport…

Read on Wikipedia

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA. May be out of date — verify important details.