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DET to RML: distance & flight time
Detroit (Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport) → Colombo (Colombo Ratmalana Airport)
8,869 mi
14,273 km · 7,707 nm
17h 51m
estimated nonstop flight time
+9.5h
time difference · heading north
See live DET→RML fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
8,869 miles nonstop takes roughly 17h 51m gate to gate, flying north. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 9.5-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DET — Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport · Detroit, United States
- RML — Colombo Ratmalana Airport · Colombo, Sri Lanka
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near DET
- DTW · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport22 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport10 mi away
- MTC · Selfridge Air National Guard Base Airport17 mi away
- PTK · Oakland County International Airport27 mi away
Near RML
- CMB · Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport25 mi away
- KCT · Koggala Airport65 mi away
- HRI · Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport93 mi away
- GIU · Sigiriya Air Force Base97 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DET from RML?
The flight distance from Detroit (DET) to Colombo (RML) is 8,869 miles (14,273 km, 7,707 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DET to RML?
A nonstop flight takes about 17h 51m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Detroit and Colombo?
Colombo is 9.5 hours ahead of Detroit.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DET to RML?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DET–RML that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.