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PAO to CMB: distance & flight time
Palo Alto (Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County) → Colombo (Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport)
9,041 mi
14,551 km · 7,857 nm
18h 12m
estimated nonstop flight time
+12.5h
time difference · heading northwest
See live PAO→CMB fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
9,041 miles nonstop takes roughly 18h 12m gate to gate, flying northwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 12.5-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- PAO — Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County · Palo Alto, United States
- CMB — Bandaranaike International Colombo 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 PAO
- SFO · San Francisco International Airport18 mi away
- NUQ · Moffett Federal Airfield5 mi away
- SQL · San Carlos Airport8 mi away
- SJC · Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport12 mi away
Near CMB
- RML · Colombo Ratmalana Airport25 mi away
- GIU · Sigiriya Air Force Base79 mi away
- ACJ · Anuradhapura Air Force Base86 mi away
- KCT · Koggala Airport87 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is PAO from CMB?
The flight distance from Palo Alto (PAO) to Colombo (CMB) is 9,041 miles (14,551 km, 7,857 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from PAO to CMB?
A nonstop flight takes about 18h 12m 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 Palo Alto and Colombo?
Colombo is 12.5 hours ahead of Palo Alto.
What is the cheapest way to fly from PAO to CMB?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on PAO–CMB that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.