4.4 million passengers passed through the airport. Brussels National in 2025. On the face of it, this is not too unfavourable a result, since traffic growth has been established at 3.3 % compared with 2024. However, the airport authorities explain that this growth is lower than expected. This was due to seven national strikes, which cost the Belgian airport some 275,000 potential passengers.
Nevertheless, 2025 saw a further strengthening of the network with six new passenger destinations and three new airlines. On the freight side, 2025 was a solid year, with total volumes up 8.5 % to 795,000 tonnes.
" 2025 was a year of continued growth, a strengthened network and the launch of the first phase of Hub 3.0, our major investment project to improve the passenger experience at the airport. Despite challenges such as national strikes and a cyber-incident at one of our suppliers, we have always managed to stay focused on our core mission: connecting people, businesses and communities, for both passenger and freight traffic. The figures bear this out, with growth in both segments. Together with all our partners, we have shown resilience and commitment to continue to strengthen our role as our country's international gateway. ", says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.
Passengers: an increase of 3.3 % compared with 2024
In 2025, 24.4 million passengers travelled via Brussels Airport, compared with 23.6 million in 2024, representing an increase of 3.3 %. Growth was driven mainly by leisure traffic and travel to visit family and friends. However, the seven national strikes led to the cancellation of 2,400 flights, which put a brake on overall growth. This resulted in a total reduction of 275,000 passengers last year, which put a brake on growth.
The passenger network has been further enhanced by the addition of three new airlines: Cathay Pacific, Air Sénégal and Smartwings, as well as six new destinations. These include three intercontinental destinations: Atlanta (Delta Air Lines), Chongqing (Hainan Airlines) and Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific), expanding the range of direct and connecting services available to passengers. New short and medium-haul routes include Bordeaux (easyJet), Larnaca (Aegean) and Scandinavian Mountains Airport (TUI fly).
Outbound transfer passengers accounted for 14 %, mainly between Europe, Africa and North America. Brussels Airport thus remains a major hub for Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance.
The ten destinations with the highest passenger numbers in 2025 were Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Morocco, Greece, Portugal, France, the United States and Switzerland.
