Brussels Airport expects over 1 million passengers during the Christmas break

Brussels Airport is preparing for a busy Christmas holiday period, with more than 1 million passengers expected to depart and arrive between Friday 19 December and Sunday 4 January. The airport forecasts nearly 1,060,000 passengers during this period, representing an increase of almost 3% compared with last year and marking a new record for the Christmas season.

The holiday travel peak will begin on Friday 19 December, when around 70,000 passengers are expected, including approximately 40,000 departing travellers. Another key peak is forecast for Monday 29 December, which is set to be the busiest changeover day of the period, with nearly 72,000 passengers passing through the airport.

This winter season, Brussels Airport offers direct connections to 137 destinations worldwide. The network includes three new routes introduced for the winter timetable: Sälen/Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sweden, Larnaca in Cyprus and Chongqing in China. Traditional winter sports destinations such as Innsbruck, Salzburg and Kittila continue to attract strong demand over the Christmas break.

At the same time, demand remains high for sun and long-haul destinations. Popular choices include the Canary Islands, Egypt, Cape Verde, Morocco and Tunisia. Long-haul routes to Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong are also seeing strong traffic, with many passengers using these hubs to continue their journeys to other destinations in Asia.

Beyond operational planning, Brussels Airport is also focusing on the passenger experience during the festive period. Travellers will be welcomed with Christmas-themed decorations throughout the terminal, including a large Christmas ornament outside the departure hall, as well as Christmas trees and festive lighting across the airport.