Brussels Airport - General, Pressroom

Brussels Airport is expecting more than 430,000 passengers during the autumn holidays

Brussels Airport and its partners are preparing for the autumn mid-term break! During the ten-day holiday, the airport is expecting more than 430,000 passengers. All the shops and restaurants at Brussels Airport have reopened, and there are also several new outlets waiting to be discovered! Sun destinations and city trips are the most popular choices during this autumn break.

The autumn holidays are the first break after the summer holidays and are popular with those wanting to catch the last rays of sun in Europe, but also with the avid travellers who want to go farther afield. An expected 430,000 passengers will be passing through Brussels Airport during the 10-day break (from Friday 29 October to Sunday 7 November). That is almost 60% of pre-Covid numbers (728,000 passengers in 2019), but more than the fourfold of the number of passengers in 2020 (97,500 passengers).

The most popular destinations in the autumn break are sun destinations, including the destinations that have recently reopened to tourists, and city trips to the south. The most popular sun destinations are Spain (Malaga, Alicante, Valencia), the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife), Portugal (Lisbon and Faro) and Turkey (Antalya). In addition, Egypt and the Cape Verde Islands are once again open for tourists and are proving very attractive. Popular destinations for city trips are Rome, Nice and Barcelona.

Discover what’s new at Brussels Airport

Now that the worst of the Covid crisis is behind us, all the restaurants and shops at Brussels Airport are once again open! Our passengers have a wide choice if they want to enjoy a meal or a drink before their flight or spend some time shopping, with a few new surprises waiting for them. As always, Brussels Airport is putting the spotlight on ‘the best of Belgium’ products.

In pier B, for example, there is the new Brewgate, where you will find a whole range of Belgian beers on tap, together with an assortment of beer tapas. In Pier A there is, in addition to the familiar outlets, the new Belgian Discovery Corner with artisan Belgian products including wine and chocolate, the best Belgian coffee offered by 7 artisan coffee roasters and both sweet and salty waffles from starred chef Yves Mattagne.

Those wanting to shop will find, as usual, a wide range of perfumes, cosmetics, fashion, gifts, travel accessories and chocolates in the tax-free shops. Did you know that you can order products, such as perfume, cosmetics and the like, online in advance before leaving home at https://shop.brusselsairport.be/en/? Then all you need to do is pick up your order at the airport on departure, giving you more time to relax in the lounge or have something to eat or drink. If you prefer not to take the products with you on holiday, you can also pick them up on your return to the airport.

If you’d rather do your shopping at the airport, you will find two new shops in Pier B: the “Gautam diamonds kiosk” with jewels and precious stones from Antwerp and “Tintin & Toys” with toys, cuddly toys and a whole range of Tintin articles for fans of our Belgian cartoon hero.

In addition, the Kids Corner in Pier A has reopened this month. Our youngest passengers can play or read a book here before the flight; there is also a care area.

Tips for a smooth and relaxed departure

During the holiday periods, the airport can be extremely busy. Passengers are advised to prepare thoroughly for their departure. Face masks are still mandatory in the terminal and during your flight, and we strongly recommend that you regularly wash or disinfect your hands.

Check in advance which documents are required for your destinations. The Travel Map on the Brussels Airport website provides a handy summary of travel conditions and required documents per country. Also make sure you arrive at the airport well in time, because check-in may take a little longer due to the additional documents that have to be inspected. You can check at what time best to arrive at the airport for your specific flight online via https://www.brusselsairport.be/en/passengers/slot-advice.

Remember to fill in your electronic Passenger Locator Form before returning to Belgium. You can now only do this online; the paper form is no longer accepted. The Federal Police can check your QR code on your return to the airport.

Share

Latest stories

Website preview
Brussels Airport receives environmental permit for first phase of Hub 3.0: an important step towards the airport of the future
Brussels Airport has received an environmental permit for the first phase of Hub 3.0, a large-scale project that will prepare the airport infrastructure for the future. This permit allows Brussels Airport to officially start work on the expansion of the arrival and departure hall, the new intermodal hub, the construction of a new hotel and office building, and the creation of the green boulevard and park.
pressroom.brusselsairport.be
Website preview
Brussels Airport expects over 1 million passengers during the Christmas break
Brussels Airport expects more than 1 million passengers during the Christmas holidays. With nearly 1,060,000 passengers expected to depart and arrive (almost 3% more than last year), this is a new record for this holiday season. At the start of the holidays, on Friday 19 December, nearly 70,000 passengers are expected. They will be able to enjoy a unique Christmas concert on that day by the ‘Scaletta Choir’, the children's and youth choir of 'Scala'.
pressroom.brusselsairport.be
Website preview
1.8 million passengers at Brussels Airport in November, up by a mere 0.1% due to national industrial action
Cargo volumes up 3% to 69,000 tonnes
pressroom.brusselsairport.be

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport is one of the most important airports in Europe. In 2024, Brussels Airport welcomed 23.6 million passengers and transported 733,000 tonnes of cargo through the airport. Brussels Airport caters for the specific needs of business travellers and holidaymakers alike, on both intra-European and long haul flights. In 2025, the airport offers direct connections between Belgium and 210 destinations worldwide, with flights operated by 80 airlines.   

The airport also offers a leading cargo platform, specialised in the transport of pharmaceutical products, perishable goods, e-commerce and live animals. Brussels Airport is the most important pharmaceutical hub in Europe with the largest area of temperature-controlled warehouses.  

With its SHIFT 2027 strategy, launched in 2022, Brussels Airport Company intends to strengthen its position as a major European hub, accelerate its ambitious sustainability goals, e.g. through the European Green Deal project Stargate, and continue to diversify its activities by focusing on innovation and cooperation.

Brussels Airport is the second most important economic engine in Belgium, good for 64,000 direct and indirect jobs and is owned and operated by Brussels Airport Company. The shareholders are a consortium of private investors (75%) and the Belgian State (25%).Follow Brussels Airport on Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.  

Contact

www.brusselsairport.be