2.3 million passengers at Brussels Airport in September, an increase of 1%
Cargo volumes grow by 11% to 66,000 tonnes
2.3 million passengers travelled via Brussels Airport in September. An increase of 1% compared to the same month in 2024. The cyberattack affecting Collins Aerospace, the external provider of check-in and boarding systems, led to the cancellation of a number of flights, limiting the growth observed last month. Freight volumes recorded a 11% growth totalling 66,000 tonnes.
Passenger numbers: +1% compared to September 2024
Brussels Airport welcomed 2,272,761 passengers in September 2025, an increase of 1% compared to September 2024. However, this increase could have been greater had it not been for the cyberattack that affected Collins Aerospace, the external service provider for Brussels Airport's check-in and boarding systems. This incident led to the cancellation of a number of flights between 20 and 28 September. Thanks to the alternative systems put in place and the efforts of the entire airport community, the vast majority of flights during this period were still able to be operated. The brand-new check-in and boarding system, which was originally scheduled to be deployed in November 2025, was fully rolled out in record time and is now being used by all airlines.
The airport experienced 3% growth across the first three quarters of this year (the period January to September), with 19 million passengers to date. In addition to the cyberattack, this figure was also negatively impacted by five days of national strikes this year, targeting federal government projects. In total, since the beginning of the year, more than 230,000 travelers have been unable to take their flights due to these union actions.
The share of departing transfer passengers in September was 14%, a figure comparable to September 2024.
The top 10 countries in September were respectively Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Türkiye, Portugal, Morocco, the United States, France and Switzerland.
Total cargo volumes: +11% compared to September 2024
Total cargo volumes through Brussels Airport increased by 11% in September compared to the same month last year, reaching 65,799 tonnes. The total amount of flown cargo rose by 17%, reaching 57,650 tonnes.
The full-freighter segment increased by 9%, belly cargo rose by 8%. Integrator services recorded a strong 29% increase compared to September 2024. Trucked cargo volumes decreased by 18%.
The main import regions were Asia, Africa, and North America. We also see the same top three in the main export regions: Asia, followed by Africa and North America.
During the first three quarters of 2025, total cargo volumes increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2024.
Flight movements: +1% compared to September 2024
The number of aircraft movements in September 2025 increased by 1% compared to the previous year. The number of passenger flights saw a 0.5% increase, while cargo flights grew by 1%.
The average number of passengers per flight was 148, one more than in the same period last year.
