Brussels Airport welcomes over 2.1M passengers in October

In October, Brussels Airport saw a significant rise in passenger numbers, with more than 2.1 million travelers passing through—marking a 5% increase compared to the same month in 2023. The autumn school holidays toward the end of the month played a major role in driving up the numbers, though a national strike by the security sector on October 1 had a temporary negative impact on passenger volumes.

Brussels Airport welcomed a total of 2,105,930 passengers in October, a 5% rise from the previous year. The two-week autumn break for French-speaking schools and the start of the one-week holiday for Dutch-speaking schools contributed to higher passenger counts in the latter half of the month. However, a nationwide security sector strike on October 1 disrupted departing flights, dampening overall passenger numbers.

About 14% of departing passengers were transfer passengers, underscoring the airport’s role as a transit hub, especially for Star Alliance member airlines. The top destinations for travelers in October included Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Morocco, Portugal, Greece, the United States, France, and Switzerland.

Air cargo volumes at Brussels Airport also showed positive growth, with flown cargo increasing by 1% to reach 53,960 tons. Total cargo volumes, which include both flown and trucked cargo, rose by 1% year-over-year to 64,646 tons.

The full-freight segment increased by 2%, while cargo transported on passenger flights saw a decline of 3%. Express services rose by 1%, and trucked volumes also grew by 1%. Asia, Africa, and North America were the main import regions, while Asia remained the top export destination, followed by North America and Africa.

Flight movements at Brussels Airport were up by 2% in October 2024 compared to the previous year. Passenger flights rose by 1%, and cargo flights experienced a notable 12% increase year-over-year.