Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport is Belgium's principal gateway and a dense European mid-hub serving 180 direct destinations across 98 airlines — one of the broadest carrier rosters of any airport its size, reflecting Brussels's position as the political capital of the European Union and NATO's administrative seat. The institutional traffic from EU agencies, diplomatic missions, and multinational headquarters sustains a year-round business-travel profile that behaves differently from leisure-dominated European peers. Brussels Airlines operates its hub at BRU as part of Lufthansa Group, feeding Star Alliance long-haul connections to Africa (its historic strength, inherited from Sabena's sub-Saharan network) and North America. TUI fly Belgium runs its largest base here, and Ryanair and easyJet maintain substantial low-cost operations. Major cargo tenants including DHL, ASL, and Qatar Airways Cargo make BRU a top-ten European freight airport, with a dedicated cargo zone on the north perimeter. Three runways — 11,936 ft (3,639 m), 10,535 ft (3,211 m), and 9,800 ft (2,987 m) — allow independent operations despite tight noise-abatement restrictions that govern which runway is used by time of day. The airport sits at 175 ft (53 m) elevation in Zaventem, 12 km northeast of central Brussels. A single integrated terminal serves both Schengen and non-Schengen traffic with two piers (A for Schengen, B for non-Schengen) connected by an underground transfer level. Connaught House, completed in 2023, houses the consolidated customs and immigration control. Rail access is exceptional: mainline trains serve the airport underground with direct service to Brussels, Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, and international connections via Brussels-Midi to Paris, London, and Amsterdam.