Almost 19 million passengers in 2022

Brussels Airport welcomed 1,456,546 passengers in December. This brings the total number of passengers in 2022 to almost 19 million, twice the number of 2021 and 72 procent of pre-crisis levels. 

Passenger numbers up by 102% on 2021 

In 2022, 18,930,698 passengers travelled through Brussels Airport. This represents an increase of 102% compared to 2021 (9.4 million passengers), reaching almost 72% of pre-Covid levels (26.4 million passengers in 2019). 

After a first half of the year still heavily impacted by Covid-related travel restrictions, holiday traffic, as well as travel to visit friends and relatives, picked up during the summer months to reach over 80% of pre-Covid traffic from July to October. From the autumn onwards, a tangible upturn in business travel was also observed, as well as a growth in the number of connecting passengers at Brussels Airport, marking a significant recovery in the hub activity linked to Brussels Airlines and its Star Alliance partners.  

Without the three days of national protest (in June, November and December) that resulted in an estimated loss of nearly 100,000 passengers over the year, we would have well exceeded the 19-million passenger mark.

Cargo volumes down 8% decrease after the exceptional growth in 2021 (+30%) 

In 2022, cargo volumes at Brussels Airport totalled to 775,721 tonnes, down by 8% compared to 2021 and up by 16% compared to 2019. Flown cargo volumes fell by 7% compared to 2021 and increased by 24% compared to 2019. This decrease compared to 2021 is explained by a record year in 2021 (+30%) for the Brussels Airport cargo area.  

In the full freighter segment, we also saw a 13% downturn compared to the same period in 2021 but a 78% increase compared to 2019. Belly cargo on the other hand increased by 27% compared to 2021 (but remains down by 22% on the 2019 figures), due to the continued increase in the number of passenger flights. Finally, the integrator segment fell by 13% compared to 2021, but was still 24% up compared to 2019. In general, cargo volumes were under pressure all year round due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, lockdowns in China, the threat of a recession and its impact on e-commerce. 

Number of flights up by 51% on 2021

The number of flight movements in 2022 increased by 51% compared to 2021, totalling to 178,930 flight movements, but remaining 24% below the pre-crisis 2019 figures.

The number of passenger flights rose sharply by 73% compared to 2021, a year marked by numerous restrictions, bringing the number of passenger flights to 69% of the 2019 figures.

The average number of passengers per flight is 135, an increase of almost 4% compared to 2019. 
A record for Brussels Airport and further confirmation of the deployment of larger, more modern and quieter aircraft and improved occupancy rates. 

In 2022, the number of cargo flights decreased by 10% compared to 2021. 

Detailed figures are available in our press release.