Brussels Airlines

ICAO: BEL Active as of Dec 11, 2025

181

Active Routes

2392

Flight Observations

83

Unique Destinations

87

Origin Airports

1206

Avg Route Distance (mi)

4085

Longest Route (mi)

4

Domestic Routes

96

International Routes
About Brussels Airlines

Here is comprehensive information about Brussels Airlines (ICAO: BEL):

Brussels Airlines is the flag carrier of Belgium, with its headquarters located at Brussels Airport (BRU) in Zaventem. The airline was established in 2007 through the merger of SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express. Its roots trace back to 2002 when SN Brussels Airlines was formed as the successor to Belgium's previous national carrier, Sabena, which was founded in 1923. Brussels Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group and a member of the Star Alliance, which it joined in December 2009.

The airline operates an all-Airbus fleet, which includes Airbus A319s, A320s, and A330-300s. As of May 2025, its fleet size is reported to be 47 aircraft, with 42 active. The average age of its fleet is approximately 17 years as of September 2025. Brussels Airlines offers a diverse route network, serving over 90 destinations across Europe, North America, and Africa. Notably, it has a strong focus on Africa, connecting to 18 destinations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Brussels Airlines provides both short-haul and long-haul services with varied fare options. Passengers can choose from different travel classes, and the airline highlights Belgian cuisine within its onboard meal options. The airline also offers online check-in services, and its frequent flyer program is Miles & More.

What Travelers Say

Recent traveler reviews for Brussels Airlines present a mixed, yet generally average, sentiment.

What Travelers Love:

  • Cabin Crew & Comfort: Many travelers highly value the welcoming, cheerful, and efficient nature of the cabin crew, along with comfortable seating.
  • Punctuality & Problem Solving: The airline is recognized for its aircraft punctuality and for being transparent with information and offering excellent services when problems occur, particularly regarding claim processing.
  • Effective Boarding: Some reviews commend the efficiency of the boarding process.

Common Complaints:

  • In-flight Amenities: Frequent complaints highlight the inadequacy of in-flight meals, entertainment, and Wi-Fi services compared to competitor airlines.
  • Customer Service & Baggage Handling: Issues with overall customer service, particularly concerning damaged luggage and slow follow-up, have been reported. Some passengers have also experienced a lack of interest from cabin staff in providing assistance with baggage.
  • Airport Experience & Communication: Travelers have noted chaotic airport experiences, including long boarding times, unannounced equipment swaps, and uncommunicated delays, which can lead to missed connections or altered seating arrangements.
  • Lack of Complimentary Services: On short-range trips, the absence of complimentary water and the inability to use frequent flyer miles for onboard purchases are points of dissatisfaction.

Overall, the sentiment suggests that while Brussels Airlines generally offers a satisfactory "average" flying experience, its inconsistent performance in in-flight amenities and customer service, particularly concerning baggage and operational communication, are areas that frequently draw criticism. However, recent recognition for its claim processing and punctuality indicates improvements in certain operational aspects.

Safety Information

Brussels Airlines maintains a strong overall safety reputation, receiving a 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com. The airline continuously works to upgrade and maintain its fleet to ensure reliability and safety. In 2010, Brussels Airlines took over its own plane maintenance, moving from a third-party provider.

Regarding specific safety incidents, public records indicate a few occurrences, which is not uncommon for an airline with extensive operations. These include a hail strike and cracked windshield on an Airbus A330-300 near Entebbe in May 2025, bird strikes involving Airbus A319s near Marseille in August 2024 and Brussels in August 2023, and an incident of locked flaps on an Airbus A319 at Brussels in December 2024. Earlier incidents listed include events in the vicinity of Paris CDG in 2020 and Lisbon in 2015.

As a Belgian flag carrier and a member of the Star Alliance, Brussels Airlines operates under the regulatory oversight of the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), which, for example, approves the airline for examiner standardization training. While specific certifications like IOSA or FAA compliance were not explicitly detailed in the provided search results, being a prominent European airline and part of the Lufthansa Group implies adherence to stringent European aviation safety standards.

While no specific "safety awards" were found, Brussels Airlines was named the "best all-round airline in the world" by AirHelp in 2024, scoring highly for aircraft punctuality and claim processing, which are indirect indicators of operational reliability and commitment to passenger welfare.

Content generated by AI based on web research • Updated 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Route Network Map
Most Popular Routes
91 flights
A333
BRU → ALC
Brussels Airport → Alicante
907 miles
64 flights
A320
55 flights
A320
BRU → GVA
Brussels Airport → Geneva Cointrin Int'l
331 miles
52 flights
A320
BRU → FRA
Brussels Airport → Frankfurt Int'l
189 miles
47 flights
A320
47 flights
A319
45 flights
A333
MAN → BRU
333 miles
44 flights
A319
BRU → CDG
Brussels Airport → Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
156 miles
41 flights
A320
40 flights
A333
Top Destinations
BRU (EBBR)
Brussels
Brussels
1179 flights
83 routes
ALC (LEAL)
Alicante
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca
64 flights
1 route
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin Int'l
Geneva
52 flights
1 route
FRA (EDDF)
Frankfurt Int'l
Frankfurt am Main
47 flights
1 route
ABJ (DIAP)
Port Bouet (Felix Houphouet Boigny Int'l)
Abidjan
46 flights
3 routes
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe Int'l
Entebbe (near Kampala)
45 flights
2 routes
DSS (GOBD)
Blaise Diagne
Diass
41 flights
3 routes
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Paris
41 flights
1 route
MUC (EDDM)
Munich Int'l
Munich
35 flights
1 route
LHR (EGLL)
London Heathrow
London
33 flights
1 route
Top Origin Airports
BRU (EBBR)
Brussels Airport
Zaventem
957 flights
76 routes
FIH (FZAA)
Ndjili International Airport
Kinshasa
91 flights
1 route
OUA (DFFD)
Ouagadougou Airport
Ouagadougou
56 flights
2 routes
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva
55 flights
1 route
BJL (GBYD)
Banjul International Airport
Yundum
49 flights
3 routes
OSL (ENGM)
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo (Gardermoen)
47 flights
1 route
KGL (HRYR)
Kigali International Airport
Kigali
46 flights
2 routes
NSI (FKYS)
Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport
Yaoundé
45 flights
1 route
MAN (EGCC)
Manchester Airport
Manchester, Greater Manchester
44 flights
1 route
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe International Airport
Kampala
40 flights
1 route
Top Border Crossing Flights
BRU (EBBR)
Brussels Airport
Brussels, BE
1179 flights
83 routes
ALC (LEAL)
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca, ES
64 flights
1 route
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva, CH
52 flights
1 route
FRA (EDDF)
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt am Main, DE
47 flights
1 route
ABJ (DIAP)
Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport
Abidjan, CI
46 flights
3 routes
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe International Airport
Entebbe (near Kampala), UG
45 flights
2 routes
DSS (GOBD)
Blaise Diagne International Airport
Diass, SN
41 flights
3 routes
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris, FR
41 flights
1 route
Longest Routes
BRU → NBO
Brussels Airport → Jomo Kenyatta Int'l
4085 mi
NBO → BRU
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport → Brussels
4085 mi
BRU → BJM
Brussels Airport → Bujumbura Int'l
4028 mi
BRU → KGL
Brussels Airport → Kigali Int'l
3957 mi
BRU → IAD
Brussels Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
3886 mi
Shortest Routes
FNA → CKY
Lungi International Airport → Conakry Int'l (Gbessia Int'l)
72 mi
DSS → BJL
Blaise Diagne International Airport → Banjul Int'l (Yundum Int'l)
96 mi
BJL → DSS
Banjul International Airport → Blaise Diagne
96 mi
LFW → ACC
Lomé–Tokoin International Airport → Kotoka Int'l
105 mi
ACC → LFW
Kotoka International Airport → Lome
105 mi
All Routes
181 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
FIH → BRU Brussels
Brussels
91 3879 mi A333 Dec 11, 2025
BRU → ALC Alicante
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca
64 907 mi A320 Dec 6, 2025
GVA → BRU Brussels
Brussels
55 331 mi A320 Dec 9, 2025
BRU → GVA Geneva Cointrin Int'l
Geneva
52 331 mi A320 Dec 9, 2025
OSL → BRU Brussels
Brussels
47 692 mi A319 Dec 9, 2025
BRU → FRA Frankfurt Int'l
Frankfurt am Main
47 189 mi A320 Dec 8, 2025
NSI → BRU Brussels
Brussels
45 3289 mi A333 Dec 8, 2025
MAN → BRU Brussels
Brussels
44 333 mi A319 Dec 10, 2025
BRU → CDG Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Paris
41 156 mi A320 Dec 11, 2025
EBB → BRU Brussels
Brussels
40 3881 mi A333 Dec 10, 2025
BRU → MUC Munich Int'l
Munich
35 371 mi A319 Dec 11, 2025
BRU → FCO Leonardo da Vinci Int'l (Fiumicino Int'l)
Rome
33 729 mi A320 Dec 9, 2025
KGL → EBB Entebbe Int'l
Entebbe (near Kampala)
33 212 mi A333 Dec 9, 2025
ROB → BRU Brussels
Brussels
33 3206 mi A333 Dec 10, 2025
PRG → BRU Brussels
Brussels
33 433 mi A319 Dec 9, 2025
BRU → LHR London Heathrow
London
33 218 mi A20N Nov 30, 2025
MRS → BRU Brussels
Brussels
32 518 mi A319 Dec 11, 2025
BRU → ZRH Zurich (Kloten)
Zurich
31 300 mi A319 Dec 11, 2025
BRU → HER Heraklion Int'l, Nikos Kazantzakis
Heraklion (Iraklion)
31 1490 mi A320 Oct 25, 2025
OUA → ABJ Port Bouet (Felix Houphouet Boigny Int'l)
Abidjan
31 517 mi A333 Dec 10, 2025
LJU → BRU Brussels
Brussels
30 559 mi A319 Dec 10, 2025
MAD → BRU Brussels
Brussels
29 817 mi A320 Dec 5, 2025
BRU → VIE Vienna Int'l (Schwechat)
Vienna
29 575 mi A320 Dec 11, 2025
LYS → BRU Brussels
Brussels
28 359 mi A319 Dec 10, 2025
BRU → AGP Malaga
Malaga
28 1080 mi A320 Nov 16, 2025
Data Information:

Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.

Data Freshness: Real-time
Last Update: Dec 11, 2025 04:04
Coverage: Observed routes only