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Brussels Airlines

ICAO: BEL IATA: SN Active as of Jan 31, 2026

Airline Statistics

182

Active Routes

3119

Flight Observations

84

Unique Destinations

87

Origin Airports

1219

Avg Route Distance (mi)

4333

Longest Route (mi)

3

Domestic Routes

97

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.

Traveler Reviews

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.

Compiled by AirportRoutes.com • Updated 2 months ago

Route Network Map

Click on any airport to see its routes

Most Popular Routes

109 flights
A333
MAN → BRU
333 miles
100 flights
A319
BRU → GVA
Brussels Airport → Geneva Cointrin Int'l
331 miles
76 flights
A20N
BRU → FRA
Brussels Airport → Frankfurt Int'l
189 miles
70 flights
A320
BRU → CDG
Brussels Airport → Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
156 miles
68 flights
A20N
BRU → ALC
Brussels Airport → Alicante
907 miles
66 flights
A320
64 flights
A333
61 flights
A319
57 flights
A319
BRU → ZRH
Brussels Airport → Zurich (Kloten)
300 miles
57 flights
A319

Top Destinations

BRU (EBBR)
Brussels
Brussels
1555 flights
83 routes
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin Int'l
Geneva
76 flights
1 route
FRA (EDDF)
Frankfurt Int'l
Frankfurt am Main
70 flights
1 route
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Paris
68 flights
1 route
ALC (LEAL)
Alicante
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca
66 flights
1 route
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe Int'l
Entebbe (near Kampala)
57 flights
2 routes
ZRH (LSZH)
Zurich (Kloten)
Zurich
57 flights
1 route
MUC (EDDM)
Munich Int'l
Munich
56 flights
1 route
ABJ (DIAP)
Port Bouet (Felix Houphouet Boigny Int'l)
Abidjan
56 flights
3 routes
CKY (GUCY)
Conakry Int'l (Gbessia Int'l)
Conakry
45 flights
3 routes

Top Origin Airports

BRU (EBBR)
Brussels Airport
Zaventem
1225 flights
77 routes
FIH (FZAA)
Ndjili International Airport
Kinshasa
109 flights
1 route
MAN (EGCC)
Manchester Airport
Manchester, Greater Manchester
100 flights
1 route
OUA (DFFD)
Ouagadougou Airport
Ouagadougou
71 flights
2 routes
BJL (GBYD)
Banjul International Airport
Yundum
66 flights
3 routes
NSI (FKYS)
Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport
Yaoundé
64 flights
1 route
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva
61 flights
1 route
LYS (LFLL)
Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport
Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône
57 flights
1 route
KGL (HRYR)
Kigali International Airport
Kigali
57 flights
2 routes
OSL (ENGM)
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo (Gardermoen)
56 flights
1 route

Top Border Crossing Flights

BRU (EBBR)
Brussels Airport
Brussels, BE
1555 flights
83 routes
GVA (LSGG)
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva, CH
76 flights
1 route
FRA (EDDF)
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt am Main, DE
70 flights
1 route
CDG (LFPG)
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris, FR
68 flights
1 route
ALC (LEAL)
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca, ES
66 flights
1 route
EBB (HUEN)
Entebbe International Airport
Entebbe (near Kampala), UG
57 flights
2 routes
ZRH (LSZH)
Zürich Airport
Zurich, CH
57 flights
1 route
MUC (EDDM)
Munich Airport
Munich, DE
56 flights
1 route

Longest Routes

BRU → IAD
Brussels Airport → Washington Dulles Intl
4333 mi
NBO → BRU
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport → Brussels
4085 mi
BRU → NBO
Brussels Airport → Jomo Kenyatta Int'l
4085 mi
BRU → BJM
Brussels Airport → Bujumbura Int'l
4028 mi
BRU → KGL
Brussels Airport → Kigali Int'l
3957 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

182 Total Routes
Showing 25 most popular routes
Route Destination Flights Distance Aircraft Last Seen
FIH → BRU Brussels
Brussels
109 3879 mi A333 Jan 29, 2026
MAN → BRU Brussels
Brussels
100 333 mi A319 Jan 30, 2026
BRU → GVA Geneva Cointrin Int'l
Geneva
76 331 mi A20N Jan 28, 2026
BRU → FRA Frankfurt Int'l
Frankfurt am Main
70 189 mi A320 Jan 31, 2026
BRU → CDG Charles de Gaulle/Roissy
Paris
68 156 mi A20N Jan 31, 2026
BRU → ALC Alicante
Alicante / Benidorm / Costa Blanca
66 907 mi A320 Jan 17, 2026
NSI → BRU Brussels
Brussels
64 3289 mi A333 Jan 31, 2026
GVA → BRU Brussels
Brussels
61 331 mi A319 Jan 27, 2026
BRU → ZRH Zurich (Kloten)
Zurich
57 300 mi A319 Jan 28, 2026
LYS → BRU Brussels
Brussels
57 359 mi A319 Jan 30, 2026
BRU → MUC Munich Int'l
Munich
56 371 mi A319 Jan 30, 2026
OSL → BRU Brussels
Brussels
56 692 mi A319 Jan 31, 2026
PRG → BRU Brussels
Brussels
54 433 mi A320 Jan 31, 2026
EBB → BRU Brussels
Brussels
52 3881 mi A333 Jan 30, 2026
BRU → FCO Leonardo da Vinci Int'l (Fiumicino Int'l)
Rome
45 729 mi A320 Jan 31, 2026
ROB → BRU Brussels
Brussels
44 3206 mi A333 Jan 31, 2026
BRU → VIE Vienna Int'l (Schwechat)
Vienna
42 575 mi A20N Jan 28, 2026
BRU → LHR London Heathrow
London
42 218 mi A20N Jan 29, 2026
LJU → BRU Brussels
Brussels
41 559 mi A319 Jan 30, 2026
KGL → EBB Entebbe Int'l
Entebbe (near Kampala)
40 212 mi A333 Jan 24, 2026
OUA → ABJ Port Bouet (Felix Houphouet Boigny Int'l)
Abidjan
39 517 mi A333 Jan 28, 2026
FNA → ROB Roberts Int'l
Monrovia
37 255 mi A333 Jan 31, 2026
MRS → BRU Brussels
Brussels
37 518 mi A320 Jan 28, 2026
MAD → BRU Brussels
Brussels
35 817 mi A320 Jan 23, 2026
BRU → MXP Malpensa Int'l
Milan
34 413 mi A319 Jan 28, 2026
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: Jan 31, 2026 21:06
Coverage: Observed routes only