Brussels Airport Company projects that more than 1.06 million travellers will pass through Zaventem between 19 December and 4 January—the busiest festive period in the hub’s history. The surge coincides with Belgian school holidays and pent-up leisure demand. Peak day is forecast for 29 December, when 72,000 passengers are expected.
To cope, the airport has added four temporary security lanes, hired extra seasonal staff and deployed ‘peak assistants’ in orange vests to steer passengers to the shortest queues. A real-time wait-time feature in the Brussels Airport app has been upgraded to cover all checkpoints, and public-transport operators De Lijn and SNCB are running additional buses and trains to the terminal.
![Brussels Airport Expects Record 1.06 Million Passengers over Christmas Fortnight]()
Travellers heading to any of the 137 destinations—especially those outside the Schengen Area—should remember that some countries still require advance visas. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers departing from Belgium check requirements, apply and track their visa in one place, helping them avoid last-minute surprises at Brussels Airport during the rush.
Corporate-travel analysts note an unexpected 9 % jump in premium-cabin bookings on the two working days before Christmas, suggesting that multinational firms are squeezing in last-minute face-to-face meetings. Hotel rates near the airport are up 14 % year-on-year, according to STR Global, prompting mobility managers to warn travellers to book early or shift meetings online.
The winter flight schedule offers 137 direct destinations, including new routes to Sälen, Larnaca and Chongqing. Airlines report load factors above 80 % on these launches. Businesses shipping perishables and pharmaceuticals welcome the extra belly-cargo capacity but should plan for tight ground-handling windows during the peak.
To cope, the airport has added four temporary security lanes, hired extra seasonal staff and deployed ‘peak assistants’ in orange vests to steer passengers to the shortest queues. A real-time wait-time feature in the Brussels Airport app has been upgraded to cover all checkpoints, and public-transport operators De Lijn and SNCB are running additional buses and trains to the terminal.
Travellers heading to any of the 137 destinations—especially those outside the Schengen Area—should remember that some countries still require advance visas. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets passengers departing from Belgium check requirements, apply and track their visa in one place, helping them avoid last-minute surprises at Brussels Airport during the rush.
Corporate-travel analysts note an unexpected 9 % jump in premium-cabin bookings on the two working days before Christmas, suggesting that multinational firms are squeezing in last-minute face-to-face meetings. Hotel rates near the airport are up 14 % year-on-year, according to STR Global, prompting mobility managers to warn travellers to book early or shift meetings online.
The winter flight schedule offers 137 direct destinations, including new routes to Sälen, Larnaca and Chongqing. Airlines report load factors above 80 % on these launches. Businesses shipping perishables and pharmaceuticals welcome the extra belly-cargo capacity but should plan for tight ground-handling windows during the peak.
