Liège Airport started 2026 on a high note after announcing record-beating cargo statistics for the 2025 financial year. Total throughput hit 1.324 million tonnes, a 14 % increase on 2024 and the second-best performance in the hub’s history. Management credits its “Freighters First” policy, which allocates prime slots and apron space to all-cargo carriers ahead of passenger operations, for attracting 56 airlines—up from 40 just two years ago.
The growth is significant for Belgium’s global-mobility ecosystem. With Brussels Airport grappling with capacity constraints and weather-related disruption, Liège has become an essential back-up for time-critical industrial freight, pharma cold-chain consignments and even on-board-courier (OBC) traffic that supports just-in-time manufacturing. December alone saw tonnage rise 16 % year-on-year, underscoring the hub’s role in Christmas e-commerce fulfilment.
Diversification of the customer base also reduces exposure to individual market shocks: the largest carrier now accounts for only 13 % of volumes, down from 20 % in 2023. New destinations added in 2025—Mumbai, Chicago, Mexico City and Taipei—give Belgian exporters wider reach without relying on partner hubs. For HR teams relocating staff to Belgium’s logistics corridor (Liège–Charleroi–Zaventem), this translates to more direct air-freight options for unaccompanied personal effects and critical project cargo.
![Liège Airport Posts 14 % Cargo Surge, Doubling Down on ‘Freighters First’ Strategy]()
Whether you’re dispatching engineers to oversee urgent shipments or moving entire project teams, securing visas swiftly is just as crucial as booking cargo capacity. VisaHQ’s user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Belgian visa and work-permit applications, offers real-time status tracking, and provides centralized dashboards for HR managers—helping assignees land on schedule and keeping mobility programs fully compliant.
Challenges remain. A new EU tax on e-commerce parcels takes effect on 1 July 2026, potentially dampening growth, while geopolitical tensions could disrupt certain trade lanes. Airport management says it will focus on high-value verticals such as pharmaceuticals and perishables to offset any downturn in online retail volumes.
For corporate mobility professionals, the message is twofold: Belgium’s freight infrastructure is scaling rapidly, supporting complex assignment logistics; but cost models may need revision if the e-commerce tax inflates last-mile shipping charges. Monitoring slot allocation at Liège will also be vital—night operations have already dropped from 59 % of flights in 2020 to 34.5 % in 2025 as the airport shifts towards more community-friendly daytime flying.
The growth is significant for Belgium’s global-mobility ecosystem. With Brussels Airport grappling with capacity constraints and weather-related disruption, Liège has become an essential back-up for time-critical industrial freight, pharma cold-chain consignments and even on-board-courier (OBC) traffic that supports just-in-time manufacturing. December alone saw tonnage rise 16 % year-on-year, underscoring the hub’s role in Christmas e-commerce fulfilment.
Diversification of the customer base also reduces exposure to individual market shocks: the largest carrier now accounts for only 13 % of volumes, down from 20 % in 2023. New destinations added in 2025—Mumbai, Chicago, Mexico City and Taipei—give Belgian exporters wider reach without relying on partner hubs. For HR teams relocating staff to Belgium’s logistics corridor (Liège–Charleroi–Zaventem), this translates to more direct air-freight options for unaccompanied personal effects and critical project cargo.
Whether you’re dispatching engineers to oversee urgent shipments or moving entire project teams, securing visas swiftly is just as crucial as booking cargo capacity. VisaHQ’s user-friendly portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Belgian visa and work-permit applications, offers real-time status tracking, and provides centralized dashboards for HR managers—helping assignees land on schedule and keeping mobility programs fully compliant.
Challenges remain. A new EU tax on e-commerce parcels takes effect on 1 July 2026, potentially dampening growth, while geopolitical tensions could disrupt certain trade lanes. Airport management says it will focus on high-value verticals such as pharmaceuticals and perishables to offset any downturn in online retail volumes.
For corporate mobility professionals, the message is twofold: Belgium’s freight infrastructure is scaling rapidly, supporting complex assignment logistics; but cost models may need revision if the e-commerce tax inflates last-mile shipping charges. Monitoring slot allocation at Liège will also be vital—night operations have already dropped from 59 % of flights in 2020 to 34.5 % in 2025 as the airport shifts towards more community-friendly daytime flying.
