In 2024, Belgian airports recorded an increase in the number of passengers and flights. Despite this increase, the sector has not yet returned to its 2019 level, before the COVID-19 pandemic. This is what emerges from the figures on air transport published by Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.

Almost 34.8 million passengers passed through Belgian airports in 2024, an increase of just over 7% compared to the previous year. However, this figure is still lower than the 35.5 million passengers transported in 2019.

The total number of flights (passengers and freight) also increased in 2024, with 287,011 flights recorded, a slight increase of 5% compared with 2023, but less than the 325,000 flights recorded in 2019.

In 2024, almost 1.8 million tonnes of goods were transported, representing an increase of almost 10% compared with 2023 and 20% compared to 2019.

Belgium remains a major hub for freight and mail transport within the EU

More than 1 billion passengers were transported in the European Union in 2024^[1]. Belgium ranks 12th with almost 34.8 million passengers transported.

With regard to freight and mail transport via airports, Belgium remains in 3rd place behind Germany and France in terms of tonnes of goods transported.

^[1]Provisional figures for EU-27: number of passengers transported, number of flights, weight in tonnes of mail and goods on board: arrivals and departures