Passenger traffic at Brussels Airport (BRU) climbed sharply in February, with the airport welcoming 1,624,543 travellers, a 6.3% increase compared with the same month last year. The rise was partly driven by the Carnival holiday period, which fell entirely in February this year, unlike in 2025 when it spanned February and March.
Carnival Holidays Boost Passenger Traffic
Airport officials said the surge reflects strong demand for both intra-European routes and long-haul travel. The airport’s role as an international hub also remained evident, with transfer passengers accounting for 15% of total traffic.
The most popular destinations for February travellers included Spain, Italy, Germany, Morocco, France, Turkey, Switzerland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. Meanwhile, aircraft capacity utilisation improved slightly, with an average of 140 passengers per flight, up from 138 a year earlier.
Cargo Volumes Continue Upward Trend
Cargo operations at BRU also recorded steady growth. In February, the airport handled 63,050 tonnes of freight, marking a 6.5% increase year over year.
Flown cargo rose 7.2%, supported by stronger volumes on passenger flights and continued expansion in the integrator segment, which combines air transport with final-mile delivery. Integrator cargo increased 12.1%, while cargo carried on passenger aircraft rose 7.8%.
After declining in January, full-freighter cargo flights returned to growth with a modest 0.6% rise. Road cargo volumes also increased, climbing 3.3%.
Key import markets remained Asia, Africa and South America, with South America recording particularly strong growth. Exports to Africa and North America increased, though shipments to Asia fell slightly.
Flight Movements Also Rise
BRU recorded 13,761 commercial flight movements during February, up 4.1% from the same period in 2025.
Passenger flights grew 5.1%, reflecting stronger travel demand. However, cargo flight movements dropped 2.7%, mainly due to fewer dedicated freighter operations. This decline was partly offset by an increase in integrator flights linked to parcel delivery networks.
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