Brussels Airlines expecting strong summer demand, additional aircraft in 2025

Brussels Airlines is proclaiming that the airline is ready for a busy northern summer holiday season in 2025. Nearly two million passengers are expected to travel with the carrier, the national airline of Belgium, and several initiatives are being implemented to ensure a smooth journey experience for all of those passengers, says the airline. The airline has said that it intends to operate a fleet of 50 aircraft, compared to 44 aircraft in summer 2024.

Brussels Airlines says it is ready for its busiest ever summer season, with new routes and new aircraft combining with several new service improvements to increase the airline’s overall offering for the summer 2025 season. Spain remains one of the busiest destinations for Belgians heading abroad, states the carrier, with Brussels Airlines serving no fewer than 12 Spanish destinations, with Malaga, Barcelona, and Alicante as the most popular routes for passengers traveling from Belgium. Also, Valencia has seen a sharp increase in popularity, said the company.

Next in line are Greece and Italy, both with nine destinations being served from Brussels Airport (BRU). Brussels Airlines said it has also noted a sharp increase in Belgian travellers heading to Oporto (Portugal). On its long-haul network, New York and Kinshasa (Congo) are the most popular holiday destinations for Belgians, either to spend summer holidays or to visit family and friends.

Brussels Airlines Additionally, to cope with rising demand, Brussels Airlines has grown its fleet significantly compared to summer 2024. It has added one Airbus A320 for short- and medium-haul routes and one Airbus A330 for long-haul routes to its fleet. In addition, four Airbus A220 aircraft are deployed in the network via a wet-lease agreement with the carrier’s partner Air Baltic, which operates flights on behalf of Brussels Airlines. This brings the total fleet during the summer to 50 aircraft.

As seasonality remains a challenge in the aviation industry, Brussels Airlines has built a strategy to have the highest possible capacity in summer. In addition to the wet-lease capacity, Brussels Airlines works with summer students as cabin crew members for the very first time. 47 students were hired who went through the same selection process and rigorous training as all other crew members to operate flights throughout the summer for the airline. Since January 1, 2025, Brussels Airlines states it has already hired almost 300 new employees. Most of them are cabin crew members (153), pilots (57), and airport employees (47).

M.J.J. de Vaan / Shutterstock“While summer offers many a moment to pause and recharge, it’s also the season when our teams are at their busiest,” said Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines. “Behind every smooth journey and holiday memory are colleagues who show up with dedication, care, and professionalism—day in and day out. I want to sincerely thank all Brussels Airlines employees for going the extra mile, ensuring our guests feel welcomed, safe, and valued every step of the way,” she added.

As part of the airline gearing up for a busy summer ahead, the airline has taken the move to double the capacity of its bag drop area in the departure hall of Brussels Airport, allowing passengers who have checked in online to have their luggage handled in much shorter times. Together with all of its operations partners, the airline says, “it has worked tirelessly throughout [2025] to prepare for smooth summer operations.”

According to ch-aviation, the carrier’s fleet will consist of 14 Airbus A319s, 16 A320s, five A320neos, 11 widebody A330-300s, plus the four A220s of air Baltic. The airline currently serves 106 routes and flies to 91 destinations across 41 countries.

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