Brussels Airport's business has picked up strongly in 2022. Last year, Brussels Airport welcomed nearly 19 million passengers, a 102% growth over 2021 (9.4 million passengers). The Brussels hub's activity level reached 72% of the 2019 level (26.4 million passengers), the level before the Covid-19 crisis. 

December at 77% of 2019 level

The share of outbound transfer passengers was 15%, compared to 18% in 2019, with a recovery mainly marked in the second half of the year. The ten most visited countries in 2022 were Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Portugal, the United States, France, Greece, the United Kingdom and Morocco. Turkey, Greece and Morocco even surpassed the record levels of 2019. December recorded 1.46 million passengers, a 77% increase over 2019. 

Air cargo down 7% from 2021

In 2022, total cargo volumes reached 775,721 metric tons, down 8% from 2021. Air freight volumes experienced a 7% decrease compared to 2021. This decrease is explained by a record year of 2021 (+30%) for the cargo area of Brussels Airport. In the "full cargo" segment, there is also a decline of 13% compared to 2021. On the other hand, cargo on board passenger aircraft has increased by 27% compared to 2021, due to the continuous increase in the number of passenger flights. Finally, the express segment decreased by 13% compared to 2021. Overall, cargo volumes have been under pressure all year due to continued geopolitical tensions, confinements in China, the threat of a recession and its impact on e-commerce.