Brussels Airport plans €500 million expansion

Brussels Airport is investing €500 million into an expansion intended to help cope with the growing number of passengers.

The project includes the expansion and complete redesign of the arrival and departure halls, the creation of a new intermodal hub and the construction of a new four-star hotel by the end of the decade.

The airport welcomed 24 million passengers in 2024 and is forecasting a sharp increase in passenger numbers, with 32 million travellers expected in 2032.

“The current terminal is designed for 28 to 30 million passengers per year,” said airport chief executive Arnaud Feist.

“On busy days, the departure and arrival halls are often full, as is the main concourse, which provides access to the train and bus stations. The Sheraton hotel is almost fully booked for half the year.”

The renovation will include a focus on intermodality, banking on soft mobility to connect to Belgium and the whole of Europe.

“As a hub airport in the heart of Europe, Brussels Airport wants to further invest in the capacity and quality of its infrastructure for both passengers and employees,” Feist added.

“We are therefore proud to present our plans that will greatly enhance the experience of our passengers.

"Brussels Airport will offer passengers a totally revamped experience in the departure and arrival hall, with more space and light and breathtaking views of the operations on the tarmac.

"Moreover, we will also improve the interconnectivity between the various means of transport such as train, bus and the future tram and provide more capacity there too."

The exterior will also be redesigned, with green spaces and a new passenger drop-off area. An office building will be built next to the new 300-room four-star hotel.

But the airport’s plans for expansion have already faced criticism, with opponents saying too little thought was given to environmental factors.

“The announcement does not contain any environmental targets, not a single cent to reduce noise pollution and pollution,” said Philippe Touwaide, federal ombudsman for the airport.

Brussels Airport has been embroiled in legal battles with nearby residents over noise pollution for years.

While the initial announcement does mention green space and sustainability broadly, it refers only to "optimal use of natural light, sustainable materials and future-proof technologies including water infiltration, an underground geothermal storage, heat pumps and solar panels for electricity".

Touwaide recalled the intention to build a noise barrier, as well as a covered test shed for reactors, the latter having been mandatory since 1988 but never realised.

“Airport activity will never be neutral - aircraft will always pollute,” Touwaide said, calling the announcement surprising.

“The buildings could perhaps be neutral, but not air traffic. I am in favour of a balance between the economy, the environment and health.

"I have nothing against the airport, but a private company cannot want to develop its economic activity in 2025 without making any concrete efforts in the environmental field."

The municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert also expressed surprise by "such an investment when, at the same time, the airport operator is failing to meet its legal obligations in terms of compliance with environmental standards".