Brussels Airport in Belgium has revealed its plans for its largest investment program in 30 years, which includes an expansion of the departure and arrival halls, as well as the construction of a new intermodal hub, a new hotel, a new drop-off zone and a green boulevard with a park.
Work on the intermodal hub, terminal and hotel is expected to commence in late 2026, with phased completion by 2032. Work on the new drop-off zone will commence at the end of 2025 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
Terminal expansion and new hotel
By extending the departure and arrival halls, the airport hopes to improve capacity, better accommodate passengers with reduced mobility and create more space for passenger flow and processes like check-in. It is also to improve the passenger experience.
To cater to rising demand, a new hotel will also be built at the airport. A four-star hotel with over 300 rooms will provide a wider range of options for passengers, combined with the existing Sheraton hotel.
Supporting the airport’s sustainability plans, the investment program will incorporate natural light, sustainable materials and futureproofing technologies including water infiltration, underground geothermal storage, heat pumps and solar panels for electricity.
Surface access
The airport intends to enhance its role as an intermodal hub by improving access to the various means of transportation and by accommodating the terminus of the airport tram line planned in the coming years. Cycling infrastructure will also be further developed, following investments made in recent years in connecting to the cycle highways.
At the moment, a single central axis with escalators connects the train, bus, taxi and departure hall levels at the airport – an area that has almost reached its maximum capacity. Future connections between levels and transportation options will be broader and more spread out. The plans include a new connection to the train station, an upgraded central bus station, a redesigned taxi area and a new platform for intercity buses.
A green boulevard will be created with a park and space for the airport tram, in addition to car and bicycle traffic. There will also be a new drop-off zone at Brussels Airport at departure hall level, behind the Sheraton hotel, giving passengers a smoother connection to the terminal, and separate drop-off traffic from other traffic flows.
Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport, commented, “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. 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 halls, 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 transportation such as train, bus and the future tram and provide more capacity there too. These investments will usher in a new era for the airport.”
Jean-Luc Crucke, Federal Minister of Mobility, Climate and Ecological Transition, said, “This investment shows that the airport thinks ahead without losing sight of sustainability. I am particularly delighted that Brussels Airport is committed to an intermodal mobility hub where different modes of transportation meet. This is essential because mobility today is no longer the sum of separate modes of transportation. We need to evolve into smart mobility hubs that seamlessly link comfort, connectivity and climate ambition. These are great and ambitious plans that don’t think in boundaries, but rather in connections.”
“The airport in Zaventem is an engine of prosperity and a major employer in Flemish Brabant, which also has enormous value for the rest of Flanders and certainly Brussels”, added Flemish Deputy Minister-President and Flemish Minister for Budget and Finance, Vlaamse Rand, Ben Weyts. “Large investments in the airport pay off for all of us. Moreover, a lot of attention goes to the liveability of the area, better multimodal access and more green space. More growth for the airport and more attention to the environment in the Vlaamse Rand once again go hand in hand here.”
In related news, Brussels Airport recently began investing in new baggage sorting systems, loading zones and storage areas. Click here to read the full story.