ZAVENTEM – Brussels Airport announced a major €500 million investment plan on Friday to expand and modernise its infrastructure, aiming to accommodate a surge in passenger numbers expected over the next decade.
The ambitious project includes a full redesign of the terminal buildings, the creation of an intermodal transport hub, and the construction of a new four-star hotel.
The announcement comes as the airport recorded 24 million passengers in 2024, with expectations to welcome 32 million by 2032.
The current terminal was originally designed to serve between 28 to 30 million passengers per year, prompting the need for expansion, said CEO Arnaud Feist during a press conference in Zaventem.
“On peak days, the arrival and departure halls are overcrowded, and access to trains and buses is becoming a bottleneck. We need to prepare for the future and offer a much more comfortable, green, and connected experience for travellers,” Feist explained.
The revamped airport will feature modern, bright, and spacious terminals infused with greenery, aiming to enhance the passenger experience.
The new intermodal hub will improve connections with buses, trains, and taxis, while a future tram line linking Brussels to the airport is also part of the plan. A green boulevard dedicated to the tram service is expected to be built to complement these improvements.
The redevelopment is set to begin in late 2026 and continue until 2032, with the new hotel intended to help alleviate the high occupancy rates of the existing Sheraton, which remains nearly fully booked for half the year.
However, the project has already sparked criticism from environmental quarters. Philippe Touwaide, the federal mediator for Brussels Airport, expressed strong disappointment and scepticism over the lack of ecological investment in the plan.
“I am very disappointed, astonished, sceptical and surprised,” Touwaide said in a statement. “This half-billion-euro investment includes no concrete measures to reduce noise or air pollution. A company cannot, in 2025, develop economically without also making efforts to protect the environment.”
Touwaide criticised the Brussels Airport Company for not contributing to the environmental insulation fund since 2003, arguing that its priorities remain firmly focused on profit. He cited the decades-old obligation to build a covered hall for jet engine testing—a project imposed in 1988 that still remains unfulfilled.
He also questioned the legality of constructing a new office building on the site. “The airport land is intended strictly for airport-related infrastructure. Consultancy or auditing offices do not align with this requirement,” he said.
The airport authority has not yet publicly responded to Touwaide’s criticism, but Feist maintained that the project’s primary goal is to improve capacity and connectivity for passengers, emphasising the importance of efficient transport links across Belgium and Europe.
As construction is poised to begin in just over a year, the debate around economic development versus environmental responsibility is likely to intensify in the months ahead.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
