Brussels Airlines, Belgium‘s flag carrier, is preparing for the summer season 2025, with additional aircraft, a new destination and additional capacity to existing destinations. Newcomer on the European network: Funchal in Madeira. Brussels Airlines is also hiring at full force for the busy summer season.

From April till the end of October 2025, Brussels Airlines will operate 11 long-haul aircraft, Airbus A330, and 35 short- and medium-haul aircraft, Airbus A319/320. In addition to its own fleet, four Airbus A220 from Air Baltic will operate on behalf of the Belgian carrier during the summer season. 

This will bring the overall capacity of Brussels Airlines during summer 2025 to 50 aircraft, serving 91 destinations. In comparison: in summer 2024, the airline operated 44 aircraft.

On the short- and medium-haul network, Brussels Airlines will offer flights to no-less than 71 destinations and offer 18% more capacity compared to summer 2024.

Portugal

Eyecatcher on the European network is Funchal, the capital city of Madeira, part of of Portugal. As from April 2025 Brussels Airlines will operate weekly direct flights to this island known for its wonderful nature. 

This is a new destination for Brussels Airlines and will bring the number of destinations in Portugal to four. The airline will also add extra frequencies to Faro and Porto.

Spain

Brussels Airlines started flying to Fuerteventura in winter 2024-2025, which will be continued in summer. This will bring the total number of destinations in Spain during summer to 11. The Belgian carrier will also add capacity to Málaga, Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid.

Greece

Greece will be served with nine destinations and capacity to Samos and Lesbos will be increased.

Other destinations

Other destinations that will receive higher frequencies are Vilnius in Lithuania and Tanger in Morocco. Birmingham in the United Kingdom, a destination restarted during the winter season, will become a year-round destination in the network of Brussels Airlines.

Brussels Airlines will also start operating most daily flights from Brussels to Munich and Frankfurt in Germany. 

These routes shift from Lufthansa to Brussels Airlines. Also, flights from Brussels to Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland will be transferred from Swiss to Brussels Airlines.

More planes, extra jobs

On the long-haul network, Brussels Airlines will add an 11th Airbus A330-300 aircraft, growing the long-haul fleet larger than ever before in the carrier’s history. Details on the long-haul network for summer 2025 will be announced soon.

In preparation for summer Brussels Airlines is also hiring extra colleagues. The Belgian carrier plans to hire over 370 extra colleagues. Amongst them 190 extra cabin crew members, 50 pilots, 60 ground staff, 40 at Maintenance and Engineering and 20 at the headquarters.

“I’m excited to see Brussels Airlines growing and expanding. Not only are we introducing new destinations, but we’re also adding capacity to our existing network. It offers people more flexibility when planning their summer travels. Last summer, we were in the top 5 most reliable mayor airlines in Europe. We will once again put everything in place to be a reliable partner to bring our guests to your well-deserved holiday destination”, Jan Derycke, Head of Network and Planning, Brussels Airlines, says in the press release.

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