Belgium operates three international airports serving commercial traffic. Brussels Airport (BRU), located in Zaventem 11 kilometers northeast of Brussels city center, handles approximately 26 million passengers annually and serves as the primary gateway for international arrivals. Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL), positioned 46 kilometers south of Brussels near the city of Charleroi, processes roughly 8 million passengers yearly and functions primarily as a hub for low-cost carriers including Ryanair. Antwerp International Airport (ANR), situated 7 kilometers from Antwerp city center, maintains limited scheduled service with fewer than 300,000 annual passengers, operating mainly regional routes. Liège Airport (LGG) handles cargo operations with minimal passenger service.
Brussels Airport contains a single terminal building divided into Pier A and Pier B. Non-Schengen arrivals proceed through passport control on Level 2, while Schengen arrivals bypass border checks. Baggage claim occupies Level 0 with 10 reclaim belts. After customs, arrivals enter the public hall where currency exchange counters operated by Travelex and Change Group maintain counters open 0600-2200 daily. ATMs from major Belgian banks including KBC, Belfius, and ING line the arrivals hall. The airport offers no luggage storage facility following the closure of left luggage services in 2016 due to security protocols implemented after the March 2016 airport bombing that killed 16 people in the departure hall.
The Airport Express train, branded as the Brussels Airport Express, departs from the railway station located beneath the terminal building. Trains to Brussels Central Station operate every 15 minutes during peak hours, reducing to every 30 minutes after 2000. The journey to Brussels Central requires 20 minutes, with intermediate stops at Brussels North and Brussels Schuman. A single ticket costs 9.30 euros as of 2024. The Belgian national railway company NMBS/SNCB operates these services. Ticket machines accept chip-enabled credit cards, contactless payments, and cash. The railway station entrance sits directly below the arrivals hall, accessible via escalators and elevators marked with blue train symbols.
Bus line 12 operated by De Lijn connects Brussels Airport to Brussels North Station, running every 30 minutes from 0500 to 2300 with a journey time of 35 minutes. The fare of 3 euros must be paid with exact change or contactless payment aboard the bus. The bus stop sits outside the arrivals hall exit, marked by orange De Lijn signage. Bus line 272 connects to Leuven in 35 minutes, departing every 30 minutes during weekdays. STIB/MIVB, the Brussels public transport operator, does not serve the airport directly, though connections are available at Brussels North Station.
Official airport taxis queue outside the arrivals hall at designated ranks. Fixed-rate taxi service to central Brussels costs approximately 45 euros for destinations within the Brussels-Capital Region, with the journey requiring 25-40 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Taxis use meters for trips outside the capital region. All official taxis display orange license plates beginning with the letter T. Uber, Bolt, and other ride-hailing services operate at Brussels Airport with designated pickup zones located in the P1 short-term parking garage, requiring passengers to walk approximately 200 meters from the arrivals hall. Ride-hailing trips to central Brussels typically cost 30-40 euros.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport operates from a single terminal building with no rail connection. The airport markets itself as "Brussels South" though it sits 46 kilometers from Brussels, closer to the city of Charleroi. FliBus operates direct bus service to Brussels South Station (Gare du Midi), departing every 30 minutes from 0400 to 2330 with a journey time of 60 minutes when traffic flows normally. The fare costs 5-17 euros depending on advance purchase, paid online or through the FliBus mobile application. TEC bus line A operates local service to Charleroi South train station for 2.50 euros, with the journey requiring 15 minutes. From Charleroi South station, NMBS/SNCB trains reach Brussels in 50 minutes at a cost of 8.50 euros for a standard single ticket.
Mobile network coverage reaches all Belgian airports with 4G and 5G services available from the three major carriers: Proximus, Orange Belgium, and Base. Proximus operates physical stores in Brussels Airport arrivals hall and departure areas, selling prepaid SIM cards with tourist-oriented data packages. A typical prepaid SIM with 10 gigabytes of data costs approximately 15 euros and requires passport or ID card presentation for registration under Belgian telecommunications regulations. European Union visitors may use their home country mobile plans without roaming charges under EU roaming regulations implemented in 2017. Free WiFi designated as "Brussels Airport Free WiFi" operates throughout Brussels Airport terminals with unlimited duration, requiring only email address registration through a captive portal.
Brussels Airport contains four bank-operated ATMs in the arrivals hall, dispensing euros in denominations of 10, 20, and 50 euro notes. Belgian ATMs typically charge no withdrawal fee to cardholders, though foreign banks may impose their own charges. Daily withdrawal limits default to 250-500 euros depending on the card issuer. Exchange bureaus post rates displaying the spread between buy and sell prices. As of typical conditions, exchange bureaus at Brussels Airport offer rates approximately 6-8 percent less favorable than mid-market rates, with this margin representing the service fee. Banks in Brussels city center including KBC and Belfius branches generally offer exchange rates 2-3 percent closer to mid-market rates than airport exchange services.
Currency exchange is unnecessary for visitors holding euro-denominated accounts or those planning to withdraw cash from ATMs. Belgium uses the euro as its official currency, adopted in 1999 for electronic transactions and 2002 for physical currency. Credit and debit cards with Visa or Mastercard branding achieve near-universal acceptance at Belgian merchants. American Express acceptance remains limited to larger establishments and hotels. Contactless payment through cards or mobile devices functions for transactions under 50 euros without PIN entry.
The arrivals hall at Brussels Airport contains no tourist information counter operated by the Belgian tourist board. The Visit Flanders organization previously maintained a desk that closed in 2019. Private tour operators and hotel booking services occupy commercial kiosks in the arrivals area. The Brussels Info Place (BIP), the official tourist information office for Brussels, operates a location at Grand Place in central Brussels, open 0900-1800 daily. The BIP distributes free city maps, sells the Brussels Card providing museum access and public transport, and maintains current information on temporary exhibitions and events. No satellite BIP office operates at the airport.
Car rental companies maintain counters in the arrivals hall of Brussels Airport including Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Sixt. The rental car parking facility sits in P3 parking approximately 300 meters from the terminal, accessed via covered walkway. Rental rates for a compact vehicle begin around 35 euros per day for advance bookings, rising to 60-80 euros for same-day rentals. Belgium requires drivers to hold a license for a minimum of one year. International Driving Permits supplement but do not replace national licenses for non-EU visitors, though enforcement varies. Belgian roads drive on the right side. Highway speed limits reach 120 kilometers per hour, reduced to 90 on regional roads and 50 in urban areas unless otherwise posted.
Brussels Airport sits within easy reach of Belgium's motorway network. The E40 motorway runs adjacent to the airport, connecting westward to Ghent and Bruges, eastward to Liège and Germany. The Ring motorway (R0) encircles Brussels, intersecting the E40 near the airport and providing access to all parts of the capital region. Parking at Brussels Airport costs 5 euros for the first hour in short-term lots, rising to 60 euros for 24 hours. Long-term parking in P1 costs 45 euros for the first day, with weekly rates reaching 180 euros. Several private parking operators including Park4Less and Parkos operate off-airport lots with shuttle service, charging approximately 6-8 euros per day.