Brussels South Charleroi Airport will shut down completely for 11 weeks in the second half of 2028 to allow its sole runway to undergo a full refurbishment.
The unprecedented closure is expected to disrupt the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers, particularly as dozens of destinations served from Charleroi cannot be reached directly from any other Belgian airport.
An unprecedented shutdown
During the second half of 2028, Brussels South Charleroi Airport is set to undergo one of the most significant disruptions in its history.
The airport will suspend all operations for 11 weeks while its only runway is completely rebuilt after reaching the end of its estimated 25-year lifespan.
Illustration picture shows an airplane taking off, during a press moment to present the prolonged take-off and landing strip at Charleroi Airport in Ransart, Charleroi on Friday 08 October 2021. Credit: Belga / Virginie Lefour
The Walloon Airports Company will use the closure to carry out several infrastructure upgrades at the same time, to reduce the overall duration of the disruption.
While the authorities insist that preparations have been underway for several years, trade unions have voiced concerns about the impact on employees and whether all airline routes will return once the airport reopens.
Around 50 destinations unavailable elsewhere in Belgium
For travellers, the consequences will extend far beyond the Charleroi region. The airport serves more than 100 destinations, around 50 of which are not available from any other Belgian airport, including Brussels Airport.
These include several smaller cities that are primarily served by low-cost airlines, such as Brindisi, Pescara, Alghero, and Trieste in Italy, Essaouira in Morocco, Kaunas in Lithuania, Wroclaw in Poland, and Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Passengers travelling to these destinations will likely have to depart from a foreign airport, such as Lille, Eindhoven or Luxembourg, or connect via another European hub.
Illustration of Brindisi, Puglia, Italy. Credit: Valerio Giannattasio / Unsplash
By contrast, major leisure destinations including Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome, Porto, Madrid and Budapest will remain accessible from Brussels Airport, although demand could increase as passengers seek alternatives during the closure.
Travellers could also face higher airfares
The temporary closure is also expected to affect travel costs. On routes operated from both Charleroi and Brussels Airport, Charleroi generally offers lower fares thanks to the strong presence of low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Wizz Air.
A comparison of fares between the two Brussels-area airports shows that the price gap can be significant, particularly on routes operated by low-cost airlines.
For trips booked several weeks in advance, return flights to destinations such as Barcelona, Porto or Rome can often be found for a few dozen euros from Charleroi.
Illustration picture shows passengers waiting outside during a strike action at Charleroi Airport. Credit: Belga /
On the other hand, the same destinations from Brussels Airport more frequently cost over €100, especially when operated by a full-service airline. However, the difference varies considerably depending on the travel period, the airline chosen, and the services included in the ticket.
However, those savings should be weighed against the cost of travelling to the airport. While Brussels Airport benefits from direct rail connections, reaching Charleroi often requires an additional shuttle or bus journey, adding around €40 to the cost of a return trip for passengers travelling from Brussels.
For many Belgian travellers, the temporary closure of Charleroi Airport will therefore mean more than just changing airports to depart from.
It is also likely to result in fewer direct travel options and, in many cases, a significantly more expensive holiday or return home for non-Belgians from one of the affected destinations.
