Private jets are using Antwerp Airport primarily to fly to or from sunny destinations such as Nice and Cannes, according to figures from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the umbrella organisation for European business aviation.
Antwerp Airport, located just outside the city in Deurne, has been struggling for some time. The airport is already carrying €10 million in debt and has seen passenger numbers and flight movements decline for several years.
However, private jet flights are on the rise in Deurne. Last year, the EBAA counted 6,444 business flights at Antwerp Airport, including arrivals and departures – a 2% increase compared to 2023.
Cannes Mandelieu Airport holds the top spot in this ranking, with 223 flight movements. Cannes is followed by Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. Paris Le Bourget and London Biggin Hill – destinations more associated with the business world – are in third and fourth place, respectively.
More than half of the 32,979 aircraft movements at Antwerp Airport last year were accounted for by aviation schools and recreational aviation. Private jets accounted for one in five flights. Scheduled flights operated by Tui Fly and Skyalps accounted for several thousand movements.
Figures from EBAA also show that 728 aircraft movements at Deurne last year were private flights within Belgium. The majority were so-called positioning flights, where a private jet flies from one airport to another to pick up a client.
A significant number of these positioning flights operate without passengers on board.
