Brussels Airlines launches year-round flights to Athens, keeps on investing in Greece both in summer and winter

Both corporate and leisure demand remains strong throughout the year

Brussels Airlines, the Belgian flag carrier, will from now on operate year-round flights between Brussels and Athens. Up until now, all Greek destinations in the Belgian airline’s schedule were seasonal in summer. But Brussels Airlines notices a growing demand for year-round travel from Greece to Brussels, as well as from Brussels to Greece.

During the IATA summer season 2024, Brussels Airlines operated scheduled flights to no less than 9 destinations in Greece: Athens (ATH), Kerkyra/Corfu (CFU), Zakynthos (ZTH), Rhodos (RHO), Kos (KGS), Heraklion (HER), Chania (CHQ), Samos (SMI), and Lesbos (MJT).

Except for Athens, all Brussels Airlines’ destinations in Greece are leisure destinations, with a strong seasonal demand. Athens has a mixed audience: both leisure and corporate travel. Passengers on the route between Brussels and Athens mainly originate in Brussels (62%), 21% of all passengers on the route originate in Athens. 17% of all passengers transfer via Brussels to Athens.

As a hub airline, passengers can connect in Brussels Airport on Brussels Airlines’ extensive European and intercontinental network. Most popular connecting destinations for the Greek market are Toulouse (France), Manchester (United Kingdom) and Gothenburg (Sweden). Most of these destinations have no direct flight connection to Athens.

“At Brussels Airlines, we are growing and expanding. We have the ambition to connect all mayor European capitals to the capital of Europe. Therefore, year-round connections between Athens and Brussels are a logical choice. Even for tourists, Brussels has a lot to offer in winter, for example one of the biggest Christmas markets in Europe. We also offer options to travel beyond Brussels, on our extensive European network, or to the United States and to one of our 18 destinations in sub-Saharan Africa.”

• Jan Derycke, Head of Network and Planning, Brussels Airlines

On-board, passengers can experience Belgian hospitality, both in business class and economy class. From Belgium inspired food, drinks and snacks, to chocolates from Neuhaus to Belgian design like the Brussels Airlines uniforms created by the young Belgian designer Gabrielle Szwarcenberg.

On behalf of Athens International Airport, Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communications & Marketing, stated: ‘We are truly excited about Brussels Airlines’ decision to strengthen and extend throughout the year its flights from its significant hub in Brussels to an equally dynamic hub like the city of Athens and its airport. Offering to the public an excellent airline product, enhanced connectivity, travel options, and high-level services, this decision is expected to contribute to the overall stimulation of demand between the two destinations  during the off-peak season. We wish our airline partner always safe and full flights, and we are committed to continuing to support Brussels Airlines as it keeps growing in the Athens market.'”

During the winter season 2024-2025, Brussels Airlines will operate 4 weekly flights to Athens, as follows:

Brussels to Athens

Athens to Brussels

In addition to the flights operated by Brussels Airlines, the airline also codeshares with Aegean Airlines on their flights between Athens and Brussels. Flights are bookable both on brusselsairlines.com and on el.aegeanair.com.