Brussels Airlines is set to make history in the summer of 2025 with its most extensive long-haul network to date, offering unprecedented capacity to sub-Saharan Africa. With the addition of an 11th long-haul aircraft, the Belgian carrier will deliver a 10% increase in flights to the region compared to the previous summer, operating 56 weekly connections. Key destinations such as Nairobi and Accra will benefit from daily services, while Kinshasa, a cornerstone of Brussels Airlines’ operations, will see the introduction of daily non-stop flights. This expanded network reaffirms the airline’s deep-rooted commitment to connecting Belgium with Africa and enhancing the travel experience for its passengers.
Brussels Airlines has published its long-haul network for summer 2025, with more capacity to sub-Saharan Africa than ever before. The Belgian carrier will operate 56 weekly flights to the region, an increase of 10% compared to summer 2024. The capacity of the additional and 11th long-haul aircraft will be deployed on the vast sub-Saharan African network. Brussels Airlines also has a North Atlantic network, including New York and Washington DC.
With the 11th long-haul aircraft joining in June 2025, Brussels Airlines can increase its frequencies to several destinations. The routes to Nairobi (Kenya) and Accra (Ghana) will be upgraded to daily rotations. Banjul (Gambia), Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Conakry (Guinee) will see additional frequencies. Dakar (Senegal) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast) will be served with more direct flights instead of triangular flights.
Kinshasa (DRC) will get daily direct flights as from March 2025. Up until now the Congolese capital was connected five times weekly with a direct flight and twice weekly with an intermediate stop in Luanda (Angola). Brussels Airlines is happy to offer a more attractive flight schedule for passengers traveling to Kinshasa. A non-stop flight is not only more comfortable, it is also more sustainable and it reduces the chances on delays or other operational hiccups.
“Kinshasa is without a doubt our flagship route. The history of aviation in Belgium began almost 100 years ago with the ambition of connecting Kinshasa and Brussels via air. Upgrading this route to a daily non-stop connection shows our unwavering commitment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines said.
In order to operate all flights to Kinshasa non-stop, connections to Luanda are consolidated within Lufthansa Group. Lufthansa will operate three weekly direct flights between Luanda and Frankfurt, to ensure connectivity to Angola. The last Brussels Airlines flight to Angola’s capital will be on March 25. All passengers will be rebooked to Lufthansa flights which means all flights to Luanda will be non-stop from now on.
The long-haul network of Brussels Airlines also consists of two destinations in the United States: New York (JFK) and Washington DC (IAD).
In the coming years, Brussels Airlines will grow its long-haul fleet to 13 aircraft. By 2027, the Belgian airline also aims to introduce a brand-new cabin interior, featuring a new Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class, as part of a €100 million investment.
Brussels Airlines’ expansion in Summer 2025 with new destinations, more capacity and additional jobs
