After deboarding the plane from London, I had to retrieve my luggage from the baggage claim area, which was very easy to locate... just follow the signage. There were plenty of various restaurants, working areas and seating areas. The restrooms were very clean. After claiming the luggage, follow the signs to customs. Going through customs was to bad..... the signs will direct you which line to go to. Approximately, 15 minutes later, I was at the custom gate. After answering a few questions, I was on my way. Instead of taking a train, I decided to take an Uber to the hotel. Just follow the signs for the car sharing, taxi and bus area. By the time I got to the designated location, the car was with a few minutes. I didn't find this airport to be very difficult. read more

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Arriving in Brussels, my flight parked at the farthest gate in the Brussels airport and I had a hike to get to border control. The line took almost one hour at 9am on a weekday. Unlike in Germany, it appeared that Brussels had not yet implemented the new customs system at arrivals so non EU citizens queued in one line. EU citizens zipped through with the electronic pass gates. However when it was my turn with the agent I only had to scan the fingers on my right hand, answered a question what do I do for a living and that was it. Less than a couple minutes surprisingl. Baggage claim was right after and then the exit. Very good signage that directed people to the bus, train, parking, etc. When departing Brussels, follow the signs to the appropriate terminal if not checking luggage. Electronic gates required a boarding pass scan to validate trip and gain entrain to the security screening area. At least multiple lines were open so it flowed well. Plastics baggies needed to hold your small liquid containers), water bottles emptied, belts removed but shoes stayed on. Immigration was next and much more efficient on departure. US citizens accessed the electronic gates with just a passport scan and photo. It's not 100% functional as I was told to keep trying gates until my passport was accepted (4th one was the charm). Passport still had to be inspected and stamped afterwards but that was quick. Overall 50-50 rating based on this experience. Hopefully arrivals will be much better after full implementation of the EES screening process. read more

Horrible passport control. Inbound, I had 2 hour layover, plane 60 minutes late, passport was 20 minutes and made my flight. Outbound had 90 minute layover, plane early by 10 minutes, passport line 2+ hours - MISSED MY FLIGHT!!!. HAD TO OVERNIGHT IN HOTEL. Next morning, same 4 passport control booth, 8 people in line, 2 minutes. Do the Belgians not know math and workload? Avoid Brussels at all costs. Odds are better in Vegas. read more

Brussels was a bit hectic for non EU travelers in early December 2025. The new "EES" - Entry/ Exit system is being implemented throughout Europe and began rolling out in October. While all the searches implied that the traditional passport stamping has been phased out- for international flights, this is not yet the case. For me - I love the passport stamps, that's part of memory making of each destination. We were required to get in line for (2!) agents when entering and this was quite time consuming. (But I did indeed get my stamps). At this point they are requiring that you offer your right hand fingerprints- which is part of the plan and will eventually phase out the stamp. Returning to the airport for the return trip to the US was the same process. The rub was when after quite a long delay for the outbound flight to the states, the airline (United) announced 20 minutes before boarding that all passengers must have the entry "sticker" on the back of the passport. Literally no one had this sticker. Lots of frustration, lack of patience, and time spent on this. 2 gate agents approached each person with many questions and then once satisfied - put the sticker on your passport and allowed you to proceed to boarding. Hoping this all gets worked out by the new year. The Brussels Air lounge is accessible for Star Alliance Polaris passengers and was fine. Lots of passengers, a fair offering of breakfast (then on to lunch based on our 4 hour + delay). Help yourself to beer, on tap and bottled and sparkling wines. read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

Most airports in Europe have quirks and sometimes you have a great experience, others not so much. Well, if coming/going to US (non EU passport) this airport is a consistent mess. I rather fly to AMS or CDG and take train vs direct flight to this airport. Arrival - a zoo! Easily 45+ to get through immigration. Completely understaffed. Worst part? The lines makes you go right next to the 30+ kiosk meant to automate the process, and they are all sitting there turned off! Departure - either understaff or systems down constantly. Same story, they have automated kiosk that non-EU passports can use, but dont have enough in place. Only after 1hr wait in regular line did they decide to "allow" non-EU passports to use these... and again, they have plenty of these machines available and off, but not in use. That whole experience makes it unpredictable to know how early to arrive at the airport and its a pain. Outside security experience aiport is fine. Plenty of overpriced chocolates available from big brands and it has a pretty good priority pass lounge. read more

This is one of the worst zoos I've ever been to. When you first arrive, there are people just milling about absolutely everywhere, and there is no clear indication on what to do if you have bags to check, if you can go to security (and where?), and if all the others even know what they're doing. As I walked by the crossroads of two terminals, I saw a line a mile long for passport control (thank frick I was staying within Schengen). I had time to grab a coffee, but they'll not release the gate info until about an hour before departure. You'll likely have to walk a LOT... more than the average airport from my experience. Obligatory duty-free detours included. I'm glad I had fast-track for security, because I waltzed right in, but the other queue was Disneyland long. The one saving grace was that they actually did hand-check my film when I asked them at security. (I've read it can go either way, leaning towards no) They weren't too fussy about it. I had to wait a bit longer, but it was worth it to preserve my art! read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

Great airport with a lot of cool specialty duty-free souvenir shops that sell chocolate (got a lot of gifts here for my family back in Taiwan). Also nice sandwich and waffle restaurants as well, and decent coffee places in addition. Relatively spacious and convenient. Recommended! read more

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A huge pro is how this airport is directly connected to the main public transit system. It took us less than 40 minutes to get from downtown without having to walk outside. A major con is the layout. It's a big airport and they just don't seem to have it streamlined. Bathrooms are also rather spread out. A pet peeve, although this one on the airline and not the airport, was that British Airways didn't have its screen lit up. After we ran into trouble checking in at the kiosk, we struggled to find them. Even airport staff wasn't sure. read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

worst airport if you are a non eu citizen. hours of waiting in the immigration line. just a side not, if you hav a us passport you get a special line. read more

We flew in to BRU from the states. It was a lovely flight on United Airlines, but then we stepped into the airport and it was a bit of a let down. We walked for awhile through the plain terminal to where they have an immigration checkpoint and the line was an hour long. I haven't had to wait in such a crazy long line before, but maybe it was just our bad luck. I had plenty of time to look around at the walls and ceiling while waiting in line and there was a lot of dust. The workers just kinda stood around. There was nowhere to sit. It wasn't an experience I wish to have again. read more

After visiting hundreds of airports around the world, the Brussels Airport, surprisingly, provided the worst passport control experience. Upon landing from JFK, the line for non-EU passport holders was incredibly long with just a few people manning the booths. It took us two hours to get through and some it took up to three hours. Besides that, the airport isn't very new, clean, or design-forward. However, you can easily get a ride share in the parking lot just outside arrivals. read more

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I will NEVER GO TO BRUSSELS AIRPORT as a first entry to the EU. I am insulted by the despicable, deplorable, inexcusable hour(s) long lines waiting to go through immigration. Expect long delays. NO EXCUSE for a modern country, and why the delay is NOT my problem. SOMEONE is in charge, it is up to them to fix the problem. They are inept at their job and they should be sent to Siberia without a coat forever. They have no sense of urgency. This is time no one will ever get back, and doing their country a disservice. You only get one chance at a first impression, and they blew it. Left a bad experience in my mind, This is time thousands of travelers are NOT spending money in the country, They can't fix the problem, but YOU can. DON'T GO TO BELGIUM. read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

The Brussels airport doesn't really have different terminals. It's one terminal with different gates, like A, B, T, etc. I took a bus to get to the airport, and it was very easy. The bus stop is just outside the airport. There is a nice pathway with many signs to direct you to the terminal. There is a huge blackboard with all the departing flights. It's really cool. Before security, there is some shopping area with chocolates, toys, souvenirs, books, etc. There are restrooms on either side of the check in counters. There is a Starbucks with overpriced drinks. There is even a sign that will tell you how fast the security line is. **The Monday after Tomorrowland, there was a DJ inside gate A!! How cool is that. They were throwing downnnnn read more

Really easy airport to traverse. Duty free is huge, like most EU airports, with a tremendous amount selection. Visa control took 5 minutes to get through. Gate area was large and well managed. Plenty of dining options as well. read more

Long queues, obnoxious staff, high flight tax making tickets 20 to 50 percent more expensive than close by airports in Germany and the Netherlands, strikes, lack of enough luggage carts, etc. It sucks. read more

Flew into this airport after coming from Iceland. First thing I noticed was that the airport is very spacious. The next thing I noticed was that they had us walk a long way from the gate to baggage claim. This must be a fairly large airport. Our baggage came on a different conveyor than what was listed. But at least it didn't take that long to arrive. Overall had a pleasant experience at this airport. read more

I've mostly connected via this airport a few times now and for the most part has been smooth and easy. On my most recent trip, I had a different experience. There is a section that is a waiting area with a few restaurants/shops before Passport check. I noticed a line forming and that ended up being for passport check. They had one person in the booth. It took an hour for this process. First time this happened and hopefully the last. Other than that, there are a good variety of restaurants to get your final Belgian waffle (Belgorama) or Belgian Beer (Leffe Bar) as well as a few chocolate shops. A couple of areas with a piano so those who can play can give a mini concert. At my A gate (40), there were beautiful paintings hanging in the area. They were highlighting Leuven-area university town. Overall, I've had good experiences here with the exception of the one time issue with the Passport queue. read more

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What can I say about an airport. Not much. The only problem I found with this airport is the Customs lines are slow and the temperature is regulated. It was cold outside and we were sweating waiting in line. Sort of sucked going from extremely hot to cold outside. Other than that, it's a typical airport. Enjoy your wait. read more

So-so airport with some typical airport inefficiencies. Left the EU via Brussels airport today. Arrived at 7am for a 11am flight as recommended by the airline. Barely anyone was there, so check in was pretty seamless. Customs (for VAT refund) was pretty fast as not many people around 7am. Mailboxes for VAT refund are outside of the customs area, so it was a simple stamp then drop. Brussels airport had pretty poor staffing over the summer, so since then many US airlines have advised passengers to come as early as possible. This is because passport control when leaving can be a mess with long lines. The EU line is very short when exiting EU, but all other passports line can be very long especially in the morning since that's when all the US flights depart. Me and a bunch of other US passengers were in line in "all other passports" and right when we got to the front, they then directed us to the EU line to use the automatic kiosks. OK Brussels airport, why didn't you tell us earlier we could use those EU gates?? Instead of us waiting in line for so long waiting for the 1 passport guard. Not very efficient, but it's okay, I was able to get through passport control in about 30-40 minutes of "idle" waiting around until we got redirected. After passport control, there's a bunch of duty free. Prices for chocolate are comparable to outside on the streets, maybe slightly cheaper for some brands. The only thing is the chocolates sold in the airport may not be as fresh since they were packaged at an earlier date (vs in store / packed day of!). So do your research if buying chocolate! Also bathrooms are far. If you're flying in the B terminals, the closest loo is by B17. Nothing between B1-16. Bathrooms are not well sanitized either, without any alcohol to wipe toilet seats, and empty soap dispensers in the men's bathroom. You might need to bring your own wipes! Overall an average experience at an average airport. C'est la vie. Overall a 3* experience. read more

It is an airport, not a restaurant, so whether I recommend it or not, it is not like I or anyone have a choice. Anyway. I have two gripes. First - access to the club. I'm star alliance gold via United, and yet I can't access the club when Brussels Airlines is a member of the same alliance. Second - the airport is incredibly boring. No shops, no restaurants, just rows of the black moderately comfortable chairs. Mediocre. read more

De automatische poortjes van immigratie bij aankomst gaven constant aan dat ik naar de "manuele controle" moest gaan, terwijl ik op de juiste manier mijn paspoort scande en Belg ben. Dan kwam een Afrikaanse werknemer met krulhaar naar me toe en zei op niet-respectvolle manier dat ik "het verkeerd deed". Toen ze het zelf probeerde werkte het ook niet, en liep zo abrupt weg. Het is compleet onacceptabel dat ik zo onbeschoft wordt ontvangen door een buitenlander in mijn eigen land! read more

Worst security and customs before getting on a flight anywhere in the world. 3 @$@$) hours.... read more

Very easy airport to navigate through, which is always appreciated by international travelers. The customs line was insanely long, but I was surprised by how quickly it moved. Always people around to help with any navigational questions, but it was very easy . read more

Brussels Airport is a well organized airport with fast security checks. ( At least the day that I was there). There are plenty of shops to explore, and food options are diverse, the staff is welcoming and helpful. It's a great place for a smooth and enjoyable travel experience! read more

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This airport is spread out so make sure you make enough time to get to your gate. There are buses you may need to take to get to your terminal. read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

Now that Amsterdam Schiphol has become understaffed and overcrowded, Brussels Airport is now my go to airport for connections from my home airport in Toulouse. We most recently transited through here when we took a week long trip to Brussels and Luxembourg. The airport is well laid out and it is very easy to find everything. There is clear signage throughout and lots of bathrooms available. Many restaurants and take out options also make this one of my preferred airports along with the quiet corners where you can stretch out on chaises. You can also take the train directly to the airport from the city centre. My negatives are as follows: most of the restaurants and takeout places close fairly early, which is unfortunate if you have a later connection (however, this is common for many shops in Europe). The airport should have more elevators/escalators from the train station under the airport to the departures area. read more

Worst airport experience ever (40 years of travelling the world). Took 2 hours with a US passport to clear passport control. Would recommend any other airport (including Kabul) over this one. No excuse for the capital of the EU to have this as the entry experience. read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

Brussels international airport is one of my favourite European airports. The location is central to Belgium and is a great connection airport should you need to travel elsewhere in Europe. There is easily accessible public transit to get to and from the airport along with a variety of restaurants and vending machines for so many different food options. The duty free section is large and reasonably priced with some unique items like locally made beers and chocolate. Staff is helpful and speak several languages to ensure a smooth and great experience when transiting through here read more

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Have used this airport a few times flying to West Africa. It's a nice airport with lots of shops and nice clean facilities for the most part. It seems to always be so cold when I arrive but my layovers aren't to long just maybe a few hours. read more

Crappiest experience, at an airport, ever. By checking our passports 6 times (yes, you read that right... 6 TIMES. 6.), I felt the opposite of safe. I felt like wow, I wonder what happens so often that none of these people trust each other. We got to the airport at a time that was so early that I was a little put off by the groups decision. However, I am so glad that we did. It took about 20 minutes to find our airline & check our bags. Then we headed to the gaye. But not so fast. We ended up waiting in an hour long line just to get through customs/border control. Then, it was another 20min walk to the actual gate. So, in summary, if you are flying out of Brussels to the U.S. give yourself 3 hours of walk time BEFORE you get to your gate. We gave ourselves 2 1/2 hrs & barely made it! read more

The line to get out of the country took an hour and half. It's understandable during entry, but on exit is ridiculous. No one cares that the passengers are delayed got their boarding and some unruly passengers had to jump the line making it worse for everyone else. 30yrs of flying, I must admit this is the worst airport experience ever. read more

First time at the Brussels Airport for a three hour layover before a connecting flight to Portugal. There is plenty of signage once you're off the plane searching for the next gate. Customs moved. I think they do a very good job at keeping the airport clean with plenty of seats to avoid over crowding the gates. Something minor I noticed is there aren't as many food options and the food options that are available more or less sell the same food products. Overall good airport! read more

Absolute garbage staff, wait times above 13 hours in the EU within being more than 3 hours for me personally at the US part, as i can see this always like this. Nothing said or questions answered. Never flying here again. Thanks! read more

Brussels Airport - The chaos of it all - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

We landed at this airport, but didn't depart from here. We have an e-passport, so we were able to get through immigration quickly. We took the train from here to get to Brussels. It was a painless experience overall. read more

I must say that traveling to Brussels and going through their customs was the worst experience I have ever had going through customs in any country. Several planes land at the same time so there are always a few thousand people on line to get through customs. The line was huge, with easily a couple of thousand people on the line. This turned out to be a 2.5 hour line with people literally having to lie down on the floor from aches and pains from standing for so long. My wife had to go on the floor and push her luggage forward as she, as well as many others, were suffering from pain from being in this line for so long after traveling all night with no sleep. When we finally reached the end of the line, it turned out that only TWO customs agents were working to accommodate a couple of thousand passengers. The agent did not apologize or give any explanation for this outrageous waste of 2.5 hours standing in line. I looked up about this situation, and apparently, this is the daily norm, as they said that they have chronic budget shortfalls and can't hire any more agents. This was an absurd situation that had existed for a long time. So, when flying to Europe, avoid at all costs landing in Brussels!!!!!!! read more

Brussels Airport - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

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It's a pretty standard airport. It's not very big or particularly extravagant, but it does have a few decent small places to get breakfast and coffee as well as soda vending machines frequently enough to actually be able to find something to drink. Also, importantly it has nonstop flights to and from Washington, DC, which is really the biggest thing I care about. read more

If you have the opportunity, go to any other airport but this one. One of the staff members (short gal with pony tail) merged two lines together and caused absolute chaos and mayhem....she forgot to tell us one line is for European passports and they other for all others. She started fights and arguments. People missed their flights and can't get one for days. She took zero accountability but was kind enough to cuss people out in line. We got to the airport 3+ hours early. If you're trying to do VAT, the guy downstairs will just direct you to go through the line to the one inside the airport through security....which if you're like the 200+ of us on this one flight, you didn't get time to do it. They could've put signs at the "lines" but nope. No signs, just staff wandering around aimlessly not sure what they're doing. Ask anyone for help including supervisors they will just tell you they don't know or there's nothing that they can do. Even after confronting a supervisor about his employee he just shrugged his shoulders and said I don't know what else to say. Zero compensation except water and a teddy bear that says "come back soon" or something like that. Probably the worst airport experience anyone of us has had. 5 stars goes to the gentleman who checked us in at the kiosk from boom. He was nice, attentive and professional. read more

Brussels Airport - This is 1/3rd of the way through. We are in it for 1.5 hrs - Airports Near Me - Zaventem, VBR

Sorry to say, but Brussels airlines and the services in the Brussels airport are really pretty bad. I took a flight today and Brussels airlines canceled my flight. I'm stuck in this airport for seven hours. Everyone is grumpy and unfriendly. Services are deeply minimalized. Must be budget, cuts or simply nobody wants to work anymore here. read more

The worst airport in the world! Took four hours to clear passport line with a USA passport Worse than Guatemala or any central American country Terribly organized, avoid at all costs flying to Brussels read more

3 1/2 wait for passport control complete disregard to people standing- no seating options. Don't fly into this airport-waste of time