Brussels Airlines is the flag carrier of Belgium and part of the Lufthansa Group, flying from Brussels Airport to 90+ destinations in Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East. Its African routes make Brussels a common connection point for that continent. The airline is in Star Alliance and uses Miles & More. Cabins are Business, Premium and Economy.
Brussels Airlines is the flag carrier and largest airline of Belgium, based at Brussels Airport and part of the Lufthansa Group. It flies to more than 90 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North America and especially West and Central Africa.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Brussels Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Brussels Airlines is the flag carrier and largest airline of Belgium, based at Brussels Airport and owned by the Lufthansa Group. It suits travellers flying from Belgium around Europe and to North America, and above all those heading to West and Central Africa. It was formed on 7 November 2006 from SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express, the airlines that followed the collapse of Sabena, and started flying under its own name on 25 March 2007.
Africa is what sets Brussels Airlines apart. Long-haul routes reach cities such as Abidjan, Accra, Cotonou, Ouagadougou and Lomé, many of them with few other direct links to Europe. Brussels works as the transfer point: you can fly from a European city into Brussels and continue to Africa on one ticket. Many Africa flights leave from the non-Schengen part of the terminal, so allow time for passport control on the connection.
The wider network covers European cities, North America and West Asia. Sources give between 93 and more than 100 destinations.
The IATA code SN came from Sabena through SN Brussels Airlines, so Belgium's old national code is still flying. Lufthansa bought 45 percent of the airline in 2009 and the rest in January 2017. It is now held by SN Airholding, owned by Lufthansa, and shares sales, network planning and loyalty with Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines. Dieter Vranckx has been chief executive since 1 January 2020, and the airline employs about 4,000 people.
Brussels Airlines joined Star Alliance in December 2009. Codeshare partners include Lufthansa, United, Singapore Airlines and Air Canada.
Check the baggage allowance for your fare on brusselsairlines.com, since lighter European fares include less than long-haul tickets. Have your visa or entry documents for the African destination ready at check-in. Online check-in is available on the website and app.
Checked against trusted sources:
Brussels Airlines official website
Brussels Airlines (IATA: SN, ICAO: BEL) is the flag carrier of Belgium, based at Brussels Airport and part of the Lufthansa Group. A Star Alliance member, it flies Airbus A319, A320, A320neo and A330 aircraft to destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America.
| Headquarters | Brussels Airport, Zaventem, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A319, A320, A320neo and A330-300 |
| Frequent flyer | Miles & More |
| Official website | brusselsairlines.com |
Flight routes
Brussels (BRU) departures15 destinations
Brussels (BRU) departures14 destinations
Brussels (BRU) departures3 destinations
The fleet has 48 aircraft, all Airbus. Thirteen A319-100s, 16 A320-200s and eight A320neos fly European routes, with five more A320neos on order to replace older A319s. Eleven A330-300s fly long-haul to Africa and North America. Earlier types included the Avro RJ85 and RJ100, the BAe 146 and the Boeing 737.
Three cabins are on sale at Brussels Airlines: Business, Premium and Economy. Not every Brussels Airlines route has all of them.
Business class
Lie-flat seats on A330 long-haul flights; business class in Europe.
Premium economy
Offered on A330 long-haul flights.
Standard seat
The main cabin on every flight.
Brussels Airlines uses the Lufthansa Group’s programme.
Members earn miles on Brussels Airlines, the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance airlines and with non-airline partners, and redeem them for award flights and upgrades.
Frequent flyers use Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group programme. Miles are earned on Brussels Airlines and across Star Alliance. Brussels Airlines ran its own customer programme, LOOP, from 2015 until it closed on 1 February 2020.
Brussels Airlines does not give every passenger the same allowance: the route, the cabin and the fare you buy each change it. Your SN e-ticket shows what you have.
A long-haul Brussels Airlines trip and a short hop can come with different allowances, and every cabin above the lowest economy fare gets more. The baggage page on brusselsairlines.com shows the rule for your route.
Brussels Airlines check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Brussels Airport.
Online check-in for SN flights is on the official Brussels Airlines website. You need the SN booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surnameInternational Brussels Airlines passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires. Domestic SN passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · IDBrussels Airlines closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at BRU.
Check your deadlineHand in checked luggage at the Brussels Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Brussels Airlines counterA few booking habits that tend to cut the cost of flying Brussels Airlines.
If your dates can move, look at SN flights across the whole week. Midweek seats are often cheaper than weekend ones.
Midweek flightsWhen school holidays and festivals send many people travelling at once, SN fares rise. A trip just before or after the peak tends to cost less.
School holidays · festivalsA Brussels Airlines fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.
Baggage & changesBrussels Airlines flies to many African cities that have few other direct links from Europe. Compare connecting fares via Brussels.
West & Central AfricaMembership of Miles & More lets your Brussels Airlines trips count towards rewards, and members hear about offers first.
Before you flySearch Brussels Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
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Brussels Airlines flights carry the IATA prefix SN. In aviation records the airline appears as BEL, and pilots use the radio callsign BEE-LINE.
Its main hub is Brussels Airport (BRU) in Brussels, and its head office is in Brussels Airport, Zaventem, Belgium.
Yes, Star Alliance, so Brussels Airlines flights can share one ticket with partners such as United Airlines or Ethiopian Airlines.
It is all Airbus: 37 A319s, A320s and A320neos for Europe and 11 A330-300s for long-haul (June 2026 figures).
Yes, it is called Miles & More. Add your Miles & More number when you book so the miles are credited automatically.
Look at your e-ticket or Manage Booking on brusselsairlines.com. The figure depends on your SN route, cabin and fare type.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Brussels Airlines.
Everything travellers ask before flying Brussels Airlines.
Answers checked against Brussels Airlines’ official website and published airline records. Reviewed 10 October 2026.
Getting there
The Brussels Airlines baggage allowance depends on your route, cabin and fare. The Baggage allowance section of this guide gives 4 figures, by cabin and route where they differ. Check the allowance printed on your ticket before you pack.
Check in on brusselsairlines.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Brussels Airlines was founded in 2006, 20 years ago.
Contact Brussels Airlines through its official website, brusselsairlines.com.
Booking
General
Prices & payment
This guide has 5 money-saving tips for Brussels Airlines, from "try midweek SN flights" to "join Miles & More".
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