Number of airline passengers per year in Belgium
Belgium: Number of airline passengers per year was 11.39 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of airline passengers per year in Belgium, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 11.39 million for number of airline passengers per year in 2023.
The figure is up 12.1% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in Belgium peaked at 14.28 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.37 million, in 1970.
That places Belgium 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of airline passengers per year in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.37 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.40 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 1.46 million | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 1.56 million | +7.2% |
| 1974 | 1.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 1.59 million | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 1.68 million | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 1.84 million | +9.4% |
| 1978 | 1.98 million | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 2.04 million | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 1.97 million | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 2.05 million | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 2.00 million | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 1.96 million | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 2.03 million | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 2.19 million | +7.7% |
| 1986 | 2.23 million | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 2.36 million | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 2.60 million | +10.3% |
| 1989 | 2.81 million | +8.0% |
| 1990 | 3.13 million | +11.4% |
| 1991 | 3.02 million | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 3.15 million | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 3.65 million | +16.0% |
| 1994 | 4.19 million | +14.9% |
| 1995 | 5.00 million | +19.3% |
| 1996 | 5.17 million | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 6.87 million | +32.8% |
| 1998 | 8.75 million | +27.3% |
| 1999 | 9.97 million | +13.9% |
| 2000 | 10.74 million | +7.8% |
| 2001 | 8.49 million | -20.9% |
| 2002 | 2.34 million | -72.4% |
| 2003 | 2.90 million | +24.0% |
| 2004 | 3.26 million | +12.4% |
| 2005 | 3.34 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 3.64 million | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 4.08 million | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 5.88 million | +44.2% |
| 2009 | 4.86 million | -17.3% |
| 2010 | 7.53 million | +55.0% |
| 2011 | 8.64 million | +14.7% |
| 2012 | 9.51 million | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 9.52 million | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 10.54 million | +10.6% |
| 2015 | 11.47 million | +8.9% |
| 2016 | 12.55 million | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 13.68 million | +9.0% |
| 2018 | 13.64 million | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 14.28 million | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 3.52 million | -75.3% |
| 2021 | 5.40 million | +53.5% |
| 2022 | 10.17 million | +88.1% |
| 2023 | 11.39 million | +12.1% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 11.39 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.14 million, 1.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 11.39 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.87 million, 2.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of airline passengers per year in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -75.3% | 14.28 million | 3.52 million |
| 2002 | -72.4% | 8.49 million | 2.34 million |
| 2022 | +88.1% | 5.40 million | 10.17 million |
| 2010 | +55.0% | 4.86 million | 7.53 million |
| 2021 | +53.5% | 3.52 million | 5.40 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.65 million | 1.37 million | 2.04 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.22 million | 1.96 million | 2.81 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.29 million | 3.02 million | 9.97 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.95 million | 2.34 million | 10.74 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.13 million | 7.53 million | 14.28 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.62 million | 3.52 million | 11.39 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of airline passengers per year in Belgium?
- Number of airline passengers per year in Belgium was 11.39 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 14.28 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.37 million in 1970.
- How does Belgium rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- Belgium ranks 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.