Brussels has Europe's deepest cheap link to sub-Saharan Africa via Brussels Airlines — but the word "Brussels" hides two very different airports, and picking the wrong one can cost you an hour and a fortune.
“Brussels” means two airports, and the distinction is the first thing to get right. Brussels Airport (BRU, Zaventem) is the main hub and home of Brussels Airlines, whose sub-Saharan Africa network — 18 destinations and growing — is the deepest in Europe and the real reason cheap fares to Africa surface here. Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) is a separate Ryanair and Wizz budget airport an hour south of the city that carries the “Brussels” name but isn’t Brussels.
The fares below are real prices aifly has tracked leaving the Brussels airports, cheapest first. The strengths are sub-Saharan and North Africa, Turkey and the Caucasus, Cape Verde, and a deep India bench via the hubs. Learn the season, pick the right airport, set an alert, and book to the target.
When fares from Brussels actually drop
The cheapest windows are October–November and the deep-winter stretch of January–February — skip the Christmas peak. June is one of the most expensive months, and peak summer is dear in both directions. On the African and Asian long-haul, the value tracks the diaspora and hub calendars: avoid the summer and major-holiday travel peaks, and target the shoulder months.
Lead time beats day-of-week. Ryanair/Wizz short-haul from Charleroi prices best 4–8 weeks out; Brussels Airlines long-haul to Africa rewards booking 2–3 months ahead with a fare alert. One 2026 note: Ryanair is trimming roughly a million seats from its Brussels schedules for the 2026–27 winter, so the budget short-haul map is a little thinner than it was — check availability earlier than you used to.
Which airlines keep Brussels cheap
Brussels Airlines (Lufthansa Group) is the defining carrier — its sub-Saharan Africa network is unmatched in Europe, and on those routes it’s frequently the cheapest direct option, though its lowest fares are Light tickets with no checked bag. From Charleroi, Ryanair and Wizz Air set the floor on the budget European and Maghreb routes.
On the India and wider long-haul map — Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore — Brussels connects, so the price-setters are the hub carriers: Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, the Gulf carriers via Dubai and Doha, often with a bag at deal prices. Bag math: Brussels Airlines Light, Ryanair and Wizz all sell a no-bag base fare (and Wizz polices cabin-bag size hard) — add the hold-bag fee before comparing to a bag-inclusive connection.
Getting to and from the Brussels airports
From Brussels Airport (BRU), the train is quick and direct: the station is beneath the terminal, and trains reach Brussels-Central in about 17 minutes for roughly €12–15 (the fare includes a Diabolo airport surcharge), running several times an hour. Easy and fast.
From Charleroi (CRL) it’s a different world — you’re an hour south. The cheapest route is a TEC bus to Charleroi-Sud station and a train onward (from about €4–6 if booked ahead, around an hour total), or the Flibco shuttle direct to Brussels-Midi every 30 minutes (about an hour). Budget that hour and the extra fare into any “cheap” Charleroi headline before you decide it beats a BRU departure. Terminal note: BRU is a single large terminal with separate piers; allow connection time on a Brussels Airlines Africa transfer.
Cheapest destinations from Brussels right now
Good-price round-trip targets from aifly’s own tracked fares — “good price” means book at or below this; nothing here is invented or scraped from third parties. The live deal page for each route shows the current fare.
| Destination | Good price | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Antalya | €125 | Turkey's Mediterranean resort capital — beaches, Roman ruins and the Taurus mountains as a backdrop. |
| Armenia | €145 | Yerevan and the Caucasus beyond — ancient monasteries and mountain drama at value-for-money prices. |
| Tetouan | €150 incl. bag | A whitewashed Andalusian-Moroccan town below the Rif — a UNESCO medina and a quieter, authentic north. |
| Nador | €155 incl. bag | A Rif-coast port and gateway to Morocco's Mediterranean north — pure diaspora route, rarely touristy. |
| Tangier | €165 | Morocco's reinvented northern port, gateway to Chefchaouen and the Rif, with a buzzing modern seafront. |
| Casablanca | €173 | Morocco's commercial heart and Africa's air crossroads — the ocean-front Hassan II Mosque is the standout. |
| Istanbul | €221 | Two continents, layered empires and relentless food — one of the best-value city breaks from Belgium. |
| Sal | €228 incl. bag | Cape Verde's flat, arid beach island — constant Atlantic sun and kitesurf wind, an easy winter escape. |
| Boa Vista | €258 | Cape Verde's dune-and-beach island — Atlantic sun, wind and turtles, built for switch-off resort weeks. |
| Georgia | €272 | Tbilisi's sulphur baths, wine country and Caucasus drama — a top-value adventure within reach. |
| Praia | €358 | Cape Verde's hilly capital on Santiago — the real, lived-in islands of markets and morna, not the resort strip. |
| Dakar | €372 | West Africa's Atlantic capital — Gorée Island, a serious music scene and a fast-changing skyline. |
| Chennai | €435 | South India's Tamil capital — temples, Marina Beach and the gateway to Pondicherry. |
| Kolkata | €440 | India's intellectual and culinary capital — grand, chaotic and far less touristed than Delhi or Mumbai. |
| Delhi | €440 | India's vast, layered capital — Mughal monuments, street food and the gateway to the Golden Triangle. |
| Bombay | €452 | Mumbai's intensity, food and colonial grandeur — flown on Gulf-carrier competition that keeps fares honest. |
| Bangalore | €453 | India's tech capital, mild year-round, with a craft-beer scene and quick access to the south. |
| Addis Ababa | €458 | Ethiopia's high-altitude capital and Africa's diplomatic hub — extraordinary food and a gateway to the historic north. |
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest month to fly from Brussels?
October–November and the January–February winter stretch are cheapest. Avoid June and the Christmas peak. African and Asian long-haul is cheapest in the shoulder months, away from the summer and major-holiday travel peaks.
Which airline is cheapest from Brussels?
For sub-Saharan Africa, Brussels Airlines has the deepest network and is often the cheapest direct option (lowest fares are no-bag Light). From Charleroi, Ryanair and Wizz set the budget floor. For India, Turkish and the Gulf carriers connect, usually with a bag. Add a hold bag before comparing.
What's the difference between Brussels Airport and Charleroi?
Brussels Airport (BRU, Zaventem) is the main hub, 17 minutes by train from the centre and home to Brussels Airlines. Charleroi (CRL) is a separate Ryanair/Wizz budget airport an hour south — it carries the 'Brussels' name but isn't Brussels, so factor the extra hour and transfer cost.
How do I get from Brussels Airport to the city cheaply?
From BRU, take the train beneath the terminal to Brussels-Central — about 17 minutes for €12–15 (includes the airport surcharge), several times an hour. From Charleroi, use the TEC bus + train (~€4–6) or the Flibco shuttle to Brussels-Midi, about an hour.
Where can I fly cheaply from Brussels right now?
The table above lists aifly's tracked good-price targets, cheapest first — Brussels is strong on sub-Saharan and North Africa, Turkey and the Caucasus, Cape Verde, and a deep India bench (Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore) via the hubs.
Are the prices on this page guaranteed?
No — they're tracked good-price benchmarks (book at or below). Live fares move daily; the deal page for each route shows the current price. Treat the targets as your buy signal.
Seasons, carriers and airport details verified June 2026 and can change — confirm current conditions before you book.