• Operating on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, the new service provides a direct link between the South of Ireland and one of Europe’s largest capital cities.
• New route provides excellent connectivity for both business travel and leisure tourism.
• Commencement of the new service has been warmly welcomed by tourism interests in both Ireland and Belgium.

Cork Airport — March 31, 2024 — Ryanair’s new service from Cork Airport to Brussels Charleroi (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) commences today, establishing a direct link between the Belgian capital and the South of Ireland. The service will operate three-times weekly, on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. 

Brussels, with a population of 2.5 million in its wider metropolitan area, is the administrative centre of the European Union. The city of Brussels, along with the surrounding regions of Flanders and Wallonia will provide additional choice for Irish holidaymakers seeking a weekend city break or an extended holiday. Equally, the route will act as an important link for business travel between both cities. 

Figures from Tourism Ireland show that over 380,000 visitors from Belgium and The Netherlands visited Ireland in 2019. Together with daily services from Amsterdam, the new route from Brussels Charleroi will offer direct air access for Belgian holidaymakers when visiting Ireland, providing an opportunity to explore all that Cork and the South of Ireland has to offer.

In welcoming the commencement of the new route between Cork and Brussels Charleroi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ireland, H.E. Karen Van Vlierberge said: “Belgium and Ireland share ties going back to the 7th century. Today, thanks to the additional Ryanair flights connecting our two countries, these ties are closer than ever. I am grateful to Cork Airport for adding three weekly flights to Brussels South to their schedule, and I believe that this service will encourage even more Irish and Belgian citizens to discover each other’s countries, as well as strengthen already blossoming business relationships.”

Head of Visit Cork, Seamus Heaney added: “The start of the new Ryanair service between Brussels Charleroi and Cork is very welcome and will undoubtedly make Cork a more attractive destination for business and leisure tourism. Access from the wider Benelux region is key and our research shows that consumers in this market have a strong affinity and appetite for holidaying in Ireland. Visit Cork will continue to work closely with Cork Airport and our tourism partners in promoting this service and all that Cork city and county has to offer.”