Airlines Restart Service to Madeira Island
Madeira Airport secures another major flight route as Brussels Airlines adds Funchal to its 71st destination. This weekly service marks the airline's fourth connection in Portugal, joining Lisbon, Porto, and Faro.
Commercial Director of ANA | VINCI Airports, Karen Strougo, applauds this new connection, stating, "Madeira welcomes another Lufthansa Group member, emphasizing its growing significance. This move underscores the region's potential and our ongoing efforts to cultivate routes, opening up new opportunities for passengers and fueling the archipelago's economic growth."
Jan Derycke, Director of Network and Planning at Brussels Airlines, reveals the company's focus on a substantial capacity boost for summer 2025, particularly in Portugal and Spain. This expansion strategy, aimed at catering to the thriving demand from Belgian travelers, looks to ramp up flight frequency and destinations.
Brussels Airlines remains committed to Spain, with no fewer than 12 Spanish cities already being served from Brussels Airport. Notably, Malaga, Barcelona, and Alicante remain their most popular routes. Valencia has emerged as a hotspot, leading the airline to increase its presence there. Their efforts aim to provide travelers with more flight options and flexible departure times, minimizing the risk of flights selling out and simplifying travel planning.
In Portugal, demand for flights to Oporto has been on the rise, prompting Brussels Airlines to upgrade capacity and potentially frequency.
For summer 2025, Brussels Airlines will operate a fleet of 50 aircraft—an increase from 44 in summer 2024. This expansion includes the addition of one Airbus A320 and one Airbus A330, as well as deploying four Airbus A220 aircraft via Air Baltic, their wet-lease partner. These aircraft adjustments support the increased number of routes and frequencies to Southern European destinations such as Spain and Portugal. The company has also recruited 300 new crew members to cope with the increased operational demand during the busy summer season.
With nearly 2 million passengers anticipated to travel with Brussels Airlines over the July and August 2025 peak period, this development promises a smoother travel experience with improved flight flexibility, reduced likelihood of sold-out flights, and enhanced travel planning opportunities for customers on popular routes to Spain and Portugal.
Travelers seeking new destinations for their lifestyle and travel plans may find interest in Brussels Airlines' expansion, as Funchal, Portugal is added to their growing list of 71 destinations. This weekly service further strengthens the airline's presence in Portugal, positioning Madeira as a significant attraction for Belgian travelers.
