Air Congo has launched its new direct service between Brussels in Belgium and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC or Congo-Kinshasa), with the inaugural flight arriving at Brussels Airport on Wednesday 1 July 2026. The new route marks the first direct competition for Brussels Airlines on one of Belgium’s most important long-haul air links.
The Congolese carrier will initially operate four return flights a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, connecting Brussels Airport with the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ahead of the launch, Air Congo revised its original timetable. Instead of mirroring the schedule of Brussels Airlines, the airline opted for a later departure from Belgium. Flights now leave Kinshasa at 10:00 local time and arrive in Brussels at 19:00. The return service departs Brussels Airport at 20:45, reaching Kinshasa at 03:45 local time the following morning.
The route is operated using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner supplied by Ethiopian Airlines, which is a major shareholder in Air Congo. The partnership allows the newly established Congolese airline to use Ethiopian’s long-haul aircraft while expanding its international network.
Until now, Brussels Airlines had been the sole airline offering direct flights between Brussels and Kinshasa, operating a daily service on the route. Air Congo’s arrival introduces competition on a connection that has long been one of Brussels Airport’s busiest African routes, reflecting the close historical, economic and family ties between Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
With four weekly flights at launch, Air Congo aims to establish itself as an alternative for travellers between the two countries while increasing capacity on a route with consistently strong demand.
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