Dallas to Brussels Flights (DFW to BRU): Connections, Flight Time and Arrival Guide

Usually one stop, often in Europe

As of recent schedules, there is no regular nonstop between Dallas/Fort Worth and Brussels, so most trips connect once. American, the dominant airline at DFW, flies nonstop to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and other European cities, and its oneworld partners carry you on to Brussels. British Airways via London Heathrow and Iberia via Madrid are common choices on a single ticket.

Other European carriers also serve the route. Brussels Airlines, part of the Lufthansa group, connects through its own hub with partners: Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich, Swiss via Zurich, and Brussels Airlines' own transatlantic flights from cities such as New York and Washington. KLM connects through Amsterdam and Air France through Paris; Delta and United connect through their US hubs to their partners' flights.

Brussels is also well connected by train. From Paris, Amsterdam or London, high-speed Eurostar trains reach Brussels Midi in one and a half to two hours, so a flight to one of those cities followed by the train can be a reasonable alternative.

Flight time and distance

The great-circle distance from Dallas to Brussels is roughly 4,950 miles (about 7,950 km). The transatlantic leg from Dallas to a European hub takes about nine to ten hours eastbound, and the short onward flight to Brussels about an hour or two. Including a layover, plan on 12 to 15 hours in total.

Westbound takes longer against the jet stream, typically 14 to 17 hours overall. Most eastbound itineraries leave Dallas in the afternoon or evening and arrive in Brussels the next morning or around midday.

Leaving from DFW

DFW has five terminals, A to E, connected airside by the Skylink train. American operates from all of them, but most of its international flights leave from Terminal D, the international terminal. Foreign carriers, including British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, KLM and Air France, also use Terminal D. Check your terminal before you go.

The DART Orange Line light rail reaches Terminal B from downtown Dallas in about 50 minutes, and the TEXRail commuter train links Terminal B with Fort Worth. Taxis and rideshares take 25 to 45 minutes from downtown Dallas depending on traffic. Arrive three hours before an international departure, especially in the afternoon, when several European flights leave together.

Arriving at Brussels Airport and getting into the city

Brussels Airport, at Zaventem, has a single terminal with two piers: Pier A for Schengen flights and Pier B for non-Schengen flights, including those from London and the US. If you connect within Schengen, you clear immigration at the hub and arrive as a Schengen passenger.

The airport is about 12 km north-east of the city centre:

• Train: SNCB trains run from the station under the terminal to Brussels-Nord, Brussels-Central and Brussels-Midi in about 15 to 25 minutes. An airport supplement, the Diabolo fee, is added to the ticket.
• Bus: STIB and De Lijn buses run to the city and the European Quarter, slower but cheaper.
• Taxi: 20 to 40 minutes to the centre depending on traffic.
• Onward trains: direct trains run from the airport to Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp and Leuven, so the airport is a good gateway for the rest of Belgium.

Brussels is officially bilingual. Signs at the airport and stations appear in French and Dutch, and English is widely spoken in the centre and the European Quarter, so you will manage easily without either language.

Entry requirements and documents

Belgium is in the Schengen area, and US passport holders can visit for short stays without a visa. The EU Entry/Exit System, which records fingerprints and a photo at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation, which will require an online application before travel once mandatory, are being introduced. Check the official EU travel pages before you book. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from Schengen.

If you connect in London, you will clear UK transit arrangements and then Schengen immigration in Brussels; check whether you need a UK ETA for transit.

Best time to fly and when to book

Brussels has a mild, damp climate. Late spring, from May to June, and early autumn, September to October, offer the best weather and fewer crowds. Summer, from July to August, is the busiest time for transatlantic travel from Dallas, and fares peak. The Flower Carpet in the Grand-Place is held in August in even-numbered years.

The Christmas markets in late November and December draw visitors, and winter outside the holidays is the cheapest time to fly, with grey, cold weather. Book three to four months ahead for summer and Christmas, and six to ten weeks ahead otherwise.

Time zones and jet lag

Brussels is seven hours ahead of Dallas for most of the year. Both change their clocks, but on different dates in spring and autumn, so the gap is six hours for a few weeks each year. Eastbound you lose most of a night and arrive in the morning; staying awake until a normal local bedtime helps you adjust. Westbound is easier, as you arrive in the evening and gain hours.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The most common mistake is overlooking the high-speed Eurostar trains, which can make flying to Paris or Amsterdam and taking the train to Brussels quicker overall. The second is forgetting the Diabolo supplement on train tickets from the airport. The third is booking a tight connection at London Heathrow, which often requires a terminal change and extra security; allow at least two hours there.