The Airport Guide

Hollywood Burbank Airport's New Terminal Is Open — Here's What Changes for You

For decades, Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) was beloved for its convenience and mocked for its aging terminal — a complex whose oldest buildings dated to 1930 and sat uncomfortably close to the runway. That era is over. On October 13, 2026, a brand-new $1.3 billion passenger terminal opened its doors, and an Alaska Airlines flight to Santa Rosa became the first to depart from it. If you fly through Burbank, almost everything about your trip — from where you park to where your Uber picks you up — has changed. This guide covers it all.

✈️ Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) — At a Glance

• Location: 2827 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, California (see on Google Maps)
• New terminal opened: October 13, 2026 (commercial operations)
• Terminal size: 355,000 sq ft — about 53% larger than the old complex
• Gates: 14 (same as before — a replacement, not an expansion)
• Main entrance: now at Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way
• TSA: one central eight-lane checkpoint
• Parking: 2,000+ spaces in a new structure directly across the terminal
• Key airlines: Southwest, Alaska, American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Avelo

Why Burbank Built a Whole New Terminal

The old terminal was a safety problem, not just an aesthetic one. It sat just 257 feet from the active runway, while Federal Aviation Administration standards require a 750-foot buffer. The new building stands roughly 880 feet from the runway and meets current seismic and accessibility standards — a fact that matters in earthquake country. The terminal also runs entirely on electricity.

Planning for a replacement began back in the 1980s and stalled for decades amid neighborhood opposition, until Burbank voters approved Measure B in 2016 with 70% of the vote. Ground was broken in January 2024, and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority built the new terminal on the opposite side of the airfield — which meant flights kept running normally throughout construction. Despite the $1.3 billion price tag, officials say local taxpayers in Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena did not foot the bill: the project was financed through airport revenue bonds ($724.78 million issued in 2024), federal grants, and passenger facility charges paid by travelers.

The old terminal complex is expected to be demolished in 2027.

What's Inside the New Terminal

The architectural concept, called "The Icon," features a sweeping silver canopy meant to evoke the silver screen — a nod to the airport's Hollywood neighbors. The building is 355,000 square feet, about 53% larger than the 232,000-square-foot complex it replaces. But the gate count stayed at 14: this is a replacement, not an expansion.

Practical upgrades travelers will notice immediately:

• One central TSA checkpoint with eight lanes, replacing the separate screening areas of the old complex.
• 43 common-use ticket counters and a single ticketing hall.
• Three large indoor baggage-claim carousels in one hall.
• A shorter walk — the trek from the entrance to the farthest gate shrank by more than 300 feet.
• More seating with power outlets and workspaces, plus digital information displays.

For downtime before your flight, the new terminal adds a bar overlooking the airfield — designed, per the airport, to make pre-flight time "part of the travel experience" — alongside rotating art installations from local artists. Look for work by L.A.-based artist Glenn Kaino and sculptures by Cliff Garten that reference Amelia Earhart, who flew from this airfield in the 1930s. Cactus and succulents in the outdoor landscaping keep the Southern California character.

One beloved quirk survives: you still board across the tarmac, climbing stairs or a ramp to your plane. As jet bridges took over nearly everywhere else, Burbank's open-air boarding became a signature — and it stays.

Getting to the New Terminal: What's Different

The airport's main entrance has moved. It is now at Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way (new address: 2827 N Hollywood Way), away from its previous spot on Thornton Avenue. If your GPS or rideshare app has old data, double-check the address before you go.

Driving and parking: A new parking structure sits directly across from the terminal with more than 2,000 spaces, and valet parking is available inside it. Total airport parking remains 6,637 spots, with surface parking in Lots F and G. One caveat: advance parking reservations are temporarily unavailable during the transition between parking operators, though drive-up parking works fine. If you parked in the old terminal structure or valet area before October 13, you had a 30-day window after opening to retrieve your car.

Rideshare: Uber and Lyft pickup and drop-off zones moved to steps from the terminal doors — previously they were at the ground transportation island across from the Terminal B entrance, a noticeably longer walk.

Train: Metrolink serves the airport from two stations. The Ventura County Line stops at Burbank Airport–South, which connects to the new terminal through the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC). The Antelope Valley Line stops at Burbank Airport–North, about a half-mile walk via Cohasset Street, or a complimentary on-demand shuttle.

Bus: The BurbankBus Orange Route stops at the RITC; a free airport shuttle runs between the RITC and the new terminal every 8 to 10 minutes, no reservations needed.

Rental cars: They remain at the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center — follow the new ground-transportation signs rather than assuming everything moved into the terminal.

Airlines and Where You Can Fly

Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier at BUR, operating dozens of daily flights to more than 20 destinations. The full lineup: Southwest, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, and Avelo Airlines — more than 70 nonstop departures a day, mostly along the West Coast plus hubs across the country and nonstop overnight service to New York.

Typical routes: Southwest to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Oakland, and San Francisco; Alaska to Seattle, Portland, Boise, and Santa Rosa (Alaska has also announced nonstop service to Honolulu, which will become the longest route from BUR); American to Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix; Delta to Salt Lake City and Atlanta; United to Denver and San Francisco. Note that BUR has no scheduled international service — for international connections, travelers typically use LAX.

BUR vs. LAX: Why Travelers Are Switching

About 30 miles north of LAX, Burbank has long been the insider's alternative to Los Angeles International — smaller, faster to navigate, and minutes from Universal Studios Hollywood, downtown L.A., Pasadena, and the San Fernando Valley. The new terminal strengthens that pitch: modern facilities without the mega-airport sprawl.

The timing is deliberate. Airport officials frame the opening as a runway-up to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when Southern California expects a surge of international arrivals and every alternative to LAX will be in demand.

One honest caveat from recent headlines: food prices in the new terminal drew complaints in late October 2026 — one traveler flagged a $25 bean-and-cheese burrito at Poquito Mas versus $11.95 at another Burbank location. The airport's rules generally cap concession prices at 15% above street-price benchmarks, but officials acknowledged the concession manager missed a deadline to submit the pricing data. Worth knowing before you buy lunch airside.

Practical Tips for Your First Trip Through the New Terminal

• Update your GPS. The entrance moved to Winona Ave and Hollywood Way; the address is 2827 N Hollywood Way.
• Don't pre-book parking during the operator transition — drive up instead.
• Rideshare is now curbside, steps from the doors. No more trekking to the old ground transportation island.
• Rental car users: head to the RITC, not the terminal.
• Arrive with the usual buffer. The single central TSA checkpoint is more efficient, but the terminal is brand new and staff are still settling in.
• Grab a drink with a view. The airfield-view bar is the best new spot to kill a layover.

Hollywood Burbank Airport's new terminal is the first commercial airport building constructed from the ground up in the Los Angeles area in decades. For travelers who've been loyal to BUR for its convenience, the message is simple: the convenience stayed, and the building finally caught up.