At BUR's New Terminal, Most of What Changed Is Outside the Building

Hollywood Burbank Airport's new terminal opens to passengers on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The airport spent $1.3 billion on it and kept the same number of gates. All arriving and departing flights move into the new 355,000-square-foot building that day, and the first arrival is expected around 7:30 a.m. The 232,000-square-foot terminal it replaces served about 6.5 million passengers a year, according to the Daily News.

If you live in Burbank, most of what you need to relearn happens before you reach the gate. The building is bigger, but the airport is the same size, and boarding still means walking across the tarmac. What changed is the approach: a new main entrance, a new loop road, new parking prices, and new connections from both Metrolink stations. Once you're through security, BUR still feels like Burbank, and that was a deliberate choice.

The Building Grew, and the Gate Count Stayed at 14

A terminal that's more than 50% larger with no added gates is the result of a promise made years ago. Burbank voters approved Measure B in 2016 with 70% of the vote, which allowed the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority to build a replacement terminal. The new building sits farther from the runways and comes with a new parking garage, ticketing lobby, baggage screening system, TSA checkpoint and baggage claim. According to the airport, the project was paid for with federal grants, passenger facility charges, Airport Authority funds and airport revenue bonds. No state, county or local money from Burbank, Glendale or Pasadena went into it.

At the Oct. 5 ribbon cutting, Mayor Tamala Takahashi described the result to myBurbank as a facility with "modern amenities, greater accessibility, enhanced safety, and a welcoming design, all while maintaining the 14-gate airport our community knows."

The extra 123,000 square feet mostly goes to space you'll pass through, not more flights. That's why the drive in is the part of the trip that needs relearning.

The Front Door Moved to Winona Avenue

For decades, BUR's main entrance has been off Thornton Avenue. Starting Oct. 13, it's at Hollywood Way and Winona Avenue. Airport officials have asked travelers to allow extra time for drop-off and pickup during the transition, the Daily News reported.

The redesign is built around the bottleneck anyone who has driven Hollywood Way at rush hour will know. "We have a longer airport loop road now that will not back up on Hollywood Way," an airport official told USA Today. An architect with design partner CannonDesign said traffic should taper off by the time cars reach departures.

At the curb, a few rules matter for the friend doing the airport run:

• No waiting at the curb. You can drop off or pick up at the terminal curb, but the airport says curbside waiting isn't allowed.
• Limousines can drop off at the curb but have to pick up passengers in the parking structure.
• Rideshare pickups move to a new lot near the terminal.
• Rental cars are still at the existing consolidated rental-car facility across Hollywood Way, reached by shuttle. The Los Angeles Times put that shuttle ride at slightly less than a mile.

Signs are the one area that could still be a little rough. At the Sept. 19 volunteer trial, airport spokesperson Mike Christensen told the Los Angeles Times that feedback was 98% positive. The one area participants flagged for improvement was signage and wayfinding.

What Parking Costs Starting Oct. 13

Total parking stays the same at 6,637 spaces, but the mix has changed. A new structure next to the terminal holds 2,007 spaces, including 400 for valet. Parking structure and valet operations move to the new terminal on Oct. 13. Lot E closes permanently the same day, and Lot C has been closed since Aug. 16.

Here are the daily rates the airport has posted for Oct. 13:

The Lot G price is listed two different ways on the airport's long-term parking page, so check before you count on the lower number. On a five-day trip, the gap between the structure and Lot F is $105, which pays for a lot of rideshare. EV drivers can charge in the self-park structure for $0.50 per kWh. At the September trial, the Los Angeles Times counted 310 charging ports in the new structure.

Metrolink Is Now a Real Option From Both Stations

With parking at $49 a day near the terminal, the train is worth a closer look. Burbank is one of the few places in the region with two Metrolink stations at its airport, and Metrolink's connection guide lays out how each one links to the new terminal starting Oct. 13.

Burbank Airport–North, Antelope Valley Line

1. Get off at Burbank Airport–North.
2. Walk about half a mile to the terminal via Cohasset Street, or call 818-729-2245 for the free on-demand shuttle.
3. On the way home, the shuttle pickup is on the ground floor of the parking structure across from the terminal.

Burbank Airport–South, Ventura County Line

1. Get off at Burbank Airport–South.
2. Cross Empire Avenue to the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center.
3. Board the free airport shuttle at the ground-floor bus area. You don't need to call ahead.

Shuttles at both stations run from 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. When flights are delayed or irregular, service continues until 45 minutes after the last flight. For anyone near the North station, the half-mile walk along Cohasset Street means you can get from train to terminal without relying on a ride or a shuttle.

Past Security, It Still Feels Like Burbank

Inside, the building is set up to keep the speed people have come to expect from BUR. Security is now one centralized checkpoint with eight lanes, and all baggage claim is indoors. Just past security there's an open-air bar, with gates and concessions on either side. You'll still walk across the tarmac and up the stairs to your plane rather than through an enclosed jetway, as the Los Angeles Times noted in its July preview.

The food lineup is where Burbank shows up most. At the ribbon cutting, myBurbank named these familiar local businesses in the new terminal:

• Poquito Mas, which will make tortillas from scratch every day where travelers can watch them cook
• Tansy
• West Coast Smash Burger
• Octavia's Bookshelf

LAist also listed Jones Coffee among the local vendors. The Los Angeles Times' July preview listed a tentative roster of 14 food spots that included Massis Kebab, Santa Canela bakery, Border Grill, Jet Tila's Asian Table, Diane's Pizzeria, Farm Table Bistro and Spring Chicken. It also mentioned a bar with picture-window views of the runways and the Verdugo Mountains. Not every name on that list has been confirmed for opening day.

Kevin McCarney of Poquito Mas told myBurbank that the airport location is a meaningful next chapter after 34 years in Burbank: "I feel so grateful that I can't put it in words."

Steve Mora, owner of Metropolitan Culinary Services LLC, runs all of the airport's food and beverage locations. myBurbank reported that he picked well-known names from each of the three cities that own the airport. "When our community flies out of its community airport, they want to be proud of what they see," he said.

At the center of the terminal is a pub named for his father, Pete, who started running the airport barbershop in 1977, where his customers included first responders and Lockheed designer Kelly Johnson. In 1992 he moved into the terminal's food and beverage business with his son. Around Burbank he was known as "The Cookie Man" for the jumbo homemade chocolate chip cookies he handed out, and the pub serves them.

What Happens to the 1930s Terminal

The old terminal comes down once the new one is running. According to the airport, the old terminal is expected to be demolished within 12 months and the taxiways will be extended, the Daily News reported. The Airport Authority's project FAQ estimated demolition would take about nine months. Treat both timelines as estimates. Any Burbank resident who has used the Thornton Avenue entrance will be using a different route from Tuesday on, and in about a year the building it served is expected to be gone.

Here at Artinian Realty Group, we pay close attention to changes like this. A new entrance, a new loop road and a walkable train link all affect how a part of Burbank works day to day. If you'd like to talk through what the new terminal means for your corner of the city, whether you're thinking about your own street or a property near Hollywood Way, we'd love to hear from you. Let's Connect.