Burbank's New Terminal Kept the Airport Small. The Curb Is Where It Changed.

Mike Petros, a Southwest pilot, landed from Sacramento at 7:31 a.m. on October 13, the first morning of the new terminal. He told the Los Angeles Times what was different from the cockpit: "Instead of turning right, you turn left." Before takeoff, his crew had told passengers they were flying to a new terminal, so anyone with a ride waiting should pass that along.

For a $1.3 billion project, that is a modest change at the gate. 33 months of construction produced a building meant to make Hollywood Burbank Airport more comfortable without making it bigger. Since the October 13 opening, the changes a Burbank household will actually feel are at the curb: where you turn in, where you wait and where your rideshare stops. Inside, the restaurant lineup was chosen to reflect Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.

Fourteen gates on purpose

The new building at 2627 N. Hollywood Way covers about 355,000 square feet. The terminal it replaced had about 232,000, according to the Daily News. Almost everything that sets the airport's size stayed put. It still has 14 gates and two runways. On opening day the schedule ran about 90 arrivals and departures across eight airlines, which the Times described as roughly the same as in the old buildings. Passengers often still board from the front and back of the plane on outdoor stairs, with no jet bridges, and the airport's voluntary curfew still limits operating hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The airport has 6,637 parking spaces in total, the same as before.

Burbank voters set those limits. In 2016, Measure B passed with 70% of the vote and gave the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approval to build the replacement. At the October 5 ribbon cutting, Mayor Tamala Takahashi told myBurbank that the new facility keeps "the 14-gate airport our community knows."

The extra square footage went to passenger space in four places.

• Security: eight TSA lanes, up from five
• Walking: 1,285 feet from the entrance to the farthest gate, down from 1,600
• Baggage claim: the carousels are now indoors
• Charging: power at every seat, mostly USB-C ports, so an older USB-A cable may need an adapter

The building also sits farther from the runway. The old terminal was as little as 257 feet from the nearest runway. The new one is about 880 feet away, which meets FAA standards. The airport says no state, county or city money from Burbank, Glendale or Pasadena paid for the project.

The concourse was stocked with local names

With the same flights coming through, the terminal had to stand out some other way, and food and shops were the main way it did. Steve Mora owns Burbank-based Metropolitan Culinary Services, which runs every food and beverage location in the terminal. He told myBurbank he picked names that represent each of the airport's three cities: "When our community flies out of its community airport, they want to be proud of what they see."

Two of those businesses have the deepest Burbank history.

Poquito Mas. Owner Kevin McCarney has been in Burbank for 34 years. At the airport location, tortillas will be made from scratch every day where travelers can watch them cook. "I feel honored to be a part of it," McCarney said at the ribbon cutting.

Pete's Pub. It is named for Mora's father, Pete, who started running the airport barbershop in 1977. His customers included local first responders and Lockheed designer Kelly Johnson. In 1992, Pete and his son moved into the terminal's food concessions, and around town he became known as "The Cookie Man" for handing out big homemade chocolate chip cookies. The pub serves those cookies, and its windows look out over the runways toward the Verdugo Mountains.

The rest of the lineup on the Times list includes Guy Fieri's Flavortown, Spring Chicken, Diane's Farm Table and Italian Market, Jones Coffee, Perry's Joint, West Coast Smash Burgers, Massis Kabob, Starbucks, Border Grill, Jet Tila's Asian Table and Santa Canela bakery. The ribbon-cutting coverage also named Tansy and Octavia's Bookshelf.

The kitchens started slowly. On October 13, the Times reported that most of the six retail stores were open but none of the 13 food concessions were fully running. Two offered grab-and-go items, and an airport spokesperson said more would open later that day and that week. If you have an early flight and a particular breakfast in mind, check the airport's restaurants and shopping page before you go. The page lists each location but doesn't say whether it's open yet.

Past the TSA checkpoint, look up. Glenn Kaino's suspended mirrored installation, "When We Reflect," is based on the camouflage nets that incarcerated Japanese Americans made at the Santa Anita Assembly Center during World War II. Netting like that was used to hide the Burbank airport and the nearby Lockheed plants from the air. Two lit steel sculptures by Cliff Garten stand on either side of the main entrance.

Where the routine actually changed

Most of the opening-day confusion happened outside. The Times reported that the airport assigned staff to send people from the old terminals, now closed, to the new one. One traveler found out about the move from his Uber driver. If you're picking up a relative this month, here's what's new:

1. The entrance moved. Drive in at Hollywood Way and Winona Avenue. Airport officials asked drivers to allow extra time for drop-offs and pickups during the transition.
2. No waiting at the curb. The airport's FAQ says curbside waiting isn't allowed. If your passenger isn't outside yet, wait in the Short-Term Parking Structure.
3. Rideshare pickup has its own spot. Uber and Lyft riders now meet their cars at the ground-transportation island in front of the parking structure's main entrance, according to the airport's ridesharing page.
4. Shuttles and taxis use the islands too. Parking shuttles, off-airport shuttles, door-to-door vans and taxis each have an assigned island right in front of the terminal.

Parking changed as well. The new parking structure has about 2,000 spaces and 310 EV charging ports. The Daily News reported that Lot E is permanently closed and valet has moved to the new terminal. These are the rates currently posted on the airport's parking pages. They can change, so check before a long trip.

At those rates, the Terminal Garage costs more than Lot G within about two and a half hours. For a long weekend away, the long-term lots and their shuttle are much cheaper.

The train connection works as before

The airport still runs free on-demand shuttles to both rail stations, according to its buses and trains page.

• Burbank Airport–South (Amtrak and Metrolink): daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Call 818.565.1308, or get on the Lot C shuttle at the Airport Parking Lot Shuttle Island and ask the driver to stop at the station.
• Burbank Airport–North (San Fernando Road and Hollywood Way): daily from 5:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Call 818.729.2245, or meet the shuttle at the terminal's Valet Parking area.

The Daily News also reported that a pedestrian path will connect the North station to the terminal, alongside the shuttle. The North shuttle runs until 12:30 a.m., well past the airport's 10 p.m. operating hours, which helps when a delayed flight lands late.

What comes down next

The old terminal opened in 1930 and was built in Spanish Colonial Revival style. It didn't meet current state seismic standards or FAA design standards. The airport expects to demolish it within 12 months and then extend the taxiways. The building on Hollywood Way will stay in view for most of the coming year, and when it's gone, that land goes to aircraft, not to more gates.

We help families across the foothills and the Valley with practical, everyday decisions, including which airport makes the most sense for their household. If you'd like a local read on how the new Burbank terminal fits your family's travel and commute, Camden McKay Realty can help. Get in touch with Michael and Lisa Mucino for a free neighborhood consultation, or sign up for local market updates.