Key Points

• Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) opens its brand-new $1.3 billion replacement terminal on October 13, 2026, replacing the cramped 96-year-old facility that no longer met seismic or FAA safety standards.
• The new 335,000-square-foot terminal adds significantly more space, a streamlined single TSA checkpoint, and expanded dining and shopping, while keeping the beloved outdoor boarding experience that makes BUR unique.
• For Southern California points travelers, BUR remains one of the most underrated airport choices, and the upgraded facility makes it worth reconsidering the next time you're booking award travel out of the LA area.

Introduction

If you've ever flown through Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), you already know the appeal. Skip the LAX madness, pull into close-in parking, walk to your gate in under 10 minutes, and board your plane by stepping onto the tarmac like it's 1965. It's a genuinely pleasant experience in a region not exactly known for them. Now, after decades of planning and a $1.3 billion investment, BUR is about to get the upgrade it deserves. The new replacement terminal opens October 13, 2026, and for points and miles travelers flying out of Los Angeles, it changes the calculus on when to choose Burbank over LAX, LGB, or SNA.

Here's everything you need to know about what's changing, what's staying the same, and how to position yourself to make the most of this new facility.

What's Being Built (And Why It Took This Long)

The current BUR terminal has been operating in one form or another since 1930. That history is charming, right up until you realize the building doesn't meet California's current seismic standards, doesn't comply with FAA runway distance requirements, and barely satisfies modern Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

Fixing the existing terminal wasn't an option. Neither was rebuilding on the same footprint. So airport officials spent years planning a full replacement terminal to be built just north of the current structure. The result is a $1.3 billion project that breaks ground on a new chapter for one of Southern California's most beloved airports.

The old terminal will be demolished once the new one opens in October. Everything you've known about BUR gets a clean slate.

What the New Hollywood Burbank Airport Terminal Includes

The replacement terminal clocks in at 335,000 square feet, up from the current 232,000 square feet, which is roughly a 44% increase in space. Gate count stays the same at 14, which is the right call. BUR's charm comes from its manageable scale, not its gate count.

Here's what's new inside:

• A single, centralized eight-lane TSA checkpoint replacing the fragmented security experience
• Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout
• A new baggage screening system
• One unified baggage claim area with three carousels (currently BUR has a notoriously tight baggage claim setup)
• Upgraded restrooms with individual illuminated oval mirrors that nod to Hollywood's golden age of dressing rooms
• Pet relief areas
• Expanded shopping and dining options
• A significantly larger parking garage

And what's staying the same? Outdoor, stairway boarding. This was intentional. Community input during the design process made clear that passengers genuinely love walking across the tarmac to board. That's not going anywhere, and it shouldn't.

The Hollywood Design Angle (Yes, It's Actually Good)

Architecture studios Corgan and CannonDesign led the design, and the Hollywood theme is handled with more subtlety than you'd expect. A metallic silver canopy connects the terminal to the parking structure, a direct reference to the silver screen of early cinema. The canopy's support columns are angled to evoke the sweeping searchlights that lit up Hollywood premieres in the 1940s.

Inside, terrazzo flooring features spotlight-shaped inlays that double as wayfinding cues. It's clever without being corny.

The art program is genuinely impressive. Outside the terminal, sculptor Cliff Garten's "The Two Electras" consists of a pair of 16-foot illuminated ellipses inspired by the Lockheed Model 10E Electra Special, the plane Amelia Earhart flew during her 1937 attempt to circumnavigate the globe. The aircraft was built near this exact site in 1936.

Inside, artist Glenn Kaino's "When We Reflect" hangs from the ceiling as a 30-by-40-foot steel mesh and mirrored ribbon piece. Kaino's family was among the Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Santa Anita Assembly Center during World War II, the same community whose members helped camouflage the nearby Lockheed aircraft plant from potential air attacks. It's meaningful public art with a real story, which is rarer than it should be in airports.

What This Means for Points Travelers Flying Out of LA

Here's the practical angle. BUR serves nine commercial airlines with nonstop service to roughly 30 destinations across North America. The airport is 12 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, making it the closest major airport to Pasadena, Glendale, the San Fernando Valley, and studio districts like Burbank and Studio City.

If your hotel or Airbnb puts you anywhere in the northern LA basin, BUR almost certainly gets you to the airport faster than LAX. That time savings has always been BUR's strongest argument. The new terminal adds another one: a better experience once you're there.

Lounge access is still limited, and that won't change. BUR doesn't have a Priority Pass lounge, an Amex Centurion Lounge, or any airline-specific club. If lounge access is a priority for you, that's a reason LAX maintains an edge. If you want to understand exactly which cards give you lounge access and where, our guide on how to know which airport lounges you can access breaks it down program by program.

That said, the expanded concessions at the new BUR terminal will meaningfully close the gap for travelers who don't have lounge access and currently find the food and shopping options sparse.

TSA PreCheck matters more at BUR than almost anywhere. The new centralized eight-lane checkpoint will handle all passengers in one place. Having PreCheck will let you skip the general queue at a checkpoint that processes an entire airport's worth of travelers. If you don't have PreCheck yet, a travel rewards card that reimburses the application fee is one of the easiest wins in points travel. The Capital One Venture X covers up to $120 in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credits, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve covers Global Entry (which includes PreCheck) up to $120 every four years.

Award flight availability at BUR is solid for domestic travel. Southwest Airlines operates heavily here, so if you've earned Rapid Rewards points, BUR is an excellent place to burn them on short-haul flights to Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix, or Denver. The best Southwest credit cards are worth a close look if that's your primary BUR airline, especially if you're chasing the Companion Pass. Alaska Airlines also flies BUR with strong West Coast frequency, making it a good departure point if you're using Mileage Plan miles.

For premium cabin seekers, BUR isn't your airport. International connections and business class redemptions will route through LAX. But for domestic award travel, particularly on Southwest or Alaska, BUR's quick security and proximity to the north LA basin makes it worth checking before you default to LAX.

Don't overlook parking strategy. The new terminal comes with a larger parking garage, but BUR's close-in parking has always been one of its strongest selling points. If you're looking to compare rates or pre-book a spot, Airport Reservations lets you search and lock in prices before you arrive, which can save you real money at a busy LA-area airport.

When Should You Choose BUR Over LAX or SNA?

Every Los Angeles-area traveler eventually develops strong opinions about airports. Here's an honest take on when BUR makes sense from a points perspective.

Choose BUR when you're flying Southwest (they have strong frequency here), you're staying north of the 10 freeway, you're making a quick domestic hop and want a fast airport experience, or you're flying Alaska Airlines with award availability.

Choose LAX when you need international flights, you're redeeming for premium cabin seats on major carriers, or you want lounge access before a long flight. The best credit cards for lounge access can make LAX significantly more enjoyable.

Choose LGB or SNA when your destination is closer to those airports and the airline options align with your loyalty programs.

After October 13th, BUR adds one more reason to put it first on your shortlist: a modern, well-designed facility that doesn't feel like an afterthought.

FAQ

Will the new BUR terminal have any airline lounges?

No, and that isn't expected to change with the new terminal. BUR doesn't currently host any Priority Pass, airline, or credit card lounges, and there are no announced plans to add one. If lounge access is important to your travel routine, the best credit cards for lounge access give you options at LAX and other major airports where lounges exist.

Which airlines fly out of Hollywood Burbank Airport?

BUR currently serves nine commercial airlines with nonstop service to roughly 30 North American destinations. Southwest, Alaska, American, Delta, and United are among the carriers serving the airport. Southwest has the most robust presence here, making BUR a particularly strong option for Rapid Rewards redemptions on short-haul routes.

Does the new BUR terminal still have outdoor boarding?

Yes. The tarmac walk and airstairs boarding experience is staying. Community feedback during the design process was clear that this is a feature, not a bug, and the airport listened.

When does the new Hollywood Burbank Airport terminal open?

The new replacement terminal is scheduled to open on October 13, 2026. The existing terminal will be demolished after the transition.

Is BUR a good airport for TSA PreCheck?

It's a very good airport for PreCheck. The new terminal's centralized eight-lane checkpoint means a single line handles all passengers, so having PreCheck lanes available makes a meaningful difference. If you don't have PreCheck, consider a travel credit card like the Capital One Venture X that reimburses the application fee, one of the easiest ways to justify a premium travel card's annual fee.

Conclusion

Hollywood Burbank Airport has always punched above its weight for travelers who know it's there. The 96-year-old terminal served its purpose, but it was showing its age in ways that went well beyond aesthetics. Seismic concerns, FAA compliance issues, cramped concessions, and a baggage claim that felt designed to test your patience were all real problems. The new $1.3 billion replacement terminal fixes them.

What it doesn't fix is the lack of lounges, and that's fine. BUR isn't LAX. It was never trying to be. It's a convenient, fast, lower-stress option for millions of Southern California travelers, and the new terminal makes that experience significantly better.

If you fly out of the LA area regularly, mark October 13 on your calendar and give the new BUR a shot. And if you want to make sure your travel credit cards are doing the work they should be for every trip on your calendar, that's a great place to start.

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