Hollywood Burbank Airport's New Terminal: What Changes

How long have you been turning onto Thornton Avenue to catch a flight out of Burbank? Starting Tuesday, October 13, that turn takes you to a terminal about to be torn down. Hollywood Burbank Airport's replacement terminal opens to passengers that morning. The airport's size stays the same. Nearly every step before the gate changes.

Same 14 Gates, on Purpose

The headline numbers make the new building sound like a bigger airport. It cost nearly $1.3 billion and covers 355,000 square feet, up from 232,000 in the old complex. Some of that complex dates back to 1930. But NBC Los Angeles reported that the terminal keeps the same 14 gates, and airport officials have called it a replacement, not a capacity expansion.

That cap is the deal the city made. The search for a replacement goes back to the 1980s, when the FAA decided the old terminal sat too close to the runway to leave a proper safety margin. Plans then stalled for decades because of neighborhood opposition. Burbank voters passed Measure B in November 2016 with 70% of the vote, and ground was broken in January 2024. The new building is on the opposite side of the airfield, farther from the runways. Officials say it is one of only two all-electric airport facilities in the country.

The airfield, the number of gates, and the airport's small scale all stay the same. So nearly everything new for a Burbank resident is about how you get to the gate.

The Front Door Moves to Winona and Hollywood Way

On October 13, the main entrance moves from Thornton Avenue to the intersection of Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way. The city's transportation planning describes a new access road that runs west and then north from that intersection, with a second connection at Cohasset Street.

The old parking options are closing in stages:

• Lot C closed to public parking on Sunday, August 16.
• Lot E closes permanently on October 13.
• The old parking structure and valet close at the current terminal the same day and move to the new building.
• Remote Lots F and G stay open as the budget options in the airport's day-one plan.

Pickup also changes. Rideshare passengers will use a new pickup lot near the terminal. Rental-car customers still take a shuttle to the consolidated rental-car facility across Hollywood Way. The airport's pickup guidance says curbside waiting is not allowed and points drivers to short-term parking while they wait. Expect the first few pickups to involve some trial and error.

What Parking Costs Now, and Why

The new seven-level structure sits directly across from the terminal entrance. According to the airport authority, it holds about 2,000 spaces, including 400 for valet. It also costs more than the old structure did. Here are the daily maximums the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority set in its September 8, 2026 staff report:

The airport's parking page lists the same opening daily rates.

The structure has to pay for itself. The airport's consultant set the rates to cover the structure's debt payments, which run about $5.4 million in fiscal year 2027 and $16.8 million a year after that. The rates also cover the higher cost of running shuttles to the remote lots. The commission chose to open below the consultant's $54 and $68 recommendation to soften the jump during the first months. The staff report says the airport gives up about $1.0 million in fiscal 2027 revenue by doing so.

For a quick airport run, the hourly ramp matters more than the daily cap. The day-one plan charges $9 for the first hour of structure self-parking, then $5 for each additional 30 minutes, hitting the $49 cap at five hours. Lots F and G start at $5 for the first hour and add $3 per half hour. Valet is $59 from the start. The staff report notes the ramp may be adjusted to match demand. Drivers with electric cars will find 299 charging ports. Self-park charging was proposed at $0.50 per kilowatt-hour with no session fee.

The Train Stations Swap Roles

For years, a Ventura County Line rider at Burbank Airport–South walked to the old terminal from the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center. An elevated moving walkway covered the 1,100 feet in about seven minutes. The RITC stays where it is, but the new terminal sits on the other side of the airfield. So the connection now runs by shuttle.

Starting October 13, the station you can walk from is Burbank Airport–North on the Antelope Valley Line. Metrolink's airport connection page lays out both routes:

1. From Burbank Airport–North: walk about half a mile via Cohasset Street. Or call 818-729-2245 for the free on-demand shuttle, which stops on San Fernando Boulevard at the north end of the station.
2. Going back to North: call the same number and follow the signs to the shuttle pickup on the ground floor of the parking structure across from the terminal.
3. From Burbank Airport–South: cross Empire Avenue to the RITC and board the free airport shuttle. You don't need to call ahead.
4. Hours for both shuttles: 4:45 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. If flights run late, service continues until 45 minutes after the last flight.

There is no parking at Burbank Airport–North. The city's May 2025 plan described a shuttle on a fixed schedule. Metrolink's current instructions describe the North station shuttle as on-demand, and those are the ones that apply from opening day.

Past Security, the Building Feels Like Burbank

Inside, the concessions lean local, by choice. myBurbank reported that Steve Mora of Metropolitan Culinary Services, who runs every food and beverage location at the airport, chose businesses that represent Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. At the October 5 preview, the outlet named Tansy, Poquito Mas, West Coast Smash Burger and Octavia's Bookshelf.

Poquito Mas owner Kevin McCarney told myBurbank that the airport location is a new chapter after 34 years in Burbank. The restaurant will make tortillas from scratch every day, where travelers can watch them cook.

A pub at the center of the terminal is named for Mora's father, Pete, according to the same report. He started running the airport's barbershop in 1977 and served travelers, local first responders and Lockheed designer Kelly Johnson. Around town he was known as "The Cookie Man" for handing out jumbo homemade chocolate chip cookies, and the pub serves them.

Past the TSA checkpoint hangs Glenn Kaino's suspended installation, "When We Reflect." It draws on the camouflage nets that hid the Burbank airport and nearby Lockheed operations during World War II. Mayor Tamala Takahashi framed the building's purpose at the ribbon-cutting, as myBurbank reported:

"We wanted a modern airport, but we didn't want to lose that special touch that has always made Hollywood Burbank Airport so beautiful."

The Habits That Survive the Move

Some familiar parts of the airport carry over. You will still board and get off the plane outdoors. The airport is keeping that practice, with no jet bridges. Baggage claim moves indoors into a single hall with three carousels, and the TSA screening areas are bigger.

The building has had a test run. On September 19, 1,500 volunteers tested parking, ticketing, baggage, screening and gate operations in the last of three trials. Officials reported 98% positive feedback and named signage and wayfinding as the areas to improve. In practice, that means leaving a few extra minutes for the first trip or two.

The old terminal won't stay up for long. The project FAQ says demolition starts in late 2026, once the new terminal is running, and takes about nine months. After that, the Thornton Avenue entrance will be gone for good.

A new terminal and new access roads change how the area around the airport works for people who live nearby. If you're thinking about what that means for a home near Hollywood Way or the Metrolink stations, Craig Strong can walk you through it. Request a confidential market consultation.