This California Airport's New $1.3B Terminal Is Opening Soon In October 2026

Located just minutes from some of the major Hollywood film studios, like Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios, Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) has seen more than a few stars pass through its gates over the years. For nearly a century, the art deco-style building has stood through the glitz and glamour of cinema's Golden Age, but like all stars, is starting to fade. A new terminal will take its place just north of where the current building stands. The $1.3 billion project has been on the cards for decades and is scheduled to open on October 13, 2026.

A convenient alternative to LAX, Hollywood Burbank has always been a popular airport, often praised for its short security lines and quick turnaround times. It was once named the top airport in the U.S. by Fodor's Travel thanks to its stress-free experience. Built in 1930, the current terminal will be demolished due to safety issues. Sitting just 250 feet from the runway, it no longer conforms to Federal Aviation Association standards, and the building also predates modern earthquake codes. Space both inside the terminal and in the parking area is limited, and accessibility for passengers with disabilities is also not up to modern standards. Space in the new terminal will increase from 232,000 up to 355,000 square feet, roughly one and a half times the current area.

"You really don't get to do a project like this very often," Patrick Lammerding, deputy executive director of operations at BUR, told Travel + Leisure. "What we were able to do is actually make a simpler and more intuitive terminal." The replacement terminal is the icing on the cake for Burbank, which was named a trending summer destination in 2026 by Google Flights. Take a sneak peek at the proposed design with the model currently on display in the airport.

As well as the spacious layout, the Icon, as the new terminal is known, will reflect its Hollywood location and bring a touch of old-school glamour to an otherwise modern design. The silver roof is designed to reflect heat and will provide covered access from the terminal to the parking garage, located directly in front of the building. Parking capacity will increase from around 500 spaces to 2,000 stalls, including EV charging stations. 

Inside, the canopy supports will be shaped like the searchlights once used at the old film premieres back in the day, and the terrazzo flooring will have spotlight-shaped inlays. Art installations from local artists will be on display on rotation, and there will be two 16-foot illuminated sculptures at the entrance. Named the Two Electras, they are a tribute to the aircraft built in Burbank and famously flown by Amelia Earhart. Even the restrooms will be getting a dressing-room touch, with individual illuminated mirrors and more room and changing facilities for families.

There will be 43 ticket counters, a more efficient baggage screening system, one central eight-lane TSA checkpoint, and five baggage claim carousels, with all improvements being ADA accessible. The layout will include more shops, cafés, and restaurants, including a bar overlooking the runway. The runway will stay as it is, which may not be good news for those flying the planes, who named Burbank one of the airports pilots hate flying into. Despite the increase in size, no new airlines have been announced and there will still be 14 gates with nonstop domestic flights to more than 30 cities across the country. Another defining feature that passengers will be happy to see remaining is the outdoor ground-level boarding. "It harkens back to old Hollywood style," said Janie Mills (via Travel + Leisure), senior manager of design integration at Holder Construction, the firm building the terminal.