Road closures begin for Hollywood Burbank Airport terminal work. See project images

If you’re heading to Hollywood Burbank Airport over the next couple of months, expect traffic delays during the ongoing construction of an ambitious project to replace the airport’s terminal.

A traffic advisory began Monday and is in effect through June 6 for “Elevate BUR,” a $1.2 billion project in the works since 2016 when Burbank voters approved Measure B.

According to the City of Burbank, the project will add a new 14-gate replacement terminal slated to open in October 2026. The 355,000-sqft terminal is being built to include up to 6,637 parking spaces.

Road closures at Hollywood Burbank Airport

As of Monday, airport construction will close one lane of traffic along the southbound side of Hollywood Way near Thornton Avenue.

Instead, travelers can use the Empire Avenue entrance or enter the airport westbound on Thornton Avenue.

Here’s the road closure schedule:

• 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday
• The traffic advisory will last for the next 60 days, though June 6

According to the Elevate BUR website, the sidewalk and bike lane on the west side of Hollywood Way between Winona and Thornton avenues will also be closed during this traffic advisory.

Passengers are urged to factor in these potential traffic delays around the airport and arrive at least two hours before their scheduled flight time.

City of Burbank/Elevate BUR

City of Burbank/Elevate BUR

Hollywood Burbank Airport terminal replacement project

After years of planning, the new terminal design concept, dubbed the “Icon,” was unveiled in 2023. Planners said the terminal’s design is “inspired by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the film industry’s roots.”

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority (BGPAA) broke ground on Elevate BUR in January 2024, on a parcel of land north of the current terminal and adjacent to San Fernando Road and North Hollywood Way.

According to BGPAA, the new, 355,000-sqft terminal is being built to include airfield improvements focused on added distance between airport runways and the terminal building.

The replacement terminal will meet current Federal Aviation Administration safety standards and will also incorporate seismic safety and ADA features.

City of Burbank/Elevate BUR

City of Burbank/Elevate BUR

Here are some highlights travelers can expect when the new terminal opens this fall:

• A new entryway with a plaza and a silver-hued archway designed to “be reminiscent of the Old Hollywood era” and architecture inspired by mid-century modern design. The new terminal’s main entrance will be at Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way.
• A ticketing lobby with automated kiosks where passengers will receive their boarding pass and check their bags.
• A new TSA checkpoint.
• A new baggage screening system and baggage claim area designed to “make traveling easier.”
• A passenger parking structure with up to 6,637 spaces and EV charging stations.
• Improved roadway access to the airport via North Hollywood Way.
• Fresh shopping and dining amenities, including an area dubbed “The Great Hall,” located right after the TSA checkpoint. At this central food court, travelers can grab a drink, coffee, and food from a variety of restaurants and browse retail shops.
• A new concourse lined with common-use gate lounges to accommodate any airline with plenty of seating, flight information displays, additional restrooms, and more concessions.
• A 45,900-sqft aircraft parking area for boarding and deplaning.
• When passengers arrive, they’ll deplane via a covered boarding ramp and walk a short path to the terminal entry and baggage claim.
• The new terminal is being designed to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification.

“When complete, the replacement passenger terminal will maintain the ease of use and unique boarding experience of the legacy facility, while providing an elevated customer experience in a new, modern, and convenient facility that will serve the region for decades to come,” a promotional video for the project stated.

According to the City of Burbank, once the new terminal opens this fall, the demolition of the existing terminal will be completed within 9 to 12 months of the replacement terminal’s opening.