BURBANK, Calif., July 8 (Burbank News Online) — Hollywood Burbank Airport’s replacement terminal is moving toward an October 2026 opening, and the project is built around a simple goal: replace two smaller terminal areas with one larger facility that can handle the same 14 gates in a newer layout.
The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has described the effort as a long-planned modernization project. For passengers, the biggest changes are expected to be a larger ticketing lobby, a new TSA checkpoint, a new baggage claim area, and more space for shops and restaurants. For drivers, the airport is also planning a new parking structure and a new entrance area.
What is being built?
The project is a new terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, California. In reporting based on airport project materials, the terminal is described as a single larger building that will replace the airport’s existing smaller terminal areas.
The new terminal will have 14 gates, the same number the airport uses now. That means the project is more about replacing and reorganizing the airport’s passenger space than expanding the number of flights.
Reporting on the project gives two slightly different sizes for the building: 335,000 square feet in one account and 355,000 square feet in others. The difference has not been explained in the source material reviewed.
After the new terminal opens, the old terminal buildings are expected to be torn down.
When is it supposed to open?
Construction began in January 2024. One report says terminal construction itself started in May 2024.
The airport project is now being tracked toward an October 2026 opening. One updated timeline cited in reporting gives a specific date of Oct. 13, 2026.
The project has also hit several construction milestones along the way. One report said the work was about 32% complete in March 2025, while another said the terminal was about 55% complete in September 2025 after steel framing was finished.
What will change for travelers?
For passengers, the main effect should be a more modern terminal experience. Project descriptions point to a new ticketing lobby, a dedicated TSA checkpoint, baggage claim space, and more retail and dining options.
For people driving to the airport, the project includes a new parking structure. One report based on airport planning details says the garage will include 2,007 spaces, including 400 valet spots, while the airport’s total parking count will remain 6,637.
Airport officials have said the airport’s operating hours and number of flights will not change.
The new entrance is planned for the area of Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way, according to reporting on the airport’s project plan.
The airport also sits near the Metrolink Burbank Airport North stop on the Antelope Valley Line, so the terminal work matters not just for drivers but for rail-connected travelers using the airport area.
Who is building it?
The project is being handled as a design-build job, which means one team is responsible for both designing and building the terminal rather than separating those tasks across multiple contracts.
Reporting identifies Jacobs as the project manager and names Holder Construction, Pankow Builders and TEC Constructors & Engineers as part of the design-build team. Architectural work is also credited to Corgan and CannonDesign.
Why does this matter now?
The airport’s current terminals have served travelers for years, but the replacement project is meant to bring the facility up to date. In practical terms, that means more indoor space, a new security layout, a new baggage area and updated parking and roadway access.
The project is also a reminder that an airport can be under construction for years before the public sees the result. Until the new terminal opens, the old facilities remain in service and the project is still a work in progress, not a finished change in airport operations.
