After 33 months of construction and $1.3 billion in spending, the Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new terminal opened on Tuesday morning, with a medley of arrivals and departures in the minutes after 7 a.m.
Instead of the snug, historic facility whose Spanish Colonial Revival style dated to 1930, travelers found themselves in a sleek terminal at Winona Avenue and Hollywood Way, distinguished by high ceilings, contemporary art, twinkling terrazzo floors, abundant charging stations and landscaping full of cactus and succulents, along with a few “wet paint” signs. Passengers gawked at mirrored grid artwork by Glenn Kaino overhead.
Passengers at Pete’s Pub inside the new Hollywood Burbank Airport terminal. None of the 13 food concessions are fully open.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
“It was weird,” said Tanya Radke, 25, of Van Nuys, who was headed to Kansas City and caught off-guard by the terminal switch. “It was not what I thought was going to happen today for me.”
But looking around, the passenger called the new space a big upgrade. “It reminds me a lot of the Kansas City airport,” Radke said. “It was well overdue.”
The day’s schedule called for about 90 departures and arrivals by eight airlines, roughly the same schedule as in the previous buildings. The new terminal also has the same two runways and same number of gates — 14 — as the airport’s previous two-terminal alignment. And passengers still often board planes from the front and back, using outdoor steps from the tarmac, rather than enclosed tunnels. That practice is something travelers have long praised for its informality and efficiency.
But the new building does bring many changes. It measures about 50% larger than the two old terminals combined — about 355,000 square feet — with higher ceilings and a pair of illuminated steel sculptures by Cliff Garten flanking the main entrance.
The first departure was Alaska Flight 3401 to Santa Rosa at 7:03 a.m. with 33 passengers aboard. The first arrival: Southwest Flight 189 from Las Vegas, which landed at 7:16 a.m. with 30 passengers aboard.
The new terminal opened after 33 months of construction and $1.3 billion in spending.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
“The taxi off was a little different. Instead of turning right, you turn left,” said Southwest Airlines pilot Mike Petros, who arrived at 7:31 a.m. with a planeload of passengers from Sacramento. At the start of the flight, Petros said, “We told them that we would be flying to a new terminal, so if they had anybody picking them up, let them know.”
Still, many were surprised. Airport management deployed several staffers to redirect confused travelers from the old terminals (now idle) to the new one. Anthony Bailey, 29, said he learned of the switch from an Uber driver on his way to the airport.
“So far, I’m liking it,” Bailey said of the new terminal, standing near gate 13 before catching a flight to Las Vegas. “Nice and clean. The TSA line was pretty smooth.”
While most of the six retail stores were open on Tuesday, none of the terminal’s 13 food concessions were fully operating. Two eateries were offering grab-and-go options, and airport spokesperson Mike Christensen said more options would arrive later in the day and week.
Katelyn Bailey and travel companion Pigeon check in for a flight to the Bay Area.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
When the new terminal concessions open, dining options will include Guy Fieri’s Flavor Town, Spring Chicken, Diane’s Farm Table and Italian Market, Jones Coffee, Perry’s Joint, Poquito Mas, West Coast Smash Burgers, Massis Kabob, Starbucks, Border Grill, Jet Tila’s Asian Table, Santa Canela bakery and a bar, Pete’s Pub, with picture-window views of the runways and Verdugo Mountains.
Many travelers, including William Langlois and Annie Cerillo of Tampa, noted the shortage of eating options on Tuesday. “It’s horrible, there’s no restaurants and not enough security stations,” said Langlois, who had gone to the old terminal first and was redirected. Before this change, “this was the easiest airport,” said Cerillo.
In the new terminal, airport officials say, the walk from the entrance to the farthest gate is 1,285 feet, down from 1,600 feet now, with wider corridors and sidewalks and access to power plugs for devices from every seat. (Its many charging stations are now mostly USB-C ports, not USB.) The new terminal includes eight TSA lines, versus five in the old set-up. Baggage claim carousels have moved from outdoors to indoors.
The airport’s new parking structure includes about 2,000 spots and 310 charging ports for electric vehicles. (The airport’s total number of parking spaces is 6,637, the same as before.)
Alaska Airlines Flight 3401 to Santa Rosa was the first flight to depart from the new terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport on Tuesday.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
As it did before, the airport supplies shuttle bus service between the new terminal and Burbank Airport-South Train Station (which connects with Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner) and the Burbank Airport-North Station at San Fernando Road and Hollywood Way.
Among many preparations for the day, Burbank airport officials staged a “passenger simulation trial” on Sept. 19, inviting 1,500 volunteers to behave like passengers in the new building, giving dozens of airport workers staffers, including TSA staffers and airline gate agents, a chance to prepare for Tuesday.
The airport, second busiest in L.A. County, was built in 1930 and is run by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. For decades it has been favored by many local travelers as a simpler, faster, quainter alternative to Los Angeles International Airport. The Burbank airport’s site in the San Fernando Valley, however, has often put its leaders at odds with residents of surrounding suburban neighborhoods. Unlike LAX, which has no flight curfew, the Burbank airport has limited operating hours — 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Passengers disembark Southwest Flight 189 from Las Vegas just before 7:30 a.m. This was the first arrival into the new terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Before this week’s move, the aged Burbank facility didn’t meet current state seismic standards or Federal Aviation Administration design standards, which prompted repeated safety warnings. Airport officials said the new design also increases the distance between the terminal and the nearest runway, formerly as little as 257 feet, to about 880 feet — a change that brings the airport into compliance with FAA standards.
Voters approved the Burbank airport terminal replacement project in 2016. Construction began in 2024. The airport reported about 6.2 million arriving and departing passengers in 2025, flying to and from about 30 nonstop destinations.
“It’s a beautiful building, but buildings aren’t anything without people who fill them with dedication and service,” said Tyron Hampton, president of the Burbank-Glendale Airport Authority and City Councilmember in Pasadena. He predicted that the new facility would attract not only new passengers but new businesses to the commercial corridor along Burbank’s Winona Avenue.
As Burbank unveils its new terminal, the opening of LAX’s most high-profile project — the SkyLink automated people mover (a 2.25-mile electric train route linking terminals to rail service and rental cars) has been delayed by technical and legal issues until Jan. 6 at the earliest.
“I don’t like to compare,” said Hampton when asked about LAX. “We have 14 gates. LAX has 161.”
Jeremy Clarkson has teased a new show in the future after the success of Clarkson’s Farm as he confirms the sixth series has already been filmed
Jeremy Clarkson teases new show to rival Celebrity Traitors in the works(Image: Joe Maher, Getty Images for The NTA’s)
Jeremy Clarkson is teasing a new TV show beyond Clarkson’s farm, that could rival Celebrity Traitors.
The former Top Gear host, 66, started the Amazon Prime Series Clarkson’s Farm in 2021, showcasing the behind the scenes of running his farm Diddly Squat.
The show has been awarded two National Television Awards [NTAs] and become one of the most-watched series on the streaming programme.
The sixth series of the show has been filmed, as confirmed by Clarkson, with the star revealing he is looking forward to what is next outside of the famous series.
At the RTS Convention in London Clarkson said he is already thinking about what comes after Clarkson’s Farm in the changing TV landscape.
He said: “We’re currently thinking about what we’re going to do after Clarkson’s Farm, and it’s going to have to be something bigger – to stand out, to protect us from the onslaught from underneath.”
He told The Sun: “It has to be unbelievably ambitious, like, where people go, ‘What the f**k are you doing? That’s an incredible show!'”
He added that The Traitors is “a very good example”, as the second celebrity version is set to air on October 1.
“They get proper celebrities on that, and it’s a great show.”
He spoke with his daughter, Emily, and Loose Women’s Jane Moore about the changing dynamic of the TV world in the digital age.
He said: “Television has to get bigger, lose scheduling and get better.
Clarkson suggested that the “only” way television can “survive” would be to merge “the whole lot”.
He named the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, and Channel 5, and proposed a united platform called “Britfix”.
He added: “People are draining away from the industry, and it’s a huge pool of talent, and I think if we had one great big thing – Britflix, let’s call it – we could all club together and make good programmes.
“But bigger, better and fewer programmes.”
Speaking on Celebrity Traitors, the presenter said he loved the show but we wouldn’t see him sat at the round table in the future.
He said in an interview last year when asked if he would take part: “I wouldn’t in a million years. I’ve got 10 jobs already. Why would I want 11?”
He went on to discuss his former co-stars, saying: “I couldn’t see James May going on it. I could see Richard Hammond going on it, though.”
The sixth series of Clarkson’s Farm is set to land on Prime next summer, following the emotional series that focused on his recovery from a heart procedure and cancer diagnosis.
As with every home game, the Salisbury FC players and coaching staff went to embrace the fans in the Andrews Terrace at The Mac Stadium after Saturday’s 2-0 win against Folkestone Invicta.
Alongside the normal applause and cheers, they were greeted with a chant that isn’t a regular from the songbook.
“Kuwait away ole, ole,” sang fans of the National League South outfit.
The players clapped back with an extra buzz – within 24 hours they would be travelling to the Middle East.
“Straight away we all said, ‘yeah, we’re all in,” explains Salisbury player Luke Russe.
“It’s a unique opportunity and as players, we are so thankful to everybody involved in making this trip happen. I’ve been involved in this level for a long time now and I’ve never had an experience like it.”
The five-day trip involves the club facing one of Kuwait’s most successful teams on Wednesday, Al Qadsia, who have won more than 50 trophies, before returning on Thursday to play Saturday’s FA Cup third qualifying round against Dulwich Hamlet.
It comes as part of the club’s continued link with Kuwait through their owner Ali Alhamad, who purchased the club in 2025.
The club hopes the trip will offer significant commercial growth and, for the players, an opportunity to experience football in a new environment and culture.
The Mohammad Al-Hamad Stadium holds 22,000 spectators, more than five times that of Salisbury’s The Mac.
“We’d love to win the game,” says Russe. “But at the same time I think it’s more about the experience and about the club as a whole, going over there, living that way of life and experiencing the game.
“We’ve got a very young group, so for them to experience that and kind of experience cultures and differences is great.
“It’ll be a fantastic opportunity for us players, for the staff, and I think it’ll bring the whole club even closer to what we are now.”
IF you want to be ahead of the curve, there’s a country three hours from the UK with beautiful coastal resorts, high summer temperatures and cheap beer.
Not only that, but there are more flights from the UK and with new hotels opening – so it’s set to be the must-visit destination of summer 2027.
Bulgaria is known for having beautiful and cheap coastal resortsCredit: AlamyJet2 will be adding even more flights next year for the Eurovision Song ContestCredit: Alamy
Bulgaria has it all from vibrant cities like Sofia to coastal resorts like Sunny Beach, Golden Sands and Albena.
In the summer, Bulgaria has highs of 30C – and in June, return flights to Sofia as little as £62.
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It’s affordable too, according to Wise, as beer in Bulgaria can be as little as 90p with an inexpensive meal at a restaurant costing around £6.
TUI has a number of hotels in Bulgaria already, but is expanding in time for next summer.
One of those is the TUI BLUE Arabella in Golden Sands near Varna, which is currently undergoing renovation and is set to reopen in summer 2027.
When open, guests will be able to paddle in its four swimming pools, one main pool, a children’s pool, one for relaxation and the indoor one too.
There will be on-site restaurants and bars, wellness area with a sauna, gym and tennis court.
On-site are 290 rooms which will range from suites to double and family rooms with sea views and balconies.
Guests will also have access to the waterpark at nearby GRIFID Bolero hotel.
Another is in the SUNEO collection which is budget-friendly stays with 3- and 4-star beach getaways.
Bulgaria is getting new TUI hotels for summer 2027Credit: Alamy
Called the TUI SUNEO Compass 4*, the pretty hotel is set within peaceful gardens and is also set to open next summer.
Already existing hotels include the TUI SUNEO Serenity Bay in Tsarevo and TUI SUNEO Perla in Sunny Beach.
An all-inclusive stay at TUI SUNEO Perla in May starts from £591.33pp – or £84.47pppn.
This includes a stay for seven-nights in a Deluxe Double Room with a balcony or terrace and return flights – it also has an outdoor swimming pool and restaurant.
Another of the existing TUI hotels includes the TUI BLUE Nevis in Sunny Beach which offers all-inclusive family holidays.
It has a huge swimming complex with swimming pools, splash zone and waterslides as well as kids’ clubs and a buffet restaurant.
TUI BLUE Arabella will reopen for booking next yearCredit: TUIIt’s right on the edge of Golden Sands and has an outdoor swimming poolCredit: TUI
There are plenty of flights from the UK too – TUI has flights to two destinations in Bulgaria, Sofia and Bourgas from 21 UK and Ireland airports.
TUI Group CEO Sebastian Ebel said: “Bulgaria has enormous potential as a tourism destination. The country combines attractive beach holidays on the Black Sea with culture, nature, hospitality and very good value for money.”
Jet2 also flies regularly to Bulgaria with flights from 11 UK airports to Bourgas.
These include London Stansted, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Bristol, Newcastle, London Gatwick, Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow, and Manchester.
From Bourgas, it’s easy to get to Sunny Beach, Nessebar, and St Vlas.
Adding to its popularity for next year, Bulgaria will be the host country for the Eurovision Song Contest after winning this year.
It will take place on May 11, 13, and 15 at theArena Burgas– and in time for the event, Jet2 will add new flights from the UK to Bourgas.
Otherwise want a mega cheap holiday? Loveholidays has four-night all-inclusives from £219pp.