Planespotting Burbank — KBUR
Hollywood Burbank — officially Bob Hope Airport — is the compact, easy-going alternative to LAX in the San Fernando Valley. It is small enough to see in a morning but has character: two short crossing runways boxed in by the Verdugo and San Gabriel Mountains, a busy business aviation scene serving the film studios next door, and JSX's semi-private ERJs based here. The terrain dictates an unusual pattern: runway 08 is used for nearly all arrivals and runway 15 for nearly all departures, even with a light tailwind, so you always know where to stand. At under 6,000 ft, 08 makes Southwest 737s work hard on landing, and departures off 15 climb past the industrial blocks of Sun Valley. A replacement terminal on the northeast corner of the field is due to open in October 2026, so views and access around the old terminal will change; the off-airport spots are unaffected. Burbank Airport South Metrolink station puts the field within reach by train.
- DAL2530 BCS3 32 075 ft
- N927AS T18 8 500 ft
- NFX101 B350 8 075 ft
- CFS8693 C408 7 925 ft
- PCM8749 C208 7 900 ft
- SKW6053 E75L 6 325 ft
- N8002K C182 5 700 ft
- AAL2211 B738 3 925 ft
Conditions right now
Runways
- 15/33 2,104 × 46 m · 6,903 × 151 ft asphalt
- 08/26 1,766 × 46 m · 5,794 × 151 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 07:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody55%
- Bizjet25%
- Turboprop8%
- GA8%
- Cargo4%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Vineland Avenue railroad crossing
The standard spot for runway 08 arrivals, at the level crossing on Vineland Avenue west of the field. Aircraft cross low over the tracks on short final with the mountains behind — the classic Burbank landing shot.
- Getting there
- Park on Vineland Avenue between the railway and Vanowen Street. About a 25-minute walk from Burbank Airport South station. Watch out for trains. Food, drinks and restrooms at the gas station at Vineland and Vanowen and along Vanowen Street.
- Best time
- Runway 08 arrivals (almost always). In winter good from sunrise to sunset; in summer from late morning to mid-afternoon. No shade.
- Lens
- 85 mm for a 737, about 100 mm for an ERJ.
Keswick Street (runway 15 threshold)
An industrial dead end beside the start of runway 15, where departures line up and roll right in front of you. The near taxiway is used by business jets and JSX, which pass at almost wide-angle distance.
- Getting there
- End of Keswick Street in Sun Valley; park along the fence facing north, never in front of the gate or on business property. Shoot through the mesh with a small-diameter lens; no ladder. No food, drinks or restrooms.
- Best time
- Runway 15 departures. In winter from late morning (line-ups) or noon (take-off rolls) to sunset; in summer from early afternoon.
- Lens
- 60–70 mm on the runway, 25 mm for an ERJ on the near taxiway, 130 mm for the far taxiway.
Short-term parking garage at the current terminal, upper level
The upper deck next to the terminal covers the end of the runway 08 landing roll, the Terminal A ramp and taxiway D, plus heavier departures off runway 15. Convenient if you are flying out or arriving by train.
- Getting there
- Short-term garage beside the current terminal, about five minutes' walk from Burbank Airport South station. Paid parking. With the new terminal opening in October 2026, this garage and its access may change or close — check the airport website before going.
- Best time
- 08 arrivals all day in winter and late morning to mid-afternoon in summer; 15 departures from sunrise to noon.
- Lens
- 50–200 mm.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Southwest is the largest airline, with 737s to the Bay Area, Las Vegas, Phoenix and beyond. Alaska and its regional partners, Delta, United and American fill out the airline roster, mostly with narrowbodies and regional jets. JSX, based at Burbank, flies its 30-seat ERJ-135s and ERJ-145s from a private terminal to Las Vegas, the Bay Area and Arizona. UPS operates freighter flights and Ameriflight is based here with small cargo turboprops. Business aviation is the real highlight: Gulfstreams, Globals, Challengers and fractional fleets such as NetJets and Flexjet serve the studios and the wider Hollywood area, and celebrity-linked jets often appear on the live map before they land.
FAQ
What's that plane over Burbank?
Open Spotterra's live map: every ADS-B aircraft over the San Fernando Valley in real time, with type, registration and route — useful for telling a JSX ERJ from a studio Gulfstream on final to runway 08.
Why does Burbank always land on runway 08?
Mountains to the east, northeast and south make other approaches and departures difficult, so arrivals use 08 and departures use 15 nearly all the time, even with a light tailwind.
Can I spot Burbank without a car?
Yes. Burbank Airport South Metrolink station is a short walk from the parking garage and about 25 minutes on foot from the Vineland Avenue crossing.
Spotterra watches the sky over Burbank
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