Los Angeles is home to one of the world’s busiest airports, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In 2024, the airport ranked seventh globally in terms of landings and takeoffs, with a 1. 2% increase in movements year-over-year (YoY) according to Airports Council International (ACI).
While LAX is the main airport in Los Angeles County, there are two other commercial airports in the county: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Long Beach Airport (LGB). These airports are located in Los Angeles County, but do not include Ontario International Airport (ONT) or Santa Ana John Wayne Airport (SNA), which are located in San Bernardino County and Orange County respectively. In July, Simple Flying explored the route networks of these two lesser-known airports in Los Angeles.
Record-Breaking Months in Burbank
Hollywood Burbank Airport is the busier of the two airports, with almost twice as many weekly flights compared to Long Beach Airport in July. This information is based on data from Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning tool, which does not include flights by public or on-demand charter companies. In July, there were 650 direct departures per week from Hollywood Burbank and 335 from Long Beach. Southwest Airlines is the largest carrier at both airports, with 373 and 300 weekly departures from Hollywood Burbank and Long Beach respectively.
According to monthly data published by Hollywood Burbank, the airport’s passenger numbers have consistently improved since May 2024, with the exception of January. In May 2024, the airport welcomed over 6. 5 million travelers, with passenger numbers increasing by 7. 5% YoY. However, in January 2024, the airport saw a 6. 4% decrease in passengers compared to the same month in 2023. Despite this, passenger numbers have steadily increased in February, March, April, and May.
Changes in Flights from Burbank
In July, Hollywood Burbank’s capacity, measured in weekly departing available seat kilometers (ASK), is expected to decrease by 13% YoY, with weekly departures decreasing by 7. 8%. This decrease is mainly due to Southwest Airlines, which has removed 38 weekly flights from the airport in July. Other carriers with reduced flights include Alaska Airlines (one), Avelo Airlines (18), and Spirit Airlines (14). These airlines have had to reduce capacity due to the market now favoring a more premium travel experience. Both Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines have made changes to their onboard products, including Spirit rebranding its travel options into Spirit First, Premium Economy, and Value.
On the other hand, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have added daily flights to their major hubs. Delta has increased its weekly departures from 21 in July 2024 to 28 this July to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).