I'll be in Southern California next week and just had a change in my meeting schedule. Was planning to leave earlier in the morning but I'll be stuck in a meeting near UCLA until about 1:30.

Looked at BUR as an option as they have a 3:19 departure through DEN that still gets me to Philly the same day. I've heard that its a pretty easy airport to get through security and to the gate.

If I leave Westwood at 1:30, Google Maps seems to think that I can get to BUR in 30 min. Allowing some time to return the rental car and get through TSA, I think I am in good shape to make the flight.

Are there any pitfalls (besides LA traffic) that I have to be concerned about getting out of there on time?

Leave an extra hour for traffic on the 405 minimum. The airport is very easy but getting there...not so much.

I really like BUR. There's zero wait and for where I go in LA, it's actually much easier to get to than LAX. The biggest problem that I had with BUR was actually SFO... It seems like the small planes from BUR get bumped when SFO has to reduce the number of planes they accept per hour because of fog.

Here was my last flight out of there last month: http://seattleflyerguy.blogspot.com/...eaving-la.html

The big issue is the traffic on the 405 freeway from Westwood to the 101/134. It can be easy or slow as can some of the 101 traffic can be. The earlier in the afternoon, generally the easier that fwy. traffic is.

I'll move this to the Destinations->L.A. forum as that's where most issues are discussed re the L.A. area airports. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator.

You should be fine. The area where you check in for your flight/go through security is only a short (2 minute) walk from the rental car drop off area.

The only negative is that UA frequently uses the CRJ200 on the BUR to DEN route; this is a pretty lousy plane for a flight of this length, in that it has no first class or E+ and the exit row leg room isn't much better than the regular seats.

Of course all this would be moot if you are late due to traffic!

From UCLA either the 405N to 101E to 134E exit Hollywood Way...that is 40 minutes to airport with no traffic

or alternate route is 405S to 10E to 110N to 5N exit Hollywood Way (or where is say Burbank Airport) - thats prob like 45 min no traffic

Either route without traffic isnt bad.

check www.sigalert.com and look at those freeways before you leave to see what traffic is like

OR OR OR
East on Sunset to Coldwater Canyon (street right by Beverly Hills Hotel), go north on Coldwater Canyon and that will pop you out on the Valley side and you can get on 101E (or South, whatev its called there) and take that to 134E to Hollywood Way...this route is pretty easy barring any crazy traffic delays...think 45 minutes for this one too, maybe less

Thanks for the input. Is Beverly Glen to the 101 an option or is the traffic bad on that road?

Somehow on these westbound trips I always end up going from LAX. So other than ONT, I've never made good use of the alternate airports in the area.

That said, I also wanted to make sure I could catch an Angels game one night and setting my schedule to accomplish that put me in the pickle I'm in now.

it is a great alternative to LAX. only problem of course is the traffic on the 405.

If you have someone with you then you can use the HOV lane which makes it a no-brainer :-)

I was about to make that suggestion as an alternative to Coldwater Canyon (post # 6). You can then opt continue to Victory Blvd. which will take you all the way to the airport without having to get on the freeway.

There is an LAX-DEN-PHL flight (UA 1669/ UA 340) that leaves LAX at 3:36 pm. That is a much safer alternative that trying to get to BUR from Westwood with a window of only 1 hour 49 minutes.

I considered that one. But I'm a bit concerned with the time to return my rental car, get the shuttle to the airport and make it through security as eating a bit into that time advantage.

Valid concern as LAX does not have a consolidated rental car facility and signage directing you to the rental locations in the surrounding neighborhood are not always the best.

I think you're pressing it, since the airline could require you to actually check in by 2:19 or 2:36, depending on which of the two aforementioned flights you take (easy enough to confirm with the airline), after you've gotten to the airport and returned your rental car, but if you actually are in your car at 1:30 (i.e., not just that the meeting ends at 1:30 and then you have to walk to wherever your car is parked, pay and exit) and traffic, including on Wilshire Boulevard, etc., isn't bad, I think you'd probably make it. Remember, Google Maps doesn't usually take traffic into account.

I like BUR. Small, easy to use, though very limited in facilities, so wouldn't want to kill several hours there.

Clarification to some of the above posts: not all rental car facilities are within walking distance of the terminal at BUR. Avis is, and I think Hertz, as well. But others are not. I have used Budget and Enterprise car rental in the past year and they both required shuttle busses (each is a bit under a mile from the terminal). That is a potential source of delay, as are lines at the check-in counter and security (and, of course, finding a gas station before you return the car). Be sure you know in advance exactly where your rental car facility is, if it's not one of those right by the terminal.

Most of the time, the 405 to the 101 to the 134 (use Google Maps or Mapquest or a GPS) would be fastest. In August we drove from Westwood to Burbank and took Beverly Glen to the 101, but did it as a change of pace. It was not fast, with traffic, traffic lights, etc. At about 3 we hit rather heavy traffic near the 101/134 split (I can't recall the cause). If you find from traffic reports that the 405 is somehwo congested, then, yes, Beverly Glen, or Sepulveda Boulevard or other road over the Hollywood Hills could be used.

At least with LAX there are flights after those getting you to PHL the same day. Could you get out of your meeting before 1:30? If you have never flown out of BUR, it has a bit of a retro feel. No jetways from the terminal. You walk outside. At least it now has ramps to the plane door from the tarmac (as you can see in photos in the link above), not just stairs.

+1 IMO the best way from westside to the valley (due to normal slow traffic on 405).

Other road: Laurel Canyon. I've done all three, just check reports before you leave/on the road.

101/134 split (aka Hollywood split) gets traffic b/c 4 lanes go to 2 lanes. Once you get on the 134, it's smooth sailing b/c more lanes appear from 170 on left. Just go left and speed past everyone. Or just stay on Ventura until Vineland and then get on 134. I recommend Cahuenga or Hollywood Way all the way up, 5 can get crowded as well. Just time it right and you should pass by each traffic light at green.

On school days, you can expect kids to get out of school and on the road around 3-4pm.

I can be definitive: the "on-airport" brands at BUR are Avis, Hertz, and National/Alamo. All others are off airport property and use shuttle buses.