Good morning, IFC (or good night)! It’s 5:55 AM my time, and I’m here with a trip report for my flight from Sacramento to Burbank.
Route - KSMF to KBUR
Server - Solo
Time - 1 Hour 8 Minutes
Today’s flight takes us from KSMF to KBUR on Southwest Airlines Flight 1233. We’re set to board a seven-year-old Boeing 737-700, registered N7867A, at Gate 15 in Terminal B for its first flight of the day. It’s currently 5:51 AM.
Boarding was smooth, and I grabbed seat 9A. We pushed back from the gate a couple of minutes early, and soon, the familiar hum of the CFM56-7B engines filled the cabin as they spooled up.
As we began taxiing, we left the terminal and remote stands behind, making our way to Runway 35L. Sacramento was experiencing some gusty winds up to 24 mph, which hinted at an interesting departure.
After a smooth takeoff, we climbed into the dark, chilly sky, leaving Sacramento behind. There were some crosswinds on liftoff, but nothing too rough.
Climbout was a bit bumpy with some turbulence along the way, but nothing too severe. Once at cruising altitude, the fasten seatbelt sign turned off, and the flight attendants came around. I grabbed a bag of pretzels and a bottle of water, just as the first hints of sunlight started peeking over the mountains.
After an uneventful cruise, we began our descent into Burbank—arriving about 15 minutes early.
On approach, Van Nuys Airport came into view below us, with the sun now fully shining.
Touchdown was firm, and as the aircraft slowed, thrust reversers deployed to bring us to taxi speed.
We exited the runway and taxied over to our arrival gate—Gate A1 in Terminal A. Once parked, I took one last look out the window as ground crews moved in to meet the aircraft.
Deplaning was quick, and I stepped into Terminal A—soon to be replaced by the new terminal currently under construction off Taxiway A. The “Elevate KBUR” project is a $1.2 billion investment, set to open in October 2026.
Overall, today’s flight was seamless—from boarding to deplaning. The flight crew was friendly and professional, and the flight itself was quick and efficient—a classic Southwest experience.
Thanks for taking a look hope you enjoyed!
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