Burning Man Exodus: Reno Airport's Peak Travel Days Driven by the Flow of Burners

Over the holiday weekend, more than 70,000 travelers made their way to Nevada's Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles from Reno, to join the temporary city known as Black Rock City—home to Burning Man, a unique event celebrating art, music, creative expression, and a wide array of unconventional activities.

The theme for this year's Burning Man was "Curiouser & Curiouser."

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) acts as the main transit hub for approximately 20,000 Burners each year. The arrivals and departures of these event-goers make the airport's travel days among the busiest of the year.

At RNO, Burners are greeted with helpful information tables offering guidance on food, supplies, and costumes, along with directions to the Burner Express Bus that shuttles attendees to the event.

When Burners leave Black Rock City and travel through RNO on their way home, they bring with them not only memories but also layers of desert dust, discarded clothing, and unwanted costumes, food, and gear. The event's 'Leave No Trace' policy means there are no trash cans to be found.

After years of hosting Burners' departures, RNO airport staff are well-prepared and have mastered the routine.

"Each year presents new challenges, from weather changes to ongoing construction projects," said Nicolle Staten, spokesperson for RNO. However, she notes that the airport has become more adaptable and has implemented creative solutions to safeguard equipment, maintain cleanliness, and minimize disruptions for both Burners and non-Burner travelers.

The RNO website features a Burning Man Festival FAQ section, addressing common questions like "Can I shower at the airport?" (Answer: No), "Does the airport offer luggage storage?" (Answer: No), and "Will rental car companies charge a cleaning fee?" (Answer: Yes, if there's desert dust inside or outside the car).

On Monday, as thousands of exhausted, dusty Burners arrived at RNO, the airport greeted them with large construction dumpsters for garbage disposal, clear plastic bags to protect dusty luggage, and paper booties to cover dirty shoes, all aimed at preserving the cleanliness of the airport's floors.

Many Burners bring or acquire bicycles to navigate the 7-square-mile Black Rock City. After the event ends, many don't want to or can't take their dust-covered, decorated bikes home. To prevent these bikes from ending up in landfills, RNO has set up a bike donation corral, where bikes are collected for the Reno Bike Project, a non-profit that refurbishes them and distributes them to local community organizations.

A Burner Gear Giveback station was established to gather camping gear, hygiene products, food, and other necessities for donation to unhoused individuals in the local community.

Inside the airport, departing Burners had the opportunity to visit and interact with therapy dogs from RNO's Paws 4 Passengers initiative.

Burners had the opportunity to explore RNO's depARTures Gallery in the C Concourse Connector, where they could experience an exhibit titled "Beyond Blackrock: A Global Burning Man Showcase." The display featured a variety of artifacts, ephemera, artwork, and maps from five other Burning Man events around the world, including Kiwiburn in New Zealand, Catharsis on the Mall in Washington D.C., AfrikaBurn in South Africa, Fuego Austral in Argentina, and both Burning Flipside and Freezerburn in Texas.

By midday on Monday, RNO spokesperson Nicolle Staten told TPG that operations at the airport were "pretty chill and tame." Burners were being respectful, avoiding showers in the restrooms, and generally following the airport's requests while paying attention to posted instructions.

This included signs that read "Too much skin is not a win," which Staten explained were intended to remind Burners about airline dress codes. While she acknowledged these signs were "an unusual reminder" in an airport setting, they served to ensure passengers adhered to clothing regulations.