Burning Man exodus: Reno airport's busiest days of the year fueled by 'Burners'
More than 70,000 people traveled over the holiday weekend to Nevada's Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles from Reno, to occupy Black Rock City, the temporary town created to host Burning Man, the annual eccentric and offbeat camping event filled with art, music, creative endeavors and all manner of curious activities.
This year's Burning Man theme was, in fact "Curiouser & Curiouser."
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) serves as the gateway transportation node for about 20,000 of those Burners, as event attendees are called. And each year the arrival and departure of the Burners represents the busiest travel days for the airport.
The Burners are welcomed to RNO with information tables, tips on shopping for food, supplies and costumes that might be needed at Burning Man and directions to the Burner Express Bus.
And when the Burners leave Black Rock City and head home through RNO, they arrive with memories, of course, but also with many layers of dirt and dust from the desert, garbage – the event is 'Leave No Trace' with no trash cans – and all manner of no-longer-wanted clothing, costumes, food and gear.
After years of hosting departing Burners, RNO airport officials have seen it all. And they have the routine down.
"Each year brings new challenges like weather or our construction projects simultaneously taking place," said RNO airport spokesperson Nicolle Staten. But she says the airport has honed its adaptability and found innovative ways to protect its equipment, keep the airport clean, and minimize disruptions for both Burners and for non-Burner passengers.
There's a Burning Man Festival Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on the RNO website to answer queries such as "Can I shower at the airport?" (Short answer: no), "Does the airport have luggage storage," (Short answer: "No") and "Will the rental car company charge a cleaning fee?" (Short answer: Yes, if there's desert dust outside or inside the vehicle).
And on Monday, as thousands of tired, dirty, dusty Burners arrived at the airport RNO airort welcomed them with construction site-sized dumpsters to collect garbage, transparent plastic bags to wrap dusty luggage to protect baggage equipment and paper booties to cover dirty shoes and boots in hopes of keeping RNO's floors clean.
Many Burners bring, buy or borrow bicycles so that they can make their way around the 7-square-mile Black Rock City site. And when the event is over, they can't or don't want to bring the dirty, dusty and decorated bikes home. To keep those bikes out of the landfills, RNO set up a bike corral to accept donated bikes on behalf of the non-profit Reno Bike Project, which refurbishes the bikes and then donates them to community organizations.
There was also a Burner Gear Giveback site to collect camping gear, hygiene products, food and other supplies to be donated to unhoused people in the community.
Inside the airport, departing Burners could visit and cuddle with therapy dogs from RNO's Paws 4 Passengers team.
Burners could also visit RNO's depARTures Gallery, in the C Concourse Connector, to peruse an exhibit titled "Beyond Blackrock: A Global Burning Man Showcase," featuring artifacts, ephemera, artwork and maps from five other Burning Man events from around the world, including New Zealand's Kiwiburn, Washington D.C.'s Catharsis on the Mall, South Africa's AfrikaBurn, Argentina's Fuego Austral and Burning Flipside and Freezerburn in Texas.
Midday on Monday, Staten told TPG that operations at RNO were "pretty chill and tame." Burners were being respectful and not showering in the restrooms, she said, and generally honoring all the airport's requests and paying attention to posted notices.
That includes the signs reading "Too much skin is not a win" which Staten says are designed to alert Burners to airline regulations about clothing and are, she acknowledges, "an unusual reminder" to see at an airport.
Related reading:
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.