The ultimate guide to Boston’s Logan Airport

Airline passenger volume at Boston’s Logan Airport has increased by 10 million—or more than 30 percent—in just the past five years; and it’s expected to top 47.6 million annually by 2024, which would represent a 17 percent increase over 2018.

But none of this means that getting around New England’s busiest transportation hub has to be a hassle. We’ve gathered all of the best up-to-date information and tips to get you where you need to go.

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Getting there and away from there

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Your best bet getting to and from Logan is definitely public transportation on the Boston area’s T system. Do not drive if you can help it.

You can get the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Silver Line bus at South Station, which stops at every Logan terminal and even has room to store your luggage.

If the Blue Line is more convenient from where you’re staying—or going—pick it up at Logan from Airport Station, including via a free shuttle operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), Logan’s owner and operator.

Silver Line service begins at 5:30 a.m. and Blue Line service starts at 6 a.m. Both run until 12:30 a.m. The Silver Line offers free rides from Logan to South Station, New England’s busiest train and bus hub, with a free Red Line connection from there.

From there, use the MBTA trip planner to figure out a route to your destination, or access Amtrak, buses, and the commuter rail.

The MBTA even offers a commuter boat from Hull. Follow signs to the Logan dock, then board a Massport shuttle.

Finally, here’s a pro tip: Riders who take either the Logan Express bus from Back Bay Station or MBTA ferries to Logan’s terminals (via free shuttle buses in the ferries’ case) get a ticket entitling them to skip security lines at the aviation hub. Users should look for an orange sign at the airport which signals the dedicated security lines (the ticket is orange too).

All the main rental car companies are accessible from the airport, but parking is expensive compared with most other U.S. airports and navigating the city and surrounding region isn’t easy (the congestion is notorious, the streets poorly marked in some places). Opt for the T if possible, and, if that’s not an option, taxis, Uber, and Lyft are available at each terminal.

Another option for commuting between the airport and suburbs without driving yourself is the Logan Express. The bus stops in Back Bay, Braintree, Framingham, Woburn, and Peabody, with a daily parking fee of $7 in its operator’s parking garage.

Staying nearby

You’ll have no trouble finding hotels near the airport, although they might not be particularly budget-friendly. If staying near Logan is important for you, here are some options:

• Hilton Boston Logan Airport: The Hilton is probably your most convenient option, connected to Logan by a sky bridge and a shuttle service. If you’re flying with pets, note that this one is pet-friendly (more on traveling through Logan with pets here). You’re also only two miles from the New England Aquarium, which is worth checking out, especially if you have kids with you.
• Embassy Suites Boston: This chain is a five-minute drive from Logan, and accessible via a free shuttle. There are a few restaurants in walking distance, and it’s convenient to the Museum of Science.
• Hyatt Regency Boston Airport: Located next to Logan, this hotel has harbor views and a free shuttle to and from the airport. Take advantage of the short distance to Faneuil Hall Marketplace in downtown Boston.
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott Boston: This is an extended-stay Marriott location one mile from Logan in Chelsea just north of Boston. Rooms come with full kitchens.

Recent and pending changes

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As part of plans for longterm improvements, Massport’s board in 2018 approved two budgets intended to provide fresh amenities and improve passenger flow between terminals. This means years of construction and other work throughout the airport.

The Terminal E Modernization Project includes plans for seven new gates—the terminal has had the same number since it opened in 1974—as well as new security checkpoints with automated screening lane technology.

The Terminal C renovations will add more restrooms, pet relief areas, and a JetBlue expansion. MassPort also intends to add a connection between Terminal B and Terminal C post-security, which will make for quicker connections.

In August 2018, MarketPlace Logan, the manager of Logan’s concessions, announced that more local food options would soon be coming. By the end of 2019, Logan is supposed to become home to a Tasty Burger, B. Good, Mija Tequila and Cantina Bar, and Alta Strada, among existing options.

In November 2018, JetBlue started Logan’s first nonstop flight to Havana. Look for the flights every Saturday to Jose Marti International Airport, near the Cuban capital’s city center.

And, in April 2019, Hawaiian Airlines launched the longest nonstop domestic route in U.S. history—Boston to Honolulu—via Logan to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Also introduced in spring 2019: Nonstop service between Seoul, South Korea, and Boston via Korean Air.

In June 2019, also, the Massport board named Lisa Wieland, the agency’s port director, as its new chief executive.

Logan’s history

Logan opened in 1923 as Jeffrey Field after a local campaign urging businesses to send mail by air. Originally just an airfield, it was mostly used by the U.S. Army.

The first commercial hangar came along in 1925, when the general manager was credited with creating the term “airport.”

By the Great Depression in 1929, the airport had grown considerably with more runways and access roads, and daily flights ran between Boston and New York. Aviation celebrities such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart passed through Boston.

In 1943, the airport was renamed the General Edward Lawrence Logan Airport.

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The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) undertook major renovations at Logan in the 1960s and 1970s, adding the international terminal and a 22-story observation tower. By 1984, a soundproofing project was completed to benefit East Boston.

Since two of the hijacked planes on September 11, 2001 took off from Logan, American flags hang over gates B32 and C19, where the planes left from. In September 2008, the airport dedicated a memorial to the victims.