Boston · United States
BOS — Logan International
Four terminals, an awkward loop, and a downtown that is genuinely three miles away
Logan's defining advantage is proximity. Few major airports sit as close to their city centre, and on a good run you can be downtown in fifteen minutes. That closeness is the reason to prefer it over the alternatives in the region even when a fare elsewhere looks better.
The complication is the terminal layout. Four terminals sit around a loop road, and the airside connections between them are partial rather than complete. Which pair you are moving between decides whether a connection is a walk or a bus ride through traffic.
Terminals and how they connect
Terminals A and B
Mostly domestic operations. Terminal B is split into two piers that function almost independently, which surprises people expecting one building.
Terminal C
A mix of domestic and some international departures, connected airside to Terminal E by a walkway — the one connection here you can rely on without leaving security.
Terminal E
The international terminal, handling most long-haul arrivals and departures and all arriving international passengers clearing customs.
Getting between them
Terminals C and E are joined airside. Other combinations generally mean leaving security and taking the free shuttle bus around the loop road, which is subject to the same traffic as everything else.
Getting into Boston
Times below are realistic ranges rather than best cases. Rail journeys keep to a timetable; road journeys do not, and treating the two the same is how people miss flights.
Silver Line bus
15 to 25 minutes to South Station
Free from the airport terminals, running in a dedicated tunnel for much of the route. It connects to the Red Line at South Station and is the simplest option for most arrivals, luggage included.
Blue Line subway
20 to 30 minutes to downtown
Requires a free shuttle bus from the terminals to Airport station first. Cheap and reliable, but the two-stage journey with bags is more effort than the Silver Line for most people.
Taxi or rideshare
15 to 40 minutes
Genuinely quick outside peak hours because the distance is short. The tunnels into the city are the bottleneck, and at rush hour the range above is not an exaggeration.
Water taxi
About 10 minutes across the harbour
Seasonal and weather-dependent, running to several downtown and Seaport landings. A pleasant arrival if your destination is near the water and the conditions cooperate.
Connecting through BOS
Treat a Logan connection by terminal pair rather than by the clock. C to E is a walkway and straightforward. Anything else generally means exiting security, riding the shuttle around the loop and clearing screening again, which on a busy morning is not a thirty-minute job. If your itinerary is on separate tickets and changes terminals, allow a great deal more time than the minimum suggests, because nobody is responsible if the first flight runs late.
Worth knowing before you fly
The Silver Line is free from the airport
Boarding at the terminals costs nothing, which is unusual and frequently missed. You pay only if you continue onto the subway network beyond South Station.
Terminal B is effectively two buildings
Its two piers have separate check-in areas and separate security. Arriving at the wrong one means a walk or a shuttle, so check which pier your airline uses.
Weather is a real scheduling risk here
Winter storms and coastal fog disrupt Logan more than most large US airports. On a tight itinerary in January or February, the first flight of the day is a materially safer bet.
Terminal assignments, transit timetables and fares all change. Confirm the details that matter to your trip with the airport or transport operator before you travel.
Routes through BOS
Flying from Boston
FAQ
BOS — common questions
Terminals, transfers and getting into the city.
How do I get from Boston Logan to downtown?
The Silver Line bus is free from the terminals and reaches South Station in fifteen to twenty-five minutes, running in a dedicated tunnel for much of the way. The Blue Line subway is also cheap but needs a shuttle bus from the terminal first. A taxi is quick outside peak hours given the short distance, though the harbour tunnels can add considerable time at rush hour.
Are Boston Logan terminals connected airside?
Only partly. Terminals C and E are joined by an airside walkway, so that connection can be made without leaving security. Other terminal combinations generally require exiting, taking the free shuttle bus around the loop road and clearing security again. Check which terminals your two flights use before accepting a short connection.
How early should I arrive at Boston Logan?
For a domestic flight, the usual two hours is reasonable; for international from Terminal E, three is safer, particularly in the morning bank. Add time in winter, when weather disruption is more common here than at most large US airports, and add more if you are arriving during the afternoon peak when the tunnels into the airport back up.
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