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How much of a pita is Boston Logan?

Flying out of Jacksonville, Fl we typically fly Delta to Atlanta, and from there on to our overseas destination. While flight shopping with Delta I'm finding a few flights at better prices which use Boston Logan instead of Atlanta.

Of course that is slightly out of my comfort zone since I don't know that airport at all and am totally comfortable using Atlanta, but the price is substantially better.

I found two flights - one with only a 1:30 hr or so layover in Boston and then 3 hrs. in Amsterdam before flying on to Krakow.
The second flight (which I am favoring) has a 3hr or so layover in Boston and 1 1/2 hr layover in Amsterdam before flying on to Krakow.

I guess I'm looking for reassurance from others who fly through Boston or else a warning that it is the pits, stay away.

So what say ye?

Do you like this airport? Is it easy to transit?

I see that Delta uses all of terminal A. Only international ARRIVALS by Delta are shown using E, so do their international departures only occur from A or also E? Anybody know? I can't research that on the Logan website because there aren't any international flights right now to look at.

Of course these flights might be gone by the time I make up my mind, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Thanks for your response.

Posted by
2461 posts

Nance,
I've flown into and out of Boston Logan several times. i think it is a smallish airport and easy to navigate. I flew back from Paris one time to Logan with a 5 hour layover (I used miles) then onto to Atlanta. No problems.
So you are going ahead with purchase of your airfare for the Poland tour? Do you think it will happen? I'm holding off for another month or so before I use the e-credit Delta gave me for my cancelled flight to Italy.
Would love to know more about your plans, dates of arrival, etc. I still expect to fly into Gdansk and out of Krakow. Now that I'm not going to Italy in April, I will have more vacation days to allocate to Poland.
I just realized it has been almost 2 months since we signed up for this tour! What a different world!
Take care,
Judy B

Posted by
91 posts

Nance, here are some general considerations, though I have no specific information about domestic ↔ European connections at Boston Logan:

  • In the best of times there are fewer international flights each day, provided by fewer airlines, at airports like Boston that are not major gateways for US ↔ Europe travel. If you missed your connection, or if your flight to Europe were canceled due to bad weather or a mechanical problem, you might lose a whole day, rather than just a few hours, waiting for the next flight.

  • In the current crisis, the few remaining international flights are being concentrated at the largest US airports. This trend is likely to accelerate. (I was surprised to see in a route and schedule news article a few days ago that the leading airport in my area, SFO, historically about #10 in the US, is poised to lose its European flights to LAX.) Although US ↔ Europe traffic will recover at some point, it's likely that larger airports will be served before smaller ones.

  • Have you scoured the Boston Logan Website for terminal maps? (I know that many airports, in an effort to appear hi-tech, are providing "interactive" maps that are better for finding out what gate the Burger King is next to and how late it's open, i.e., a "query" request, than for showing, all in one view, how the airport and its terminals are actually laid out and interconnected, i.e., a "browsing" request, but you night still be able to find a PDF map. Airlines themselves sometimes still provide these if their own Websites have lists of airports served.) If you can find an old-fashioned map, it may shed light on the convenience or inconvenience of US ↔ Europe connections. For example, Sea-Tac has a reputation for being awful (historically, one had to exit and re-enter), and Toronto is slow (third-country customs clearance) despite being marketed for such connections. The less US ↔ Europe traffic a given airport serves, the less the airport will have done to facilitate such connections.

Please share what you discover, for the benefit of other travelers!

Posted by
11056 posts

We use Logan several times a year and always for our daytime fights to Europe. It isn’t huge and confusing like ATL. And it is not a pita at all. You can have a lobster roll at Legal Seafoods there, a good enough reason to use Logan!

Posted by
23178 posts

Great airport. We have never had any problem the two or three times we have been through. Like it much better than Atlanta just because it is smaller and a lot less walking. You will be fine with Boston. And Legal Seafood is terrific.

Posted by
398 posts

I fly out of Logan dozens of times a year and think it's great (although admittedly, I've never done a connection there). If you are flying Delta, I am pretty certain that the BOS to AMS flight is in Terminal A (Delta's terminal, as opposed to the regular international Terminal E). I think that's better personally - A has more food options. Delta definitely does international flights to/from Terminal A - I flew Delta from BOS to LHR last year and we came and went from Terminal A.

I wouldn't hesitate to go through Logan, and in fact, Delta is building it as a hub.

Posted by
985 posts

Thanks so much for the replies!

Hi Judy - and thanks much for your opinion about Logan. I'm just about ready to buy our tickets. I'm hoping, hoping, hoping that our tour is going to take place and that this terrible virus will have been halted in its tracks by September. I could be totally wrong about that. If so we will plan a trip later on. Maybe Paris and London at Christmas. Heck, maybe Budapest at Christmas! Sending you a message about our plans.

Cognac - good points. We usually run the risk of losing a day when flying out of ATL if we somehow miss that flight. That's one reason why I liked the longer layover at Boston just in case. And yes, I've scoured the Logan maps and found in a round about way that it might be faster to walk between A and E than ride the shuttle. These are the two terminals where Delta operates. I searched reviews and got a mix on Yelp, although mostly they were good. Still, I felt the need to check here.

Suki, Frank, and Steve, thank you each for your input. I feel relieved and good now about using this airport if I can still snag some of those cheaper tickets. We've never had lobster rolls so yeah, maybe we should fly through there just for that! I did see that Delta is planning a major hub there and it sounds like they are well on their way having a whole terminal.

Thanks again everybody. I really appreciate your responses.

Posted by
136 posts

I like BOS because I'm 15 minutes away, so I'm biased by that ;)

If your BOS to AMS flight is on Delta itself and not a codeshare, then you'll be departing from Terminal A, which is where you will arrive on your flight from JAX. Otherwise, you'll depart from the terminal where the airline you're actually flying departs from.

I would do the 3 hour layover just to give you a time cushion with potential weather delays, etc (rain and wind, not just snow).

Also, Terminal A is like a mini ATL in that there are two parts to it that are separated by a lower level walkway/concourse. When I flew from there in January, they were updating some of the food vendors. And there's 2 Dunkin Donuts in the terminal because Boston :) Hope this is helpful!

Posted by
8094 posts

We've flown thru Boston twice recently to/from Europe because our home airport has a couple of budget airlines keeping down airfares there. And Boston Logan has some budget airlines going on to Europe.
But on the return flight into Boston, we've had to spend the night in an airport area hotel. And Boston hotels are simply priced out of sight.
Have you considered driving 2 1/2 hours down to Orlando and flying to Europe from there? Budget European airlines fly to/from there. We've flown to Europe out of Orlando a number of times.

Posted by
2461 posts

Nance,
I’m at work now so will reply to your pm later in the day.

I was thinking the very same thing, Paris and London at Christmas time if the Poland tour doesn’t make! Surely by Christmas Europe will be open! What a joyous celebration. Brings tears to my eyes just writing this.

As someone said stay home today, travel tomorrow.
Judy B

Posted by
985 posts

Thank you Maria. That's good to know about Delta flights arriving and leaving from A. I was mistaken about the 3 hr. layover which is actually 4 hrs, but did that coming back last trip in ATL and just had a few beers while waiting.

David - I did check into the possibility of flying out of MCO but dont' see enough of a difference to make the drive worth it. Thanks for that suggestion though.

I'm seeing a whole new batch of flights today so will keep looking for a bit.

Judy - I'll be looking for a msg in the next day or so.

Posted by
136 posts

Glad that was helpful, Nance! One other thing - if your return flight is through BOS and is on Delta, it will arrive at Terminal E with the other international arrivals. You'll then have to go to Terminal A for your next flight, and hopefully you'll have time for beers before you depart :)

Posted by
985 posts

Yes, thanks for that reminder, Maria.

Still searching flights as new possibilities open daily.

Posted by
564 posts

Nance, I fly Delta for all my Europe flights. Everything departs and lands from Terminal A.
As already mentioned so coming from FL on Delta you will arrive there. You will likely arrive in the upper concourse but also could land in the outer lower one.
If you land in the upper concourse It’s a brief 10 minute walk to the next outer concourse. There are two moving walkways and escalators, you also can use elevators vs escalator if wish. All my international Delta flights have always departed from here.

There are several sit down eateries and Dunkins at the upper concourse near the escalators where you head down to go to the outer one. There are two sit down eateries and a few takeaways besides Dunkins at the outer concourse. There is WiFi and charging stations throughout the Terminal. I think the 3.5 hrs would be better so you’re not rushing even though Logan is small, clean, and friendly. I assume you’ll have carryon only and no checked luggage. There will be no additional screening either.

There is always a late afternoon flight and an evening flight to each of their European connections of AMS, CDG, LHR. I always try for AMS. Early afternoon flights get you into AMS for 5am. Evening flights arrive between 9-10am into AMS.
If you can score a comfort plus seat you’ll be very happy. All economy gets hot dinner, personal backseat entertainment, a small breakfast one hour before landing, free comfort items of blanket-headphones-ear pieces-eyeshades-pillow ( I still bring my own). For more entertainment download the GoGO app from Delta from home device and load up your music-movies-reading.

When’s your trip? For now there are very limited flights until further notice. My flight for May 7 is a question mark still and I was told to check back on May 4.
Logan is simple and easy to use. They have renovated the entire Airport over the past years.

Posted by
564 posts

On return back through Logan yes, all international arrive at Terminal E. If you have carry one it’s so simple. They stagger the flights and I’ve never had a long queu for Immigration or Customs.
I’m not sure how you get from E to A, maybe shuttles. I can check for you if you want.

Posted by
564 posts

Terminal E to Terminal A, Blue Shuttle buses labeled ‘MassPort’ Clean Fuel First, #55, #66, #88.

88 services mainly early morning arrivals and late evenings.

They all stop for the Subway and the City Water Taxi, too. Terminal A would be one of the first stops as the traffic moves circular. Terminal E is the last stop of the circle.
There are three other buses but they have been removed temporarily, and #55 has added their stops.

Posted by
985 posts

Diane, you are so kind to provide all of this information!

Our flights would not be until September. We like flying Delta One for international trips and I was seeing an initial price of $3200 through Logan. $4600 looks to be the average right now (EEK!) with a high of $5600 for the new Delta suites - (AWK!!!!) - no way!

Thank you so much for your help!