Logan Airport is Ready for Holiday Travel

Massport urges passengers to prepare for weather impacts

BOSTON – Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) officials today spoke at Boston Logan International Airport about holiday air travel expectations. The media event was followed by a festive performance of holiday classics by the East Boston Central Catholic School choir.

There are expected system-wide disruptions for air travel Thursday and Friday due to Winter Storm Elliott, which will bring snow, high winds and freezing temperatures to much of the U.S. Many airlines are waiving change fees and Massport recommends passengers contact their airlines regarding their travel plans.

Overall, the roads and skies are expected to be crowded in the days leading up to and after the holidays. AAA estimates 112.7 million people will journey 50 miles or more away from home between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2. Air travel will see a 14% increase nationally over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. AAA expects the number of people taking holiday flights this year will come close to that of 2019 when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air. Both Christmas and New Year’s fall on Sundays, which may extend trips.

Logan Airport is expecting an increase in passengers compared to 2021, but not yet the numbers the airport saw in 2019. For the 15-day period from Monday, Dec. 19- Monday, Jan. 2, Logan Airport is preparing to serve more than 1 million total passengers.

Some travel expectations and tips:

• Due to weather conditions and expected flight delays and cancellations, Massport recommends passengers traveling later this week contact their airline regarding their plans before heading to the airport. Most airlines are waiving change fees at this time.
• There may be periods of robust activity at the TSA checkpoints throughout the day, but those lines generally move quickly.
• Passengers should arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international.
• Massport will have extra staff on hand to answer questions from passengers and to assist individuals/families if needed.
• To reduce some of the stress of traveling, Massport launched the FlyLogan App, where passengers can take advantage of a number of services including viewing their flight status, booking Logan Express tickets, ordering food to-go or for delivery at their gate, and more.
• With information now at your fingertips, passengers can connect with Massport staff members virtually if they are in need of assistance.
• TSA provides a full list of items that can and cannot be taken onboard flights on their website, including information about unwrapped presents: tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all.

As always, Massport encourages travelers to check with their airlines for the most updated flight statuses and travel information before heading to the airport. Parking is expected to be near capacity during the holiday travel period and travelers are urged to take alternate transportation options to get to the airport including MBTA’s Blue and Silver Lines, private bus service to New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Southeastern MA and Cape Cod, and Logan Express. Logan Express serves five locations including Framingham, Woburn, Braintree, Peabody at the North Shore Mall, and Back Bay. Massport strongly suggests being dropped off at Logan Express sites due to near capacity parking at those locations.

More information about transportation options to and from Logan can be found here: www.massport.com/logan-airport/to-from-logan/.

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