Car Service from Boston Airport: Private Transfers to and from Logan (BOS)

What is the best car service from Boston Airport to the city?

Boston is the rare big airport where public transit really is competitive for downtown trips, so this page does not pretend otherwise. What it does is lay out the whole picture, with official fares and rules, so you can see where the free bus ends and where a pre-booked chauffeur begins. Searches for a car service from Boston Airport and for transportation to Logan Airport come from people with different needs: arrivals who want a name on a board, departures who need a 4 am pickup in Newton, and families moving between a hotel and a ship. Outside Toronto, rides are delivered by a vetted, licensed and commercially insured US-licensed local transfer partner and are booked, confirmed, supported and invoiced by the Onroutz.ca desk in Toronto.

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Boston Logan (BOS) at a glance

• Location: East Boston, about 3 miles (5 km) from downtown Boston, across the harbour.
• Terminals: A, B, C and E. There is no Terminal D. Delta arrives at Terminal A, JetBlue at Terminal C and international flights at Terminal E, according to Massport. Airlines change terminals, so confirm on your ticket.
• Getting from the city: harbour tunnels and a short list of access roads, which is why one stalled vehicle can back up traffic fast.
• Typical drive times: 10 to 20 minutes to downtown off-peak; 30 to 50 minutes in the evening peak. Cambridge, Newton and the south and north suburbs take longer.
• Delivered by: a US-licensed local transfer partner, with vehicles no more than four model years old (Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Maybach up to seven).

Transportation to and from Logan compared

The MBTA says service on the Silver Line SL1 from Logan is always free, with stops at every terminal and a connection to the Red Line and commuter rail at South Station; see MBTA's Logan page. The subway fare at Airport station is $2.40 and the bus fare is $1.70, as listed on the MBTA station page. Buy a card or tap a payment method at the station machines.

When the free bus or the Blue Line is the better choice

If you are heading to South Station, the Seaport or somewhere near a Red Line stop, take the Silver Line. It is free and goes straight to South Station. If you are heading to Government Center or State Street, the Blue Line with the free Massport shuttle between the terminals and Airport station works well.

Be honest about the limits. Neither option is good with a big suitcase and two children. Both need a final leg from a station to your door, and both feel long after a transatlantic flight. In winter, a snowstorm adds delays, and a late landing narrows the choice.

When a booked car wins

1. You are three or more. The Luxury SUV carries up to six passengers and 5 to 6 large bags; the Executive Sprinter carries up to 12.
2. You have a suburban or Cambridge destination. Newton, Wellesley, Lexington and Cambridge usually mean a bus, a train and a taxi if you go by public transport.
3. You fly early. A 6 am departure means a pickup around 3:30 to 4 am. No public service runs then.
4. You travel with children. Child seats are on request: say at booking whether you need an infant, toddler or booster seat.
5. You have a fixed appointment. A hospital visit in the Longwood Medical Area, a meeting in Kendall Square or a commencement ceremony needs a car that arrives on time.
6. You want privacy. Chauffeurs never photograph clients or post about trips, and will sign an NDA on request.

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Car service to Logan Airport: how departures work

For a pickup that takes you to the airport, the chauffeur arrives at your address at the agreed time and delivers you to the Departures level of your terminal. Massport says curbside drop-off is free, drivers may stop briefly to unload but may not park or wait at the curb, and police may ask vehicles to move on. The drop-off is quick for that reason.

Work backwards from your flight: 3 hours before an international departure, 2 hours before a domestic one, plus the drive. Add 15 to 20 minutes when you leave from a house with luggage to load and 30 minutes in the morning peak. Your confirmation shows our suggested pickup time.

How limo pickup works at Logan

Massport's rule is clear: limo service is only available by prior reservation. The limo stands differ by terminal, so your confirmation says which one to use.

• Terminal A: the limo lot across from the curb on the Arrivals (lower) level.
• Terminal B: curbside on the Departures (upper) level, between doors B-205 and B-208.
• Terminal C: follow signs to the Central Parking Garage and the ground-level limo stand.
• Terminal E: E Lot 2 on the Arrivals (lower) level.

Meet and greet is available on request: a chauffeur waits inside arrivals with a name board and can use an alias for privacy; see meet and greet. Massport also says curbside parking is not allowed at any terminal, so a friend waiting for you at the curb will be moved on.

Free waiting after landing: 60 minutes after international arrivals, 30 minutes after domestic.

If a friend or relative will collect you instead of a chauffeur, Massport's pickup and drop-off page points private drivers to the free Cell Phone Lot at 6 Tomahawk Drive, a few minutes from every terminal, with a 30-minute maximum wait and no commercial vehicles. Arrivals pickup is on the lower level outside baggage claim. The rules for private cars and for commercial limousines are different, and the details are on Massport's taxis and limos page, which is the source for the stands listed above.

Where the car goes: distances from Logan

These are planning figures. The chauffeur uses live traffic data and picks the best route on the day.

What to know about Boston traffic and weather

Logan's access roads are short and funnel traffic into the harbour tunnels and a few city arteries, so a collision or a tunnel lane closure hits hard. Weekday mornings inbound and late afternoons outbound are the busy times. New England weather matters too: nor'easters and winter storms can stop flights and slow roads, and a flexible booking helps.

The calendar brings its own surges. University move-in at the end of August and the start of September, commencement in May, and Marathon Monday in April close streets and fill hotels. Tell us about events when you book, so the pickup time reflects them.

International arrivals add a step of their own. Passengers landing at Terminal E clear US immigration and customs before they reach the arrivals hall, and the queue can run from a few minutes to well over an hour depending on how many long-haul flights have landed together. That is why the included waiting time for international flights is 60 minutes and counts from the actual landing, not the scheduled time. The chauffeur sees the same flight status you do, and the desk can extend the plan if baggage is slow.

Choosing your vehicle

Models are "or similar" and confirmed at booking. Maybach, Rolls-Royce and stretch limousine options are on request, with availability confirmed at booking. Water and phone charging are in most vehicles. See the fleet.

Booking and cancellation

The booker shows the fixed all-in fare for your exact pickup, drop-off and vehicle before you pay. Cancellation is counted from the scheduled pickup: more than 72 hours' notice is free; 72 hours or less is 10%; 48 hours or less is 50%; 24 hours or less or a no-show is 100%. If your trip falls during a major event, check the confirmation: the deadline may differ.

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More US airports and routes

• Explore the USA hub and the airport transfers hub.
• Flying on to New York? See JFK to Manhattan and Newark to Manhattan.
• Other Eastern airports: Philadelphia PHL and Washington Dulles.
• Coming from Canada? Read the Toronto Pearson airport transfer page and the Canada hub.
• Looking for an hourly car in the city? See New York City limousines for a similar service.