One of the busiest airports in the nation has launched an revolutionary answer to alleviate lengthy safety traces, simply in time for the busy summer travel season.
On June 1, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) opened the primary “remote” airport terminal in the US. The new facility, formally referred to as the Logan Airport Remote Terminal at Framingham, is a part of a groundbreaking pilot program to permit sure vacationers to skip long lines at TSA and head straight to their departure gate.
The challenge is run by the Massachusetts Port Authority, often known as Massport. Passengers who qualify for the pilot program merely want to make a web based reservation to use the distant terminal and pay a $9 price. Registered vacationers can then test in, print their boarding passes, drop their checked bags, and full their safety screening on the Framingham facility. The TSA screening expertise might be precisely like the method in a regular terminal. (However, there isn’t any designated PreCheck lane.)
After going by means of TSA, vacationers then instantly board a safe shuttle bus and drive for about half-hour to Boston Logan, the place they’re dropped off past the safety checkpoint and may stroll straight to their gate.
“Imagine arriving at the airport having already checked in and cleared security and then being dropped off just steps from your gate,” Massport CEO Rich Davey mentioned in a statement in May. “This is the kind of stress-free process we’re working to make a reality for everyone.”
The idea is bound to be alluring to many vacationers, as snaking traces from March’s government shutdown nonetheless loom giant in fliers’ collective reminiscences and summer time trip crowds start to throng terminals.
“This is an interesting way for passengers to avoid congested airport processes,” says Gary Leff, an aviation expert and Condé Nast Traveler travel advisor. “It can save a lot of money on airport construction as well to increase capacity, which is especially difficult to do while an airport remains in full operation.”
For now, solely vacationers flying with Delta or JetBlue between 5:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. might be in a position to use Boston’s distant terminal. Reservations can be found from 90 days earlier than departure, up till simply 90 minutes earlier than takeoff. During the trial interval there might be restricted slots, so vacationers are inspired to e book the service as early as attainable.
To safe your spot, head to Massport’s devoted distant terminal booking page. From there, click on “purchase tickets” and choose your airline. You can add as many tickets as you want, primarily based on how many individuals you’re touring with, after which enter your flight info. (Children below 18 are free with a ticketed member of the family.) The system then recommends a bus departure time to guarantee vacationers arrive on the BOS terminal at the least 45 minutes earlier than their flight departs.
Buses might be operated by The Landline Company, which specializes in safe airport transfers, and depart Framingham each hour on the hour. It’s not clear what number of vacationers might be allowed in the distant terminal directly, however Landline’s buses will maintain a complete of 55 passengers every.
On the identical reserving web page, vacationers may also buy return bus tickets from Boston Logan to the Framingham distant terminal. That service known as Framingham LEX and is on the market curbside in any respect BOS terminals.
And if you happen to’re not flying Delta or JetBlue anytime quickly, don’t be concerned: Massport says it has plans to broaden the distant terminal program to embrace additional airlines and their passengers in the close to future.