Airports / Massachusetts / BOS
Boston (BOS) TSA wait times
Security at Boston Logan International Airport is measured at about 20 minutes in the standard lane, and usually runs 10 to 20 minutes at noon on a Friday. PreCheck is moving in about 7 minutes.BOS security is about 20 minutes now, usually 10 to 20 at this hour. Busiest 5 to 7 AM and 1 to 3 PM.
Standard lane, right now
MeasuredAs of 16:42 UTC, live from Zensors camera sensors.
Security wait, last 7 hours
Usually 10 to 20 minutes now
Down 12 min since 6 am.
How long is security at Boston, and when is BOS busiest?
So how long is security at Boston? The left chart shows the Boston security wait time hour by hour, built from BOS's own departure schedule. The right ranks the days of the week by how long the wait gets. The calmest window is 10 AM to 2 PM; plan around the 5 to 7 AM and 1 to 3 PM rushes.Calmest 10 AM to 2 PM. Plan around the morning and evening rushes.
Planning a trip through BOS? Work out when to leave home for your flight, or read how these numbers are made. Flying a nearby airport instead? Compare Worcester (ORH) and Manchester (MHT), or every airport in Massachusetts.
Departures, the next few hours
| Hour | Departures | Typical security wait |
|---|---|---|
| noon (Now) | 21 flights | 14 min |
| 1 pm | 23 flights | 15 min |
| 2 pm | 25 flights | 17 min |
| 3 pm | 25 flights | 17 min |
| 4 pm | 25 flights | 16 min |
Standard, PreCheck, and CLEAR security lanes
Terminals and security at BOS
Which airline you fly decides your terminal. Terminal B runs the longest lines here. The per-terminal minute is modeled from each terminal's share of departures, not measured. All terminals connect after security, so a quieter checkpoint is an option.
Flying out of Boston: what to know
Four terminals, only three connected
Boston Logan spreads security across four terminals, A, B, C and E, with about seven checkpoints in all. Terminals B, C and E connect after security by post-security walkways, so you can move between those gates without re-screening. Terminal A stands apart, with no airside link to the others, so clear at the checkpoint for your own airline's terminal.
PreCheck everywhere, CLEAR in A and B
TSA PreCheck lanes run in every terminal at Logan. CLEAR operates in Terminals A and B, so travelers flying from C or E rely on the standard and PreCheck lanes rather than a CLEAR lane. Because each terminal screens separately, check that your carrier's terminal has the lane you plan to use before you arrive.
Morning peak, and mind Terminal A
Logan is busiest in the early-morning departure bank, roughly 5 to 8 am, and again in the late afternoon. Because Terminal A has no airside connection to B, C and E, do not count on clearing at a quieter checkpoint and walking over. Go straight to your own terminal, and leave extra time if you are flying from Terminal A.
Regional carriers fly these routes under the mainline brands, so a SkyWest flight shows on your ticket as Delta, United, American or Alaska.
BOS security, common questions
How early should I get to BOS?
For a domestic flight out of Boston, plan to be inside the terminal about an hour before departure, and about an hour and a half for an international one. That covers a 20 to 35 minute checkpoint queue at the Monday peak plus the walk to the gate. Outside the peak you can safely trim it; the calculator above works it out from your actual departure time.
What is the busiest time at BOS security?
Monday around 6 am, when 35 departures' worth of passengers are converging on the checkpoint at once. The calmest hour with real traffic is Saturday at 7 pm, at roughly 6 minutes.
Is TSA PreCheck worth it at BOS?
At the Monday peak it turns a 20 to 35 minute queue into something closer to 9 minutes. Over a five year membership that is worth it if you fly more than about three round trips a year through an airport this busy. The trusted traveler calculator prices it against your own flying.
When does security open at BOS?
Boston Logan International Airport does not publish checkpoint opening hours in any national feed, so we will not invent them. What the schedule does show is that the first departures leave around 2 am, and checkpoints generally open about two hours before the first flight of the day.
How long is security at Boston?
At the Monday peak around 6 am, the standard lane at BOS typically runs 20 to 35 minutes. Away from the peak it settles to roughly 6 minutes. These are modeled from the airport's own departure schedule, so they move hour by hour, which is what the chart on this page shows.
How much time does PreCheck save at BOS?
At the busy Monday peak, PreCheck turns the standard 20 to 35 minute wait into about 9 minutes, a saving of roughly 18 minutes when it matters most. Off-peak the two lanes are much closer, because a short line is short in either one.
Which terminal is JetBlue at BOS?
JetBlue departs from Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport and flies 27% of the airport's departures. Your terminal is set by the airline you fly, so check your boarding pass for the gate.
Tips for BOS, from the data
- Fly between 10 AM to 2 PM if you can. That window sits between the two daily rushes, when the checkpoint is at its calmest.
- The 6 am hour is the single busiest today, at about 26 minutes in the standard lane.
- JetBlue runs 27% of departures here, so its checkpoints and gates carry the most traffic. Which airline you fly is what decides your terminal.
- American flies from Terminal B, which runs the longest lines here. All terminals connect after security, so you can clear at a quieter one and walk over.
Related
Live from BOS's checkpoint feed when fresh, otherwise modeled from the flight schedule. How these numbers are made.