Boston Logan Considering Additional International Gates

Christine Boynton

Massport CEO Lisa Wieland speaks at an Oct. 13 event celebrating the completion of Terminal E Modernization as well as Boston Logan’s 100-year anniversary. 

Credit: Christine Boynton

The operator of Boston Logan International Airport is evaluating demand as it considers an additional three gates in its recently refurbished international terminal.

Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), which has owned and managed the airport since 1956, soft-opened an upgraded Terminal E in August. Though plans announced in 2018 called for the addition of seven new gates, financial challenges during the coronavirus pandemic scaled back that number to four, joining an existing 12.

The terminal work was funded through Massport’s Capital Program Plan.

“We built the four gates to start, and then ultimately as business activity necessitates, we’ll add the three gates to our capital program,” Massport CEO Lisa Wieland told press at an Oct. 13 grand opening event. No timeline was available, though Wieland noted, “We’re kind of looking at it now, obviously we’re just getting used to using the four gates; our airline partners are really thrilled with them. We’ll evaluate where demand is for international travel, what the airlines need, and then think about adding those back into our capital program.”

Massport’s modernization work renovated the existing terminal structure, originally constructed in 1974, while also adding approximately 390,000 ft.²

“We did a soft opening of the terminal in August, because the airlines were so anxious to be able to utilize the gates,” Wieland told media at the event. “We still had a few things that we wanted to complete with the concessions before we held the grand opening.”

Terminal E’s new gates are all-electric, Massport noted, with infrastructure that supports electrical ground service equipment used by airlines. The overall terminal design is aimed at achieving energy efficiencies at a minimum 20% better than the Massachusetts Energy Code, with features including photovoltaic window glazing and an energy efficient displacement ventilation system. The terminal will seek LEED Gold certification.

Construction on the project began in spring 2019 and was completed in summer 2023.

Christine Boynton

Christine Boynton is a Senior Editor covering air transport in the Americas for Aviation Week Network.