Summary
- Logan Airport began with military operations but quickly expanded to offer commercial services in the 1920s.
- Several US airlines like Pan Am and BOAC started transatlantic flights from Boston post-Second World War.
- Continuous expansion over the years has seen the airport grow into one of the busiest in the US with 40 million annual passengers.
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is one of the major airports in the eastern United States. The airport has a long history when it comes to mail and passenger services. Commercial flight services began at the airport in the mid-1920s, before it grew to be one of the first transatlantic hubs for several US carriers.
With over 40 million passengers passing through its gates each year, it ranks in the top 20 busiest airports in the US. Simple Flying delves deeper into the history and current operations at BOS, as highlighted in Massport.
Early expansion from a military base
The airfield first opened in 1923 as a military base for the Massachusetts State Guard and the Army Air Corps. It was known then as Jeffery Field. These early military operations were soon joined by commercial services – some of the first in the US. The locally-based Colonial Air Transport began offering flights in 1926. Initially, these were airmail-only flights, serving a US Postal Service contract. Passenger service between Boston and New York began in 1929, using early Fokker aircraft.
Photo: Massport
Colonial Air Transport was really a pioneer in US aviation. This was the same time that several such companies were starting aviation services – including Charles Lindbergh with services between St Louis and Chicago. Colonial was started by Juan Trippe, who would later go on to start Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). Colonial Air Transport itself was purchased by AVCO in 1930, which eventually became a part of American Airlines.
The airport was initially built and owned by the US military. As civilian operations built up, this changed. Since 1929, the airport has been owned by the City of Boston. Since 1956, ownership and operation have been handled by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).
Expansion from the 1940s
Aviation expanded rapidly in the US and elsewhere over the years after the Second World War. Boston was part of this, and the airport saw significant growth in facilities and services. New land area was reclaimed from landfill in Boston harbor, and new terminal facilities were added by 1949.
A Century Of Growth: A Look At Boston Logan Airport’s 100 Years Of Service
The Massachusetts airport has been welcoming passengers for over 100 years.
The airport was renamed General Edward Lawrence Logan International after the renowned army officer from South Boston who fought in the Spanish-American war and was involved with the local National Guard. He also lobbied for pilots to receive military veteran status.
In addition to increasing domestic routes, several airlines started early transatlantic flights from Boston. American Overseas Airlines was the first, starting a service from Boston to Shannon and to London in 1946. Pan Am followed in 1947. By 1952, BOAC operated direct flights to Glasgow with a Boeing Stratocruiser aircraft. BOAC was also the first airline to introduce direct flights to London, using the De Havilland Comet – the world’s first commercial jet aircraft.
Further expansion in the Jumbo era
The Boeing 747 arrived at the airport with its launch customer, Pan Am, in 1970. It flew transatlantic from Boston with many other airlines, including BOAC – and, soon after, British Airways. The airport saw further expansion from then as well. A new, much larger international terminal (today’s Terminal E) was opened in 1974.
The main runway had been extended in the late 1960s, and a new runway to the south was planned from the early 1970s. However, this saw major local opposition to expansion. Courts blocked this for many years and a new runway 14/32 did not open until 2006.
Airport facilities today
Expansion has continued since then. The airport now has four main terminals. Terminal C is the oldest still in use. It was built in 1967, and refurbished several times since then. Terminal B opened n 1974 and saw major renovation between 2012 and 2014. A new Terminal A was opened in 2005 under a lease deal between Massport and Delta Air Lines. Terminal E remains the main international terminal and was renovated and expanded over several years up to 2017. Further expansion is currently underway.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
In 2020, Boston Logan was the 19th busiest airport in the US (according to FAA data). Annual passenger numbers increased significantly over the decade before this, from just over 14 million in 2011 to nearly 21 million. Part of this is due to the increasing use of airport hubs. Delta Air Lines uses Boston as a key transatlantic hub. And JetBlue uses Boston as a hub and key focus city.
Are you a regular user of Boston Logan International Airport, or do you remember some of its past operations? Feel free to discuss the airport and its airlines further in the comments.
