Flying out of Logan,
with kids in tow.
One terminal, one seating area we actually use, and a lounge that works at some ages and not others. What ranks for this today is a limo company and two parking sites, none of it written by a family standing in Terminal E with kids. Here is the version that is.
Almost every international flight, Terminal E.
This is the fact worth knowing before anything else: the large majority of international departures from Boston Logan go through Terminal E, and for most families flying to Europe or beyond, it is the only terminal you need to think about. It is not literally every flight, though. Aer Lingus and TAP Air Portugal fly out of Terminal C, and Etihad checks in and departs from Terminal C as well. If you are on one of those three airlines, confirm your terminal on your boarding pass before you leave the house. Everyone else: Terminal E, every time.
Pull up the Terminal E map before you leave the house.
Massport keeps a live interactive map at maps.massport.com that lets you look up your specific gate, find the nearest security checkpoint, and see where Monica's Mercato and the Air France lounge sit relative to where you will be sitting. Terminal E has four security checkpoints, two near the entrance and two closer to the gates, so which one you want depends on where you are dropped off. It also connects post-security to Terminals B and C, which is worth knowing if anyone in your party has a connecting flight and does not want to clear security twice with kids in tow.
Past security, straight to Monica's Mercato.
Terminal E has a large seating area past security anchored by Monica's Mercato, a North End import near Gate E11 serving Italian subs and pizza, right at the top of the escalator once you clear the checkpoint. It is our default: clear security, get through, and head there. There is plenty of room, which matters more than almost anything else with kids, and enough space that they can watch a show, play a game, or just move around without becoming anyone's problem, including ours.
Works past about age 5, not really before.
We hold the Capital One Venture X card, which gets us into the Air France lounge in Terminal E. It genuinely works well once the kids are around 5 or older: food and drinks are generally included with the membership, and there is more room to spread out than a standard gate area. Below that age, we would think twice. A lounge is a quiet, calmer space by design, and bringing a younger child in can be stressful for everyone in it, your family included. Monica's Mercato and the seating area around it is the better call with a toddler or younger.
Every search starts at Logan.
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What families ask us.
Do all international flights leave from Terminal E at Logan?
Almost all, not literally all. The large majority of international departures from Boston Logan go through Terminal E, and that is the only terminal most families flying to Europe or beyond need to think about. The exceptions: Aer Lingus and TAP Air Portugal fly out of Terminal C, and Etihad checks in and departs from Terminal C as well. Double-check your airline's terminal on your boarding pass before you leave the house if you are flying one of those three.
Where do you wait with kids after security at Logan?
There is a large seating area past security in Terminal E anchored by Monica's Mercato, a North End import serving Italian subs and pizza near Gate E11. Plenty of room, and enough space that kids can watch a show, play a game, or just move around without bothering other travelers. We clear security and head straight there.
Is the airport lounge worth it with young kids?
It depends on the kids' ages. With the Capital One Venture X card, we get access to the Air France lounge in Terminal E. It works well once the kids are around 5 or older. Bringing a younger child into a quiet, calm lounge space can be stressful for everyone, including the other travelers there. The upside when it does work is that food and drinks are generally included with the membership.
Is there a map of Terminal E worth looking at before we go?
Yes. Massport's interactive airport map at maps.massport.com lets you look up your specific gate, the security checkpoints, and where Monica's Mercato and the Air France lounge sit relative to your gate, before you ever get to the airport. Terminal E has four security checkpoints, two near the entrance and two closer to the gates, and it connects post-security to Terminals B and C, which matters if you have a connecting flight.
What ranks for "flying out of Logan with kids" today?
A limo company and two parking sites, none of it written from the perspective of a family actually navigating the terminal with children. That gap is why we wrote this.
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