The Best Airport Lounges for Travelers at Boston Logan

By Michael Fogarty, CFP®

A good travel lounge is perhaps the only place where a two-hour flight delay might be considered acceptable. --- Michael Fogarty

Summer is here, and with vacation season upon us, many of our clients are looking for ways to make the challenges of getting from place to place a little less bothersome.

With that in mind, I thought you might enjoy this reading about the top 10 airport lounges in the country, two of which can be found at Boston Logan International Airport! According to USA Today, The Delta Sky Club in Boston is the No. 2 ranked lounge, and the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club ranked No. 8. 

Having spent time before my travels in both of these Boston lounges, I will say that I definitely enjoyed my airport experience more with lounge access.  At first, I was skeptical, but knowing that if I get to Logan early, I will have a comfortable and relatively uncrowded place to relax with food and beverages to enjoy has transformed the early arrival experience.  I now actually look forward to waiting for my time to board.

Gaining entry to the lounges may seem to an outsider like trying to join a secret society, but some of the roads to entry are relatively straightforward.  Here are some of the different avenues to access:

• Fly business class on Delta – Using points to upgrade your flight or ponying up to pay for a First/Business class seat should gain you entry to the Delta Sky Club at Logan.

• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express - Cardholders are allowed entry to the Delta Sky Club, including the #2 ranked lounge at Logan, when flying on a same day Delta Flight.  For travelers using Delta as their airline of choice, this card might make sense.

• The Platinum Card from American Express – Centurion lounges can be accessed with The Platinum Card, including the top ranked airport lounge in the US, located at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.  There is no Centurion Lounge at Logan, but with the Platinum Card and enrollment in Priority Pass you can access the Chase Sapphire Lounge.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve Card – Chase Sapphire cardholders gain access 8 lounges across the country (with one in Hong Kong), including the #8 ranked Chase Sapphire Lounge at Logan.  Cardholders also receive a Priority Pass Select membership for access to over 1,300 other lounges worldwide.

• Priority Pass – The Priority Pass is not only an add-on to credit cards like the American Express Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card; it can also be purchased as a standalone membership card promising access to lounges like Chase Sapphire.  

Please be aware that the credit cards mentioned above usually come with hefty annual fees.  For the frequent traveler, these fees can often be recouped with the numerous special offers for cardholders, which can include travel credits, Uber credits, streaming service credits, and other usable credits.  I feel it is my duty as a financial planner to caution you to pay your balance in full, every month, to avoid the interest payments.

It is also important to note that at peak travel hours, lounges can reach capacity, and entry can be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.  Also, as lounges receive more visitors, their access arrangements may change, so be sure to stay current on your lounge privileges. Priority pass access to Chase Sapphire, for example, has been limited recently at Logan International.

Travel well, enjoy the world, and if you can, enjoy your stay at Boston Logan in the comfort of these world-class lounges.