There's A New Way To Cut The Security Line At Logan Airport

BOSTON— Starting this week, if you're trying to get to the airport, officials are hoping you'll take the Logan Express. Massachusetts Port Authority has reduced the fare and added a couple perks, not least of which is this: If you take the Logan Express from the Back Bay you can skip to the head of the security checkpoint line. You read that right, there's a new way to avoid the security line at the airport.

This is all part of Mass Port’s plan to reduce traffic to the airport, and comes just after MassPort voted to ban ride-sharing companies from dropping passengers off at the terminal door during the day.

Logan Express, which began in 2009, is the seventh largest transit system in the Commonwealth with locations in Braintree, Framingham, Woburn, and Peabody. In the past decade ridership has increased from 1.1 million riders to 1.8 million a year. Now, MassPort hopes to increase annual ridership to 4 million.

“Our goal is to double HOV ridership by providing value-added choices for customers,” said Massport Acting CEO John Pranckevicius in a statement. “We want our customers to realize that dollar-for-dollar Logan Express is the best mode of transportation to get to Logan from Boston’s Back Bay. It is the most cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, and efficient mode of transportation for passengers and workers at the airport.”

Logan is one of the nation's busiest airports. During the first two months of 5.4 million passengers passed through Logan Airport this year, up from 5.1 during the same time last year. And that's in addition to the some 17,000 people who work there, coming and going.

Riders have criticized the service for needing more buses and for a dearth of parking, especially in Braintree, but MassPort said the new plan should help.

One change for those who take the Logan Express in Copley: Pick up and drop off sites once in Copley Square have moved to just outside the MBTA’s Back Bay station.

What are the other perks, as if it could get any better aside from getting ahead of the security line when you arrive at Logan? The fee will also drop from $7.50 to $3 for a ride to the airport, and will be free (as in zero cents) from Logan to Back Bay for riders.

The starting point for the bus route will remain at the Hynes Convention Center on Boylston Street with a stop at the Back Bay T Station on Dartmouth Street. Service from the Hynes runs from 5am-9pm. Trips from Logan start at 6am and ends at 10pm every day and run every 20 minutes.

Also in response to some criticism, Massport is increasing its Braintree Logan Express service trips to happen every 20 minutes. According to officials additional parking at both Braintree and Framingham locations, where there are some 740,000 and 580,000 riders annually, are also in the works.

MassPort is also planning to add Logan Express service at North Station with connections to the MBTA’s Green and Orange lines, and the Commuter Rail with $3 going to Logan and free service from the airport back into the city.

On April 25, the Massport Board of Directors voted to ban ride-sharing companies from dropping their passengers off at the terminal door, except between the hours of 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. They will allow drop offs at the Arrivals level terminal in the early mornings. The rest of the drop offs will be situated at a dedicated area in the Central Garage.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).