With more people flying through U.S. airports than ever before, it’s not unusual for more than 3 million travelers to pass through TSA checkpoints on the busiest travel days. This inevitably leads to long lines at airport security, but airports have begun exploring potential alternatives in an effort to ease congestion. Now, one airport is offering a first-of-its-kind program in which travelers are screened off-site before being securely shuttled to the terminal. Here are all the details.

Logan Airport’s Remote Terminal Initiative

In 2025, Boston Logan International Airport welcomed 43.2 million passengers, a record for the airport. While this is an impressive accomplishment, it meant that the airport was more congested than ever before, which led to longer lines at security checkpoints. In an effort to alleviate the problem, Logan recently launched a new remote terminal security screening program. In a TSA press release, TSA senior official Ha Nguyen McNeill stated that “this pilot program is all about creating options for our travelers.” 

Instead of heading directly to the airport, passengers who choose to use this service will begin their journey at a remote TSA screening facility in Framingham, located about 22 miles west of Logan Airport. The facility is located in a parking lot at 19 Flutie Pass on the Massachusetts Turnpike. 

Why Framingham? Well, many frequent flyers are already familiar with the area because Framingham serves as a departure point for the Logan Express, a popular airport shuttle bus service. While those who take the existing bus service still have to undergo security checks upon arrival, this new program will get those checks out of the way early, while still utilizing the same bus route that many travelers are familiar with.

Upon arrival at the remote screening facility before their departing flight, passengers will check their bags and undergo TSA screening with their carry-on luggage. Luggage check-in closes 45 minutes prior to the bus departure time, and security closes 35 minutes prior to bus departure. Carry-ons will be allowed aboard the bus, but all checked bags will be stored under the bus in a separate, secure location. The bus will then drop off travelers airside — bypassing those long checkpoints and allowing folks to head straight to their gate.

Currently, this program is available only for those flying Delta or JetBlue on flights departing from Boston Logan between 5:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Shuttles depart the Framingham Remote Terminal every hour between 4:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. They return from Logan Airport to the remote terminal every 20 minutes between 6:20 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and every 30 minutes from 1:00 p.m. to midnight, with one final return trip at 1:15 a.m.

To use this service, travelers will need to reserve tickets up to 90 days in advance. The tickets cost $9 each way per adult; anyone age 18 or younger can ride free if accompanied by a ticketed adult. There are also 400 parking spots at the facility, which cost an extra $7 per day to park in — an affordable price compared to the $46 daily parking charge in the terminal lot at Logan Airport.

Booking a ticket is simple: Visit the Logan Airport Remote Terminal page on the official Massport website and select “purchase tickets.” Enter your airline, your party size, and your flight info. After inputting those details, the system will recommend the best bus for your journey. The recommended bus will typically arrive at the airport no less than 45 minutes prior to your flight’s departure time. You can also book a parking spot in Framingham during the booking process.

Early Success

After announcing the pilot program last year, Massport officially opened the remote screening terminal on June 1, 2026. One of the chief roadblocks in implementing the pilot program had been safety, particularly the concern that prescreened bags could be tampered with during the journey from Framingham to Logan Airport, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on traffic. But after nearly a year of planning, the TSA has finally given the formal go-ahead to the program. 

On July 28, the airport authority celebrated a milestone 10,000 passengers who have already used the remote TSA screening terminal. In a statement, Rich Davey, CEO of Massport, said, “We couldn’t be happier with the success of the Remote Terminal over the last two months. Passengers have been loving the convenience of the service, not stressing about trying to drive into Boston and getting to ride on the airfield next to planes.”

Thanks to the early success, the pilot program has been extended through its original target end date of September to March 2027. Massport is also looking to replicate the program in other locations, according to CBS News, including a new planned remote screening facility in Braintree.

Similar Programs

While Boston Logan’s program is the first of its kind, it takes inspiration from an existing program run by American Airlines: the Landline bus service. 

Landline connects Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to Chicago Rockford International Airport and South Bend International Airport. In Philly, Philadelphia International Airport travelers can take a Landline bus to or from Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Atlantic City, Trenton-Mercer, or Wilmington. Rather than pass through security at both airports, passengers need to do it only once before boarding the bus.

However, this program is reserved for American Airlines passengers, whereas the Logan pilot program is accessible to those flying Delta and JetBlue. Also, tickets aboard the Landline bus must be booked as part of your airline reservation, while bus tickets out of Framingham can be booked separately.