Car Rentals at Boston Airport

Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighbourhood of Boston, which is a large city in the American state of Massachusetts. The airport is also partly in the town of Winthrop, and is built alongside the sea. The airport handles millions of passengers every year and is regarded as the nineteenth busiest in the United States of America. Many of the airport’s arriving passengers need one form of transport or another, and although there are trains, buses and taxis available, a rented car from one of the Logan International Airport car hire companies is often preferred. There are several car rental companies from which to choose, all who offer competitive rental rates and a selection of vehicles.

The airport of Boston, with the official IATA code of BOS, consists of four terminal buildings that each have their own ticketing, baggage claim and ground transport facilities. They are referred to as A, B, C and E, of which three handle domestic passengers and one (E) is the international terminal. Terminal E is officially known as the Volpe International Terminal, and its passengers will arrive on the ground floor. Terminal A, opened in 2005, has a main building and a satellite terminal, Terminal B opened in 1974 has north and south buildings and Terminal C was opened in 1967, and has recently been renovated. This is the terminal for Cape Air and JetBlue Airways. Once passengers have collected their luggage they can proceed to the car rental counters of their chosen car hire company. Most of the companies have their counters in the arrival areas of the terminals, and are easy to locate. However, should you need to transfer to another terminal, there are free shuttle buses that can be used. The terminals without rental counters will also have direct line telephones available.

At Logan International Airport, the car hire companies available include Hertz, Budget, Avis, National, Enterprise, Easycar, Alamo, Auto Europa, Thrifty, Dollar and Europcar. They are all internationally recognised companies, with excellent rates for their airport customers. They all offer loyalty programs, for example, Avis Preferred, the Hertz #1 Club, Budget’s Fastbreak membership, Dollar Express and Emerald Club from National. If you are a frequent renter from any of these companies it is recommended to join their loyalty program, as a great number of benefits are offered. In general, frequent renters enjoy faster reservations, rentals and returns, and may even be rewarded with free rental days. Some of the loyalty programs may even be joined free of charge by occasional renters. Keep in mind that an advanced online reservation is always preferable for lower car rental rates.

The Logan International Airport car rental companies mainly allow their customers to hire vehicles by category, however, Hertz and Budget also offer cars that can be booked by their specific makes and models. The usual categories available include Economy, Compact, Midsize, Standard, Fullsize, Minivan and SUV. There are also Luxury and Premium vehicle categories available. Many people just need a small car for city driving, and one that is not too expensive for hire. Economy and Compact cars are therefore ideal, and they include the Chevrolet Aveo, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Accent and Ford Focus. Although considered as smaller, they can seat up to five passengers and have room for a few luggage items. They could have two or four doors. Families who require a more spacious car can hire the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Fusion or Chevrolet Impala.

SUVs are also often a popular type of car to hire. There are SUVS that seat five people, similar to the Ford Escape, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Edge, and those with room for up to seven or eight passengers, such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition EL and Lincoln Navigator. High occupancy vehicles are available in Minivans as well, similar to the Dodge Grand Caravan and Toyota Sienna. The largest vehicles available from the car hire companies include the Chevrolet Express for fifteen people and the Ford Econoline and Ford E350 for twelve passengers. All vehicles may be hired with additional items of equipment. There are child seats for younger travellers and satellite navigations systems for Dad! A GPS is recommended for all who are unfamiliar with the Boston area. Vehicles may also be arranged as a one way hire from Logan International Airport. One way hire services allow the vehicle to be returned to a different rental location.

Logan Airport is completely accessible to persons with disabilities, as it is equipped with elevators, pavement ramps, special parking spaces and suitable restroom facilities. The car hire companies cater for the needs of handicapped individuals as well, by offering hand control equipment and by allowing a free second-driver for a disabled person who cannot drive, but who would still like to be the primary renter of the vehicle. From Logan Airport, hand control equipment is free of charge, but will require an advanced reservation.

The primary renters and additional drivers of the Logan Airport car hire companies are required to provide a valid drivers license to validate their rental, and will need to be at least 21 years of age. However, drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 may not have access to all vehicle categories, and will pay higher rental rates. The extra amount to pay will be applicable daily, and per young driver registered on the rental contract. Driving licenses issued in the United States are accepted, as well as those that are Canadian-endorsed. Foreign renters may need an International Driving Permit or further documents to verify their rental. A major credit card is also important for car hire.

Cars in Boston are driven on the right hand side of the road, and all road rules should be followed. The speed limits in place are as follows: 30mph/48kph in urban areas, 65mph/105kph on open roads and 70mph/113kph on motorways and highways. Driving in Boston is relatively easy, however, be careful of the downtown area where the roads become very chaotic. There are a number of one-way streets in the area, and sometimes roads are closed due to the city’s famous ‘Big Dig’. It is perhaps best to park somewhere and take public transport in the city centre.

Contact your favourite Boston Logan International Airport car rental company for all further details required.