What can $100 million get you? Speaking in terms of Logan Airport, we just found out what, exactly, spending such a sum can bring: This week, Governor Deval Patrick and representatives from the Massachusetts Port Authority announced that $100 million will be spent to renovate Terminal E (the airport's international arrivals and departures terminal). Specifically, the money will be used to:

• Create a connector between terminals E and C (after passengers have exited the security area)

• Spruce up waiting areas and gates
• Improve vendor/concession stands
• Expand the terminal overall to accommodate new airlines
• Install new self-service kiosks

Renovations will begin in July and are expected to be complete in 2015. All funding is being underwritten by the Port Authority capital plan.

If you've been to Terminal E lately, you may be wondering why exactly these renovations are needed. (In my opinion, it's one of the better—and most modern—terminals at Logan.) Overall, it's clean, attractive, and the concessions and merchants are already pretty decent. Why the huge investment now?

In a word? Growth. The Boston Globe reports that international airlines have been flocking to Boston over the past several years, and that 36 international nonstop flights are currently available out of Logan (up from 26 about 10 years ago). Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and Hainan Airlines are all adding new routes from Logan this year, with negotiations with El Al Israel Airlines also in progress. Japan Airlines' new route from Tokyo, introduced last year, spurred a 43 percent increase in visitors to Massachusetts from Japan.

And, with the many colleges and universities in Massachusetts, our international student population is soaring, with more than 46,000 students depending on Logan Airport for transportation back home and to school.

As a result, this $100 million investment will accommodate new business for these emerging routes, as well as future route expansion as determined by consumer demand. And if our local government officials and economists are correct, there's only going to be an increase in demand.  

So, if you've got a bad case of wanderlust and are curious where you can currently fly to non-stop from Boston Logan, here's just a sampling of available destinations and the airlines that will get you there: the Azores (SATA), Dubai (Emirates), Dublin (Aer Lingus), Panama City (Copa Airlines), Paris (Air France), and Reykjavik (Icelandair), among 30 other destinations around the world. (Just researching that grab-bag of options makes me want to book a trip!) A full listing of international airlines serving Logan is available on the Massport website.
What do you think of the expansion and renovations of Logan Airport's Terminal E? Send me an email and share your thoughts!