BOSTON, October 1, 2026 — Boston Logan (BOS) has had a rough start to the fall. With its busiest runway closed for safety construction, a nor’easter and gusty winds this week pushed the FAA into back-to-back ground delay programs, producing hours-long inbound delays and dozens of cancellations.
What happened
Runway 9-27, Logan’s busiest runway, has been closed since August 31 for the second phase of an Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) installation at the Runway 27 end. EMAS is a bed of crushable material designed to stop an aircraft that overruns the runway. The project is scheduled to take about 75 days, with Massport targeting completion in November, before Thanksgiving.
Normally, losing one runway is manageable in good weather. This week it wasn’t:
- Monday, September 28: The FAA ran a ground delay program for Logan from 7:30 a.m. Monday until 2:59 a.m. Tuesday, with average inbound delays of about 5 hours 14 minutes. Roughly 520 flights were delayed or cancelled by Monday night. Massport said Monday’s winds would normally have called for the runway that is closed for construction, so controllers had to use other runways at lower efficiency.
- Tuesday, September 29: Another ground delay program ran from noon until 1:59 a.m. Wednesday, citing runway construction, with average inbound delays of 86 minutes. By mid-afternoon, more than 230 flights had been delayed and 43 cancelled.
Massport attributed the disruption to a mix of weather and construction and told travelers to check flight status with their airline before heading to the airport.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Runway closed | 9-27 (EMAS work at the Runway 27 end) |
| Closed since | August 31, 2026 |
| Expected reopening | November 2026 (before Thanksgiving); exact date TBA |
| Airlines affected | All Logan operators |
What it means for non-revs
- Weather is the trigger. On calm, clear days Logan copes. When strong winds, low clouds or storms are forecast, expect the FAA to meter arrivals again, and that means long delays and cancellations. Check the forecast and the FAA’s airport status page before committing to a BOS itinerary.
- Cancellations kill standby chances. On bad days, the confirmed passengers from cancelled flights fill the remaining seats first. If you see a ground delay program forming, consider moving to an earlier flight or a different day.
- Consider alternates. Providence (PVD) and Manchester (MHT) are within reach of Boston and aren’t affected by the Logan runway work.
- Protect your connections. Avoid tight connections into or out of BOS until the runway reopens; inbound delays of 90 minutes or more have been common on disrupted days.
- Carry on. Irregular operations raise the risk of bags being separated from passengers.
- This will persist until the runway reopens, which Massport expects in November.
