Nor'easter Season: Getting to Logan When Snow Is Coming

If snow is in the forecast for your travel day, check your flight the evening before, leave for Logan at least 30 minutes earlier than usual, and keep your phone handy so you can move your ride if your flight is cancelled. Nor'easters are most common from fall through spring, and on the South Shore they bring two problems at once: slow roads and, in towns like Hull and Scituate, coastal flooding.

Here is how to plan an airport trip when the weather turns.

When nor'easter season is

Nor'easters can happen at any time of year, but they are most frequent and strongest between September and April, according to NOAA. February is the month when the biggest snowstorms most often hit the Northeast. Massachusetts' coastal management office describes the season as running from October through April.

In practice, if you are flying between Thanksgiving and early April, keep an eye on the forecast in the days before your trip.

The day before: check, confirm, adjust

1. Check your flight. Ahead of a major storm, airlines often announce travel waivers that let you change your flight without a fee. Moving a trip by a day is often easier than fighting the storm.
2. Confirm your pickup. If your flight time changes, call us at (617) 372-5729 (Nour) so we can move the ride. We answer 24 hours a day.
3. Plan for an earlier departure. Add at least 30 minutes to the usual drive time, and more if heavy snow is falling at pickup time. Our table of drive times from each town is the starting point.
4. Pack the essentials in your carry-on: phone charger, medication and a warm layer, in case of a long wait at the airport.

The morning of: make the pickup easy

• Clear a path from your door to the street, and make sure your house number is visible.
• Be ready a few minutes early. Loading bags in the snow takes longer, and those minutes count when the roads are slow.
• Wear boots and pack your shoes. The walk from the car to the terminal is short, but the curb may be slushy.

Coastal flooding in Hull and Scituate

Big nor'easters often arrive with high tides and strong onshore winds. In Hull and along the shore in Scituate, low roads can flood for a few hours around high tide, and some may be closed.

If your street floods in storms, tell us when you book or call dispatch the day before. We can plan a different pickup point, or a time that avoids the high tide, so you are not stuck at the end of a flooded road with your suitcase.

If your flight is cancelled

Call us as soon as you know, whether you are still at home or already at the airport.

• Still at home: we cancel or move the pickup to your new flight.
• At the airport: if your flight is cancelled after you arrive, we can bring you home and pick you up again for the rebooked flight.
• Landing somewhere else: a diverted flight that ends up in Providence or Manchester can still end with a ride home. We drive to every major New England airport.

Coming home in a storm

Book your pickup with your flight number, and call us when you have your bags, as you would on any other day. On a stormy night, a booked car is also the most dependable of the ways home from Logan: the harbor ferries are often the first service to be cancelled when the wind picks up. In heavy snow, your driver may need a little longer to reach the terminal, and the ride home will be slower. Our chauffeurs drive for the conditions, and dispatch stays in touch with them throughout the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Does Logan close during snowstorms?

Full closures are rare, but airlines often cancel many flights ahead of a major storm and the remaining flights can be delayed while runways are cleared and planes are de-iced. Always check with your airline before you leave home.

How much extra time should I allow in snow?

At least 30 minutes on top of the usual drive in light snow, and more in a heavy storm or if the forecast calls for snow during the morning commute.

Can I change my pickup at the last minute because of the weather?

Yes. Call dispatch at any hour. Last-minute changes are part of the job, and in winter they are part of almost every week.