How Far Is Lowell From the Airport?

Lowell's main airport is Boston Logan International, roughly 30 miles south, which is about 40 minutes by car in light traffic and longer at rush hour. Lowell also has a genuine second option that many newcomers miss: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire, roughly 35 miles north, which is often the easier trip even though the distance is slightly greater.

Airport distance matters if you travel for work or have family flying in regularly, so here is how Lowell travelers actually handle both airports.

Logan Airport: The Default Trip

Most Lowell flights go through Logan. The standard drive is Route 3 south to the Boston area and then Interstate 93 into the city and the airport tunnels, or the Lowell Connector to Interstate 495 and Interstate 93. In light traffic, early morning or midday, the trip runs about 40 minutes. Build in a real cushion at rush hour, on Friday afternoons, and around holidays, when the same route can stretch well past an hour. Travelers with early flights often drive down the night before or take the first trains and connections of the day.

Without a car, the workable Logan routes from Lowell are the commuter rail to North Station and then MBTA connections toward the airport, a pre booked airport shuttle or car service, or rideshare, which is readily available in Lowell. Price the rideshare both ways before you rely on it for a family trip; for a solo business traveler it is often the simplest door to door answer.

Manchester-Boston Regional: The Northern Option

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport sits roughly 35 miles north of Lowell, reached by Route 3 and the Everett Turnpike into New Hampshire. The drive is mostly highway in the opposite direction from Boston traffic, which is why Lowell residents who have tried it often prefer it. The airport is smaller than Logan, with a shorter list of destinations served by the major carriers and typically shorter lines and easier parking. The trade is simple: fewer nonstop routes, but frequently a calmer trip from your Lowell front door to the gate.

For family visits and vacations, it is worth pricing both airports every time. For business travel to a specific city, Logan's route network usually decides it. Lowell sits between the two, and that flexibility is a real, if quiet, advantage of living here.

Smaller Airports and Private Aviation

For completeness, the region has general aviation fields including Lawrence Municipal Airport in North Andover, roughly 20 minutes east, and Nashua's Boire Field to the north. These serve private and charter flying rather than scheduled airline service, but if you fly privately or use charter services, they put Lowell within easy reach of a runway.

What This Means for Your Move

If air travel is a weekly part of your job, weigh Lowell's airport math in the housing decision: the drive to Logan is competitive with many Boston suburbs once traffic is counted honestly, and the Manchester option gives you a pressure valve they do not have. Pair that with Lowell home prices and the commuter rail, and the travel picture here is stronger than most people expect before they look at it closely. I am happy to run the numbers with you on any home you are considering.

Thinking about a move to Lowell? Call me at (978) 746-0124 and we will factor your real travel routine into the search.

Chris Doherty is the #1 selling agent in Lowell, ranked #1 in the city again and again, including in 2024 and 2025, and he is one of Greater Lowell's top-producing agents. He personally sells 100+ homes a year, with 3,000+ career transactions, and Doherty Properties, the company he leads, has handled over $1 billion in real estate transactions.

Doherty Properties LLC, 14 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852 | 160 Main Street, Unit 7, Haverhill, MA 01830 | 4 Courthouse Lane, Suite 2, Chelmsford, MA 01824 | (978) 746-0124 | [email protected]