The Air France “dungeon” in Boston Logan (BOS) is not the most cheerful setting, yet I find it has improved and is no longer a lounge I would actively avoid.
Air France Lounge Boston (BOS) Review
Location + Access + Hours
The lounge is open daily from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm, with access reserved for SkyTeam Elite Plus members or business class passengers traveling on an international itinerary. It is also open to Priority Pass members.
Finally, Air France also sells lounge access as an add-on option to certain economy and premium economy tickets. Only SkyTeam elite passengers can bring in a guest and that guest must also be traveling on a SkyTeam flight “departing from the same hall.”
You will find the lounge past security in Terminal E, near Gates 3 and 4. An elevator or stairs will take you down to the lounge (hence the dungeon reference).
Seating
The lounge was lightly filled during my visit, around 2:00 pm. There is a lot of seating, though all chairs with the exception of a booth-style seating in the dining area.
Food + Drink
I thought the food and drink offerings in the lounge were quite acceptable, especially for a Priority Pass lounge.
The bar appeared to be self-serve, though there was an attendant sitting behind it. Hard liquor and wine were available but I did not see any Champagne or even sparkling wine.
Perhaps the attendant was there to ladle out soup…instant soup.
The buffet included pasta with marinara sauce and jumbo meatballs (beef) that actually looked decent (and many people were eating them). I was on my way to Stephanie’s and did not try them.
Sandwiches (turkey with Swiss cheese) also looked quite good and cold cuts, salad, vegetable crudites, hummus, and baba ghanoush.
Finally, there was a respectable selection of cheeses.
Coffee and tea were self-serve, including an automatic machine that dispensed espresso-based drinks.
On the other side of the lounge were some packaged potato chips, oranges, and apples. There was also freshly-cut fruit (pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes) and plain yogurt.
Wi-Fi
After initially experiencing some trouble connecting, I found the wi-fi speeds were fast enough to get done the work I needed to complete.
Charging Station
Charging stations are available for your portable devices in case you lose your charging cord or leave it at home. These came in very handy for me on an Air Canada trip earlier this year and I am glad to see them, even if they are rarely used.
Restrooms
I found the restrooms to be dated and grimy, with the tile appearing dirty and corrosion forming on the mirrors. These are long overdue for a refresh.
This lounge does not have shower facilities.
CONCLUSION
Sure, this lounge is a little depressing, but at Boston Logan, it beats the gate area. And if you are hungry, the sandwiches, meatballs, salad, and cheese did not look bad at all. That said, if you are accessing via a Priority Pass card from Capital One, Chase, or Citi, I find Stephanie’s restaurant nearby a better choice.
Is this lounge accessible only if you are on an international itinerary or can you get to terminal E regardless?
Terminal B, C, and E are now all connected airside.
“There is a lot of seating, though all chairs with the exception of a booth-style seating in the dining area.”
Something tells me this sentence needs an edit…
What I was (inartfully) trying to convey is that the lounge has all chairs, no couches (unless you count the booth-like thing in the dining area).
Just curious, how would you rank the lounges at Boston? I know this one would be in the bottom half of the list, but I am curious which would be your favorite (United or Virgin?).
Have not been to the DL, AA, or even VS lounges (VS lounge was closed during my visit). I also have not been to the two off-brand Priority Pass lounges, though I’d imagine they are even worse. Next time I’m in Boston, I’ll try to visit a couple more.
The AA lounge is pretty typical for an AA lounge, nothing really noteworthy except the clam chowder which was REALLY good.
BA’s lounge in this terminal looks great but alas is not open until later in the day/evening. AA has a fine newly renovated lounge in its terminal (showers, quiet room and decent catering for an AAdmirals Club (smoke salmon and avocado bar during breakfast as well as hot items).
It’s not the best but it just gets the job done. However, it gets crowded before TATL flights in the evening.
The problem with BOS in general is that there isn’t any more space for the airport to grow, unfortunately.
What’s the story with entrance rules for priority pass lounges. Some in Europe have let my whole family in and others just one guest (eg today in Madrid)
Depends on who issued your Priority Pass card. Citi is the most liberal (two guests plus all immediate family). AMEX, Chase, and Cap One are two guests.
Thanks. It’s amex for me ugh.
Speaking of guests and benefits for the family, one world sapphire with American was brutal on Iberia. They nearly didn’t let my wife fast track security even though my self and the kids were allowed. And they give one free bag for the card holder and won’t even priority tag the other bags lolllll. Very strange.
SkyTeam bad too. Star Alliance is superior in that respect.
I use the lounge often as I am based out of Boston now. They have champagne later in the evening when the europe redeyes flights depart
I noticed that it got pretty dark during your stay in the AF lounge (I also noticed this in your United Club lounge pictures). Were you there for a long time or were some of the pictures from a previous visit? Even though the days are getting shorter with the transition to the Northern Hemisphere winter timing shortly, we have some way to still go.
Glad you had a great trip paying your respects to Ma’am.
The Air France lounge has windows that are blacked out on one side of the lounge, another reason it is known as a dungeon. All those photos were taken within a five minute period.
Seems pretty similar to the IAD AF lounge offerings, including the sandwiches and meatballs.
JL uses this lounge (from 10-noon) and it was the worst lounge experience I’ve had in decades! Hot, crowded with awful food (not even sushi, just cup-of-noodles!) and pathetic bar. It was so bad, we preferred waiting at the gate!
I wonder if they don’t put out much food until the AF flyers start showing up in the afternoon. I’ve seen other AF and BA lounges do that.
“vegetable crudites”
Interesting to see Pennsylvania specialties being served in Boston. Did you happen to see what brand of salsa they were pairing with the asparagus?
Seriously, you should not have a photo of the wifi password. That’s why it’s called a password.
The Air France-KLM lounge in Toronto has to be the worst Air France-KLM lounge anywhere in their system. I’m not sure Air France can restrict access to only those eligible passengers departing from the same airport hall/terminal (however it’s phrased). But regardless, while that newly renovated Air France lounge at Dulles is nice, I do find that even the Air France lounges at CDG are getting pretty institutional or hospital-feeling these days. I was at CDG last week, departing on an Air France flight in business-class. They didn’t even have wine glasses. They were having the customers use the small water or juice glasses. The food was picked over and not replaced at 3:30 or 4 p.m. The only good part was the self-serve chablis and champagne.
I also think anyone paying (with their own money as opposed to other peoples’ money) for business-class from JFK or BOS to CDG and LHR is crazy. Those flights sometimes are 5 1/2 hours with good winds. I don’t know how you justify spending $5,000 on a flight of 5 1/2 hours. If I’m spending my own money or using my own miles/points, I’m going as far west as possible to maximize my time in business-class.
I think the FRA AF lounge is worst of all.
Darn! This is bleak. I just started organizing a special trip to Paris for shortly after Notre Dame Cathedral re-opens in 2024. I’d planned on booking AF award tickets, but I get the sense that the lounge experience isn’t going to have the same elan as the flight itself. Bummer. I’m encouraged, though, that the champagne makes an appearance as the evening wears on. It’s only fair.
I’ve been to this lounge twice (June 2022, March 2023) and both times I saw mice running around!
I’m not surprised!