Boston to Munich Flights (BOS to MUC): Nonstop, Flight Time and Getting into Munich

Lufthansa flies it nonstop; connections fill the gaps

As of recent schedules, Lufthansa flies nonstop from Boston Logan to Munich, an overnight flight that leaves Boston in the evening and lands in Bavaria the next morning. United and Air Canada sell seats on it through the Star Alliance partnership. The nonstop has not always run daily in every season, so check the days of operation for your dates.

If the nonstop does not fit, one-stop options are plentiful. Lufthansa connects through Frankfurt, Swiss through Zurich, and Austrian through Vienna, each a short hop from Munich. Aer Lingus via Dublin, British Airways via London Heathrow, KLM via Amsterdam, Air France via Paris and Icelandair via Reykjavik all fly from Boston and continue to Munich. United connects through Newark or Washington Dulles, and Delta through New York JFK or its European partners.

Flight time and distance

Boston to Munich is roughly 3,850 miles (about 6,200 km). The nonstop takes about 7.5 to 8 hours eastbound with the jet stream behind it. The return is slower at about 9 to 9.5 hours, leaving Munich around midday and landing in Boston in the afternoon of the same day.

With one connection, plan on 10 to 13 hours eastbound and 12 to 15 hours coming home. Connections in Zurich and Vienna are compact and quick; Frankfurt and Heathrow are larger and need more time.

Leaving from Boston Logan

Logan has four terminals, A, B, C and E. Lufthansa and most other foreign airlines depart from Terminal E, the international terminal, which was expanded in recent years. If your first leg is a domestic flight to Newark or New York, you will leave from Terminal A, B or C depending on the airline. Free shuttle buses link the terminals landside, and airside connections are possible between some of them.

The Silver Line SL1 bus runs from South Station to every terminal and is free from the airport. The Blue Line has an Airport station served by shuttle buses, and water taxis cross the harbour from downtown. Security at Terminal E is busiest in the early evening when the European departures leave together, so arrive three hours ahead if you are checking bags.

Arriving at Munich Airport and getting into the city

Munich has two terminals. Lufthansa and its Star Alliance partners use Terminal 2, which also has a satellite building for some long-haul gates connected by an underground train. Terminal 1 handles most other airlines, including British Airways, KLM, Air France and Aer Lingus. Both terminals open on to the Munich Airport Center, where the S-Bahn station sits between them.

The airport is about 30 km north-east of the city:

• S-Bahn S8 and S1: both run to the city centre, reaching Marienplatz and the main station in about 40 to 45 minutes. The S8 is usually a little quicker to the central stations. Buy an Airport-City-Day-Ticket if you plan to keep travelling the same day.
• Lufthansa Express Bus: to the main station in about 45 minutes, with luggage space and no changes.
• Taxi: 30 to 45 minutes to the centre depending on traffic, and expensive for the distance.
• Regional trains: the airport has direct regional services towards Regensburg and other Bavarian towns, useful if you are not staying in Munich.

Immigration is handled at the arrival terminal for flights from Boston. US passports can be slow at peak times, so expect a queue when several transatlantic flights land in the morning.

When to fly and when to book

Munich's busiest weeks are set by Oktoberfest, which runs for about two and a half weeks from late September to early October. Hotels sell out, prices for rooms multiply and transatlantic seats into Munich fill months in advance. If you want to go, book flights and rooms four to six months ahead; if you do not, avoid those weeks. The Christmas markets from late November to Christmas Eve are a second busy period, especially on weekends, and summer from June to August brings beer gardens, Alpine hiking and peak fares.

May, June and early September are excellent, with long days and warm weather before the crowds peak. January to March is cold and cheaper, with ski resorts a couple of hours away. Outside Oktoberfest and Christmas, six to ten weeks ahead is usually enough notice.

Entry requirements and documents

Germany is in the Schengen Area. As of recent rules, US passport holders can visit for short stays without a visa, with a passport valid for several months beyond departure. The European Union is introducing an online travel authorisation (ETIAS) and a biometric entry-exit system for visitors; check the official EU website and the German Federal Foreign Office before you travel. If you connect through Frankfurt, Zurich or Vienna, your passport is checked at the connecting airport, not in Munich.

Time zones and jet lag

Munich is six hours ahead of Boston for most of the year. Germany and the United States change their clocks on different dates, so the gap is five hours for a few weeks in March and late October to early November. Eastbound you lose a night of sleep and land in the morning; a walk through the old town and the English Garden in daylight and an early local bedtime are the quickest way to adjust. Westbound you land in the afternoon and can usually sleep at a normal hour.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The most common mistake is booking a trip in late September without realising it is Oktoberfest, then paying several times the normal rate for a room. The second is taking a taxi into the city from an airport that is a long way out, when the S-Bahn takes about the same time. The third is forgetting that many shops in Bavaria close on Sundays and public holidays, of which there are several in May and June.