Dealing with airport security can be a breeze or a nightmare, depending on where you’re departing from. Some airports seem to specialize in turning up the stress levels, leading to more passenger complaints, while others offer a more controlled security check experience.
To shed some light on where travelers are having the most issues, we’ve analyzed TSA Contact Center Complaint data from 2015 through 2023. Our study digs into the number and types of complaints filed at U.S. airports, revealing which airports are more prone to passengers unhappy enough to file a complaint.
From problems with expedited screening programs to mishandling of property, our analysis covers it all. Whether you’re curious about how your local airport fares or are planning your next trip, this data can help you navigate the often turbulent world of airport security. So, buckle up and read on to find out which airports top the list for the most — and least — complaints.
U.S. Airports With the Most and Least TSA Complaints
Navigating airport security is what many would call a high-stress situation. Hundreds of people funneling through checkpoints in a rush to get where they need to go will inevitably cause a few issues that often lead to formal complaints.
We analyzed TSA complaint data from 2015 to 2023, normalizing the data by passenger volume to allow for more accurate comparisons across airports of varying sizes. The average across airports in our study was 3.92 complaints per 100K passengers.
Let’s take a look at where the complaints are levied most and least often across the U.S.
Airports With the Most Complaints (2015 to 2023)
With 1 more complaint per 100K passengers than the airport with the second-most, Newark Liberty International Airport is the airport with the most complaints in the U.S. by a pretty wide margin. It fields nearly twice as many complaints as the average airport, with many of them being about TSA PreCheck (44.8% of all complaints), customer service (14.6%), and mishandled baggage (14%).
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- 6.83 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
- 5.78 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- 5.6 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
- 5.5 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
- 5.38 complaints per 100,000 passengers
If we zoom in on the timeline a bit closer, we’ll see that some of these airports stood out for having the most complaints in 2023, as well. Newark Liberty International Airport once again topped the list with 12.84 complaints per 100K passengers, followed by Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (10.35), Palm Beach International Airport (8.98), and Southwest Florida International Airport (8.92). One airport that breaks into the top 5 in 2023, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), rounds out the airports with the most complaints last year with 8.91 complaints per 100K passengers.
Airports With the Fewest Complaints (2015 to 2023)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has the fewest TSA complaints of any airport we studied, experiencing less than 2 complaints per 100K passengers over the past 8 years. It only fields about half the complaints of the average U.S. airport.
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- 1.97 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- 2.63 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
- 2.74 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- 2.75 complaints per 100,000 passengers
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) (tie)
- 2.8 complaints per 100,000 passengers
Similar to the airports with the most complaints, several of these airports also stood out as having the fewest complaints in 2023, consistent with their performance over time. Charlotte Douglas International Airport experienced the fewest complaints, with 3.47 per 100K passengers. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (4.22), Dallas Love Field (DAL) (4.3), and Chicago Midway International Airport (4.52) all followed. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) experienced the fifth fewest complaints in the airports we studied, with 4.8 complaints per 100K passengers.
Bottom Line:
Airports with more TSA complaints could mean longer delays. Knowing an airport’s screening process can help you more effectively plan your trips so you aren’t in a huge rush when you arrive.
Months That See the Most Complaints at U.S. Airports
Now that we’ve examined the airports that field the most TSA complaints, we’ll look at how seasonality can impact their volume and highlight when passengers are most likely to file complaints.
We normalized the data to show TSA complaints per day across all airports in our study to ensure a more fair comparison across months. Let’s learn more about these complaint trends.
Months With the Most TSA Complaints:
- December: 1,457 complaints per day
- October: 1,450 complaints per day
- November: 1,398 complaints per day
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest complaint rates occur in December, October, and November, likely driven by increased travel during the holiday season. These months stand out as some of the most challenging for travelers, reflecting heightened stress levels and potential disruptions.
Another notable trend is the general increase in complaints as the year progresses, peaking during the final quarter of the year. In contrast, January and February see the fewest complaints across all airports in the study, suggesting a calmer travel period at the start of the year.
All this is to say that higher passenger volumes can make an already stressful situation even more tense, almost certainly leading to a worse experience and more complaints being filed.
The TSA Complaints That Are Filed Most Often
TSA complaints can vary widely in subject matter, from issues with expedited screening programs (TSA PreCheck) to the mishandling of baggage. To provide a clearer picture of what these complaints look like, we analyzed the data to find the most common complaint passengers file. Here’s a breakdown of the top categories and the airports with the highest percentage of each.
Top Complaint Categories:
- Expedited Passenger Screening Program (TSA PreCheck)
- Mishandling of Passenger Property
- Customer Service
- 13.06% of all complaints
- Airport With the Highest Percentage: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): 20.42%
- Screening
- Property — Special Handling
While TSA PreCheck is by far the category that sees the most complaints across airports, other issues like baggage handling and customer service also arise regularly. With some airports being (even slightly) more prone to certain types of complaints, travelers should be aware of the potential issues they’ll face on their trips so they can try to prevent specific problems before they arise.
Methodology
To determine the airports with the most and least complaints, we analyzed TSA complaint data by category at 44 large U.S. airports from 2015 to 2023. We positioned the total number of complaints at each airport against its annual passengers to allow for more accurate comparisons across airports.
In addition to finding total complaints, we also found the most common complaints overall, which airport has the highest percentage of common complaints, and which airports have seen the most complaints recently (2023).
We also totaled the number of complaints reported each month from 2015 to 2023 to see how seasonal shifts affect complaints.
All data for this study came from the TSA FOIA Electronic Reading Room.
Final Thoughts
From issues with TSA PreCheck to mishandled baggage, the data shows that travelers’ experiences with TSA can vary widely depending on the airport. Whether you’re flying out of complaint-prone Newark Liberty or the more subdued Charlotte Douglas, be aware that problems may arise as you make your way through security.
Being informed about potential pain points can make a big difference in planning a smoother trip. Understanding these trends can help you better prepare for your trips and make informed choices about where and when to travel.
![The U.S. Airports With the Most TSA Complaints [2024 Data Study]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Passenger-stopped-at-TSA-screening.png?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
