Going through airport security is an unavoidable part of commercial flying. While the process is usually straightforward, in some cases it can become a stressful affair due to mishandled personal items, inadequate customer service, or other procedural issues.
According to a new report from Improved pointsThe likelihood of having a bad experience at security may depend on which airport you are flying from.
Photo: Courtesy of Denver International Airport.
The study analyzed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) complaint data from 44 of the largest airports in the United States between 2015 and 2023. By comparing the total number of complaints received at each airport with the respective passenger numbers, it found which airports are the worst – and best – for travel through the TSA.
“Security checkpoints are an inevitable part of air travel, but the experience can vary greatly by airport,” said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief of Upgraded Points. “And because security checkpoints can be so stressful, we found out where passengers are most and least satisfied with TSA, providing valuable insights for travelers.”
Airports with the most complaints
According to the study, the airport with the most TSA complaints is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which records 6.83 complaints per 100,000 passengers. That’s more than one complaint per 100,000 passengers more than the next biggest offender and nearly double the average.
Photo: Courtesy of Newark Airport
Even upon closer inspection, Newark received the most TSA complaints in 2023, with an even higher rate of 12.84 complaints per 100,000 passengers.
The airport with the second most TSA complaints since 2015 is Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) with 5.78 complaints per 100,000 passengers, followed by Orlando International Airport (MCO) in third place with 5.6 complaints per 100,000 passengers.
Here are the ten airports with the most TSA complaints from 2015 to 2023:
| Rank | Airport | complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) | 6.83 |
| 2 | Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) | 5.78 |
| 3 | Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 5.6 |
| 4 | Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) | 5.5 |
| 5 | Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) | 5.38 |
| 6 | John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | 5.25 |
| 7 | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) | 4.72 |
| 8 | Tampa International Airport (TPA) | 4.68 |
| 9 | Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) | 4.67 |
| 10 | LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | 4.37 |
Airports with the fewest complaints
While the airports mentioned above received an above-average number of complaints about their security processes, the report also revealed which airports received the fewest complaints and thus had a greater chance of a smooth process and a seamless experience.
Photo: American Airlines gates. Courtesy of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
According to the report, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) received the fewest complaints of all airports, with just 1.97 complaints per 100,000 passengers – making it the only airport to receive fewer than two complaints per 100,000. In second place is Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with 2.63 TSA complaints per 100,000 passengers, followed by Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with 2.74 complaints per 100,000.
Here are the ten airports with the fewest TSA complaints from 2015 to 2023:
| Rank | Airport | complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | 1.97 |
| 2 | Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) | 2.63 |
| 3 | Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | 2.74 |
| 4 | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | 2.75 |
| 5 | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | 2.8 |
| 5 | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) | 2.8 |
| 7 | Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | 2.85 |
| 8 | San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | 2.87 |
| 9 | Dallas Love Field (DAL) | 2.89 |
| 10 | Kansas City International Airport (MCI) | 3.02 |
The report also analyzed the most common types of TSA complaints nationwide. Over a third (37.98 percent) of complaints involved problems with the TSA PreCheck program. The airport with the most complaints of this type, however, was San Francisco International Airport (SFO), where 59.7 percent of all complaints fell into this category.
The second most common complaint was improper handling of passenger property (19.45 percent). At the same time, Miami International Airport (MIA) proved to be the worst airport in this regard, where improper handling of passenger property accounted for 31.36 percent of all complaints.
The second most common complaint was about customer service (13.06 percent), while the airport with the highest percentage of customer service complaints was Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) at 20.42 percent.
Photo: Courtesy of Denver International Airport
Improved points also calculated which months of the year, on average, have the most TSA complaints, with the last three months of the year seeing the most – December with 1,457 complaints per day, October with 1,450 complaints per day, and November with 1,398 complaints per day.
This is not surprising considering that the run-up to the holiday season traditionally sees high passenger traffic, while the typically less busy first months – January and February – see the fewest TSA complaints, with only 1,135 and 1,165 complaints per day, respectively.
