FILE - Passengers wait in a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) line at JFK airport on January 17, 2019, in New York City. (Photo: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas - The process of going through airport security can vary, depending on where a traveler is departing from. A new study sheds light on the more stressful airports, based on TSA complaints from passengers.
The Austin, Texas-based travel company Upgraded Points analyzed TSA Contact Center Complaint data between 2015 and 2023, digging into the number and types of complaints filed at U.S. airports.
The study reveals which airports are more prone to passengers unhappy enough to file a complaint, as well as the most common complaints, the peak months for such complaints, and the airports with the most smooth flying process overall.
The average across all airports in the study was 3.92 complaints per 100,000 passengers, the company said.
US airport with most TSA complaints overall
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was identified as the airport with the most complaints in the U.S. "by a pretty wide margin," according to Upgraded Points’ study.
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%), the study found.
- 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
US airports with fewest TSA complaints
Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina was found to have the fewest TSA complaints of any airport in the study, receiving less than two complaints per 100,000 passengers over the past eight years, according to the report.
It only fields about half the complaints of the average U.S. airport, the study found.
Here are the top five airports with the fewest complaints:
- 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
Months with most TSA complaints at US airports
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TSA agents accused of stealing from passengers at security checks in Miami International Airport
Two Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have been accused of stealing money from passengers at Miami International Airport in Florida, after video emerged of them appearing to rummage through luggage at a security checkpoint. (Credit: Miami-Dade State Attorney Office via Storyful)
Airport security can become increasingly challenging depending on the time of year. The study from Upgraded Points found that travelers encounter the most issues during the final months of the year – particularly around the holiday season.
- 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," Upgraded Points said in its report. "These months stand out as some of the most challenging for travelers, reflecting heightened stress levels and potential disruptions."
On the other hand, the early months of the year – mainly January and February – have a noticeable drop in complaints, according to the study.