If you’ve ever been yelled at by a TSA agent or had to wait in line for hours at an understaffed checkpoint, you know that airport security experiences can vary greatly from airport to airport.
A new study from Upgraded Points reveals which airports have received the most TSA-related complaints. Upgraded Points analyzed TSA complaint data from 2015 to 2023 at 44 major U.S. airports and found which locations are most likely to cause passengers to be upset enough to raise their concerns officially.
If you’ve ever flown through the chaotic Newark Liberty International Airport, you might not be surprised to learn that the New Jersey airport tops the list of airports with the most TSA complaints. This New York City metropolitan area airport receives nearly twice as many passenger complaints as the average airport. Most complaints concern TSA PreCheck (44.8 percent of all complaints), customer service (14.6 percent) and mishandled baggage (14 percent).
The 10 US airports with the most TSA complaints
| Airport | Total number of complaints per 100,000 passengers |
| Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) | 6.83 |
| Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) | 5.78 |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 5.6 |
| Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) | 5.5 |
| Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) | 5.38 |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | 5.25 |
| Logan International Airport (BOS) | 4.72 |
| Tampa International Airport (TPA) | 4.68 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) | 4.67 |
| LaGuardia Airport (LGA) | 4.42 |
If you want to breeze through airport security on your next trip, flying through Charlotte Douglas International Airport is your best bet. This airport has the fewest TSA complaints, with fewer than two complaints per 100,000 passengers—about half the rate of the average U.S. airport.
The US airports with the fewest TSA complaints
| Airport | Total number of complaints per 100,000 passengers |
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | 1.97 |
| Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) | 2.63 |
| Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | 2.74 |
| Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport (SLC) | 2.75 |
| Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | 2.8 |
| Midway International Airport (MDW) | 2.8 |
| Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) | 2.85 |
| San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | 2.87 |
| Dallas Love Field (DAL) | 2.89 |
| Kansas City International Airport (MCI) | 3.02 |
How to file a complaint with the TSA
If you feel the TSA has wronged you, you can file a complaint on their website. Complaints must be submitted within 180 days of the incident, and the TSA strives to respond within 48 hours.
You might also like:
• The Ultimate Guide to National Cheap Flight Day
• Why you should never miss a connecting flight
• Never lose your luggage again with this simple hack
• This is what you should always do if your flight is delayed
• There are currently two major flight offers with fares starting from 19 USD
We hand-pick everything we recommend, selecting items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us for free with no incentive to give a positive review. We offer our unbiased opinion and do not accept compensation for reviewing products. All items are in stock and prices are correct at the time of publication. If you purchase something through our links, we may receive a commission.
