Nobody expects airport security to go smoothly these days, but some airports have proven to be more problematic than others. A new study from Upgraded Points reveals which airports have received the most TSA-related complaints, what they’re complaining about, and – on the flip side – which airports receive the fewest complaints.
Here’s how they did it: Upgraded Points analyzed TSA complaint data – accessible through the TSA FOIA Electronic Reading Room – from 2015 to 2023 at 44 major U.S. airports. For accurate comparisons, complaints were normalized by passenger volume. Upgraded Points also looked at the most common complaints, the airports with the highest percentage of those complaints, and the times when those complaints were most commonly reported.
So which airport is the most problematic when it comes to the stressful situation of the TSA security check? At Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), annoyed travelers filed the most complaints. While the average for all airports was 3.92 complaints per 100,000 passengers, Newark had 6.83 complaints per 100,000 passengers during the period studied. In 2023, Newark received 12.84 complaints per 100,000 passengers.
Following Newark in terms of overall complaints are Palm Beach International (PBI) with 5.78, Orlando International Airport (MCO) with 5.6, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) with 5.5, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) with 5.38 per 100,000 passengers. The worst offenders in 2023 after Newark are largely the same: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport with 10.35, Palm Beach International Airport with 8.98, Southwest Florida International Airport with 8.92, and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) with 8.91.
The least stressful security checkpoints are at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) with only 1.97 complaints per 100,000 total passengers, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with 2.63, at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with 2.74, at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) with 2.75 and at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) with 2.8.
Upgraded Points found that most complaints to TSA concerned TSA PreCheck, mishandled property, general customer service, the screening process and handling of special property. Not surprisingly, November and December – the peak holiday season – were the months with the most complaints.
To get all the details on the most common TSA complaints and the airports most commonly affected by them, read the full study here.
