Newark Liberty International Airport is the airport with the most complaints about airport security procedures in the US, according to a study of TSA data from 2015 through 2023 compiled by Upgraded Points, a consumer travel platform.
According to the research, Newark had 6.83 complaints per 100,000 passengers, followed by Palm Beach International Airport (5.78), Orlando International Airport (5.6), Southwest Florida International Airport (5.5) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (5.38).
Looking at 2023 alone, Newark once again topped the list, with 12.84 complaints per 100,000 passengers, followed by Cleveland (10.35), Palm Beach (8.98) and Southwest Florida (8.92). One airport that broke into the Top 5 in 2023 was Washington Dulles International Airport ( 8.91).
Airports with the fewest complaints were Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina (1.97), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (2.63), Salt Lake City International Airport (2.74) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (2.8).
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 experienced the fewest complaints, with 3.47 per 100,000 passengers. Dallas Fort Worth (4.22), Dallas Love Field (4.3), and Chicago Midway International Airport (4.52) all followed. Harry Reid International Airport experienced the fifth fewest complaints (4.8).
The top complaint categories in order were TSA PreCheck (37% of all complaints), mishandling of passenger property (19.45%), customer service (13.06%), screening (9.36%) and property-special handling (7.52%). Other issues constituted smaller percentages of the total.
From issues with TSA PreCheck to mishandled baggage, said the report, the data shows that travelers’ experiences with TSA can vary widely depending on the airport. Whether flying out of complaint-prone Newark Liberty or the more subdued Charlotte Douglas, said the report, “be aware that problems may arise as you make your way through security.”
Image: Shutterstock/Jessica Kirsh
