Newark Liberty International Airport, located in New Jersey, leads the nation in complaints related to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) according to a report by Upgraded Points, a travel and financial advising company. The airport had 12.84 complaints per 100,000 passengers in 2023, significantly higher than the national average of 3.92 per 100,000 travelers. Following Newark, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport also had high numbers of complaints in the same year.
The two other main airports in New York City, JFK International and LaGuardia Airport, were also among the top airports with the most complaints, ranking sixth and tenth respectively. Newark Liberty Airport experienced the third-most delays in the country in fiscal year 2023, behind Las Vegas and LaGuardia, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration. It also had the third-most cancellations in the same period. The study by Upgraded Points suggests that airports with more TSA complaints could lead to longer delays for travelers.
On the other end of the spectrum, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Dallas Love Field received the fewest numbers of complaints per 100,000 passengers in 2023. The data showed that complaints were at their lowest in January but steadily increased throughout the year, peaking in December during the busy holiday travel season. Higher passenger volumes during peak travel times can lead to a more stressful experience for travelers and potentially result in more complaints being filed, according to the study.
The most common complaint at airports nationwide, including Newark Liberty, was related to the TSA’s expedited passenger screening program, TSA PreCheck, which accounted for more than 40% of all grievances. Other common complaints included mishandling of passenger property and customer service issues. The Upgraded Points study emphasized the importance of understanding an airport’s screening process to help travelers effectively plan their trips and avoid stressful situations upon arrival. Overall, the data highlighted the importance of addressing traveler complaints to enhance the airport experience for all passengers.
