Denver Airport Has Among the Lowest Rates of Security Complaints, Report Finds

Coloradans navigating malfunctioning airport trains and travel delays from the federal government shutdown, take solace: things could be much worse.

Compared to other large airports, Denver International Airport has among the lowest rates of reported passenger grievances, according to a Transfeero study released October 20.

The study analyzed complaints made to the Transportation Security Administration in 2024 for the fifty airports with the largest passenger volume in the United States. Though submitted to TSA, the complaints reportedly covered a wide range of topics beyond airport security, including flight delays and cancellations, construction disruptions and baggage mix-ups.

The Denver airport had the tenth-lowest rate of passenger complaints, the report found, with 4.84 complaints per 100,000 passengers.

The best-performing airport was Los Angeles International with 3.41 complaints per 100,000 passengers. The worst-performing airport was Newark Liberty International with 10.26 complaints per 100,000 passengers.

Denver’s good score is a welcome surprise after the airport dropped five spots in an annual study on airport satisfaction between 2023 and 2024. That dip was reportedly a result of frustrations over crowds and ongoing construction. However, airport staff is excited about the finished upgrades to security checkpoints on the east and west side of the terminal.

“The customer experience is a priority at DEN, and we’re fortunate to have a collaborative partnership with the TSA, who operate our security checkpoints efficiently,” Denver airport communications director Courtney Law says. “DEN’s two newly opened East and West Security Checkpoints consist of seventeen screening lanes equipped with the latest screening technology to further expedite and enhance the passenger screening process.”

Andrea Platania, spokesperson for Transfeero, says airports nationwide have experienced a rise in complaints, partly due to staffing shortages and increased passenger volumes. But she primarily blames the trend on a “broader shift in traveler expectations.”

“Post-pandemic travelers are far less tolerant of poor service or delays,” Platania says. “After years of disruption, people expect smoother experiences, especially when ticket prices are higher than ever. When something goes wrong, passengers are quicker to file complaints, particularly through online channels that make reporting easier.”

Last year, complaints about airlines reached record highs. The U.S. Department of Transportation received 67,000 complaints about domestic airlines and over 89,000 complaints when international airlines entered the picture.

The airline with the most complaints in 2024 was Frontier. The notorious Denver-based budget airline had 23.3 complaints per 100,000 passengers.

Here are the ten airports with the lowest rates of TSA complaints, according to the new Transfeero study:

1. Los Angeles International Airport — 3.41 complaints per 100,000 passengers
2. Kansas City International Airport — 3.80
3. San Francisco International Airport — 3.94
4. Charlotte Douglas International Airport — 3.94
5. Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport — 4.00
6. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport — 4.11
7. Chicago O’Hare International Airport — 4.20
8. Nashville International Airport — 4.55
9. Washington Dulles International Airport — 4.69
10. Denver International Airport — 4.84

Here are the ten airports with the highest rates of complaints:

1. Newark Liberty International Airport — 10.26 complaints per 100,000 passengers
2. John F. Kennedy International Airport — 9.75
3. Orlando International Airport — 9.61
4. Logan International Airport — 9.32
5. Southwest Florida International Airport — 9.09
6. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport — 8.89
7. Raleigh-Durham International Airport — 8.16
8. Philadelphia International Airport — 8.07
9. Miami International Airport — 7.94
10. Tampa International Airport — 7.92