Austin, Texas, Jan 21: Losing luggage is a traveler's worst nightmare. It can quickly turn a memorable trip into a frustrating experience.
In its latest research, Upgraded Points has shed light on the airports and airlines with the highest rates of mishandled baggage, aiming to inform travelers and encourage improvements in baggage handling.
The Worst Airlines for Mishandled Baggage
Based on the study conducted by Upgraded Points, the following airlines have been identified as the top five worst for mishandled baggage in the U.S.:
American Airlines
United Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Southwest Airlines
The Best and Worst Airports for Mishandled Baggage
The analysis also highlighted the airports with the most and least complaints regarding mishandled luggage.
Airports With the Most Complaints
The airports that reported the highest rates of baggage mishaps include:
Orlando International Airport (MCO) - 1.81 complaints per 100K passengers
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) - 1.72 complaints per 100K passengers
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) - 1.71 complaints per 100K passengers
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) - 1.69 complaints per 100K passengers
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) - 1.68 complaints per 100K passengers
Airports With the Least Complaints
On the flip side, these airports had the lowest rates of complaints:
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - 0.31 complaints per 100K passengers, significantly below the national average
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) - 0.42 complaints per 100K passengers
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) - 0.58 complaints per 100K passengers
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) - tied at 0.59 complaints per 100K passengers
Study Methodology
To reach these conclusions, Upgraded Points analyzed property complaint data from the Transportation Security Administration's FOIA Electronic Reading Room for the 60 busiest U.S. airports from 2015 to 2023. The data was normalized against annual passenger volumes for fair comparisons.
For airline evaluations, the research examined the U.S. Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report, focusing on mishandled bags per 100 enplaned bags from January to September 2024 for the ten largest U.S. carriers. The study also compared these figures to the previous year to assess year-over-year changes.
Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points, emphasized the significance of this research, stating, "Losing your luggage is a classic nightmare, turning a great trip into a frustrating ordeal." Travelers can use this information to make more informed choices and encourage airlines and airports to enhance their baggage handling processes.
For more details and the complete rankings, visit Upgraded Points' full study online at www.UpgradedPoints.com.
