Which airline gets the most complaints?

Frontier Airlines has the highest complaint rate among major U.S. airlines at 23.2 complaints per 100,000 passengers. The most common complaint category for Frontier Airlines is refunds.

How do I file a complaint against an airline?

You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation at airconsumer.dot.gov. Every complaint gets forwarded to the airline's executive team and becomes part of the public record. You can also use Flight Check's Disruption Desk to understand your rights and draft a complaint.

What happens when you file a DOT complaint?

When you file a complaint with the DOT, it gets logged in their system and forwarded directly to the airline's consumer affairs office. The airline is required to acknowledge your complaint. The DOT uses complaint data to identify patterns and can take enforcement action against airlines that violate consumer protection rules.

What do passengers complain about most?

The most common airline complaint category is flight_problems. Other frequent complaints include baggage issues, refund problems, customer service, and flight cancellations.

Are airline complaints going up?

The DOT received over 66,000 airline complaints in 2024, significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. New DOT rules on automatic refunds and fee transparency are expected to impact complaint volumes as airlines adapt.

Airline Complaint Rankings (2026)

12 airlines ranked by DOT complaint rate, worst first.

Updated October 2026

In 2026, Frontier Airlines receives 23.2 complaints per 100,000 passengers — 15.7x more than Southwest Airlines at 1.5. The most common complaint across all airlines is flight_problems.

Source: DOT Air Travel Consumer Report, data through 2026-07. Updated October 2026.

#AirlinePer 100KTop Complaint

Sun Country AirlinesSY

Complaints = average complaints per 100K passengers (DOT Air Travel Consumer Report).

Had a Problem With Your Airline?

Know your rights: Here's what your airline actually owes you when things go wrong — cancellations, delays, bumping, and lost bags.
File your complaint: Use the Disruption Desk to understand your options and draft a complaint.
It matters: The DOT received over 66,000 airline complaints in 2024. Each one gets forwarded to the airline's executive team.

Key Takeaways

Most complained about: Frontier Airlines — 23.2 complaints per 100K passengers (refunds)
Fewest complaints: Southwest Airlines — 1.5 per 100K passengers
Gap: The worst airline gets 15.7x more complaints than the best
Most common complaint: flight_problems across all airlines

On-Time Rankings Your Flight Rights Disruption Desk

Data last updated October 2026. Source: DOT Air Travel Consumer Report.

Airline Complaint Rankings (2026)

Had a Problem With Your Airline?

Key Takeaways

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