While airport security officials announced a more “comprehensive” physical screening for some airline passengers in March, in general, Americans are growing more content with airport security.
A study by Travelers Leaders Group found that nearly 68% of those recently surveyed stated they are “satisfied” and only 14.9% said they are “frustrated” with airport security. The data also revealed a significant decrease in individuals aggravated by airport security wait times compared to one year ago, and there is a growing percentage of travelers enrolling in trusted traveler programs such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. The survey was conducted April 3 to April 30, 2017, and includes responses from 2,854 consumers throughout the United States.
Key Findings:
Airport Security Satisfaction: When asked, “What is your level of satisfaction with airport security today?” 67.7% indicated they are satisfied and 17.4% stated they are neutral about today’s security measures – which is an improvement over last year.
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| Satisfied | 67.7% | 63.6% | 65.8% | 64.2% | 62.2% |
| Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied | 17.4% | 19.4% | 22.6% | 23.3% | 19.8% |
| Unsatisfied | 14.9% | 17.0% | 11.6% | 12.5% | 18.0% |
Overall Airport Security Wait Times: When asked, “With regard to how long it takes to get through airport security, are you…” nearly 52% of consumers polled are “OK with the amount of time it takes.” There was a significant drop in the percentage of those stating they are frustrated with how long it takes to get through security; just 4.7% of respondents noted frustration, compared to 13.9% in 2016.
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| OK with the amount of time it takes | 51.5% | 52.3% | 44.4% | 39.6% |
| Wish it was somewhat quicker | 43.8% | 33.8% | 44.5% | 46.3% |
| Frustrated by the amount of time it takes | 4.7% | 13.9% | 11.1% | 14.1% |
Trusted Traveler Programs: When asked whether or not survey participants have enrolled in …
- Global Entry – 9% said “Yes” up from 18.6% in 2016.
- TSA PreCheck – 3% said “Yes” an increase from 32.4% last year.
- CLEAR – Only 2.1% indicated they have enrolled in CLEAR.
Expedited Screening: When asked, “Regardless of whether you have TSA PreCheck or not, do you think expedited screenings have made a significant difference in wait times at U.S. airports?” the percentage of those polled answering favorably has continued to steadily increase.
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| Yes, I use it all the time | 24.5% | 20.3% | 14.4% | 7.6% |
| Yes, it’s reduced wait times for regular screening | 34.6% | 24.0% | 26.1% | 17.6% |
| No | 15.2% | 11.1% | 14.5% | 13.1% |
| I don’t know | 25.7% | 44.6% | 45.1% | 61.7% |
Eliminate One TSA Security Measure: With regard to TSA security screening at the airport, when asked, “Which of the following TSA security measures would you most like to eliminate?” the top responses were: “removing of shoes” (27.3%), “none, do not eliminate any security measures” (20.8%), “extensive pat-down” (19.7%) “limiting liquids in carry-on baggage” (19.2%), and “laptop removal” (6.0%).
- Shoe removal has been the top response the past four years in a row.
- Airline passengers who qualify for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck do not need to remove shoes, computers or 1-quart bag carrying liquids at 160 airports throughout the United States.
