Which US airlines have had most passenger complaints this year? Here are the rankings

U.S. airlines have seen a surge in passenger complaints so far this year, with some airlines faring better than others, according to a new Department of Transportation report.

Travelers filed close to 16,000 complaints against U.S. airlines from January to June — more than double the amount filed during this time last year, the DOT said in its August report. Complaints included everything from flight cancellations and delays, to refunds and baggage issues.

The monthly report, published by the department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, provides travelers with information on the “quality of services” offered by airlines.

American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, had the most complaints of all U.S. air carriers, receiving 3,186 passenger complaints between January and June, according to the report. Travelers were most discontent with their flights, followed by refunds and fares.

Here’s how other U.S. airlines ranked:

United Airlines — 2,391 complaints
Spirit Airlines — 1,909 complaints
Frontier — 1,750 complaints
JetBlue Airways — 1,676 complaints
Delta Air Lines — 1,461 complaints
Southwest Airlines — 890 complaints

So which airline had the fewest complaints? San Francisco-based Boutique Air received only 17 passenger complaints in a six-month span, the DOT report shows.

The 78-page report also detailed the types of complaints filed in the first half of the year. Refunds were the most common grievance filed by passengers across all airlines followed by flight issues, which include cancellations, delays and missed connections.

Between January and June, U.S. airlines canceled just over 106,000 flights, according to the DOT. Southwest had the most canceled flights, nixing 16,321. American came in close second for canceled flights (16,288), and regional airline Republic Airways ranked third (10,270).

Flight disruptions continue to impact travelers nationwide as airlines struggle to keep up with consumer demand, which has rebounded since the height of the pandemic. Severe weather, staffing shortages and an uptick in unruly passengers have also contributed to the delays reported in recent months.

More than 160 U.S. flights were canceled ahead of Labor Day weekend as of Thursday afternoon (Sept. 1) with more than 2,000 flights delayed, according to FlightAware.

FILE - A flight shows cancelled on the departures board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, in Arlington, Va. The Transportation Department is proposing to require airlines to offer passengers a refund if their flight schedule is changed significantly or the airline makes major changes to their itinerary. The proposed rule announced Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022 would require airlines to give refunds if their departure or arrival time changes by three hours or more for a domestic flight or at least six hours for an international one. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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