A Checkin.com survey of U.S. adults reveals that security queues remain the top frustration, mobile check-in satisfaction lags behind the counter, and three out of four travelers would pay extra to skip the hassle.
In September 2024, Checkin.com surveyed 1,456 U.S. adults to understand the pain points travelers face at airports — from check-in to boarding — and how much they'd be willing to pay for a smoother experience. The results paint a clear picture: airports are still failing passengers on the basics, and travelers are ready to pay for solutions.
The full report is available as a PDF in our LinkedIn post.
The biggest frustrations: security lines dominate
When asked to identify their biggest airport frustrations, travelers pointed overwhelmingly to waiting — whether at security or at the counter.
- 61% cited long lines at security as their top frustration
- 57% pointed to flight delays and cancellations
- 41% were frustrated by long lines at check-in counters
- 29% found difficulty navigating the airport
- 25% experienced issues with baggage
- 23% flagged inefficient boarding processes
Security and counter queues — both problems tied to identity verification and passenger processing — account for the two most controllable frustrations on the list. Unlike delays and cancellations, which are often weather- or operations-dependent, check-in and security throughput are areas where technology can have a direct impact.
How long are travelers actually waiting?
The survey broke down reported wait times across the airport experience:
- 8% waited less than 10 minutes
- 27% waited 10–19 minutes
- 29% waited 20–29 minutes
- 23% waited 30–45 minutes
- 13% waited more than 45 minutes
That means 65% of U.S. travelers report waiting 20 minutes or longer at the airport — and more than a third (36%) wait over 30 minutes. These are wait times that compound across the journey: security, counter check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding each add their own layer of friction.
Travelers are willing to pay for convenience
Perhaps the most striking finding: 76% of travelers said they would pay extra for a more convenient airport experience.
The breakdown by price range:
- 35% would pay more than $10
- 33% would pay $5 to $10
- 8% would pay $1 to $5
- 24% are not willing to pay extra
Over two-thirds of those willing to pay (68% of the total sample) would spend $5 or more, signaling that this isn't about micro-fees — travelers see real value in time saved and friction removed.
Mobile check-in: popular, but not satisfying
The survey also examined check-in channel satisfaction and airline-specific mobile check-in data.
Overall check-in satisfaction
- Airport counter check-ins: 75% satisfied
- Baggage drop-off: 71% satisfied
- Overall check-in satisfaction: 71%
- Mobile app check-ins: 65% satisfied
Mobile app check-ins had the lowest satisfaction of any check-in channel — a notable gap given that mobile is increasingly the default for many travelers.
Mobile check-in popularity by airline
The survey ranked the top 10 U.S. airlines by the share of travelers who used their mobile check-in:
- Delta — 41%
- American Airlines — 34%
- Southwest — 34%
- United Airlines — 29%
- JetBlue — 14%
- Alaska Airlines — 12%
- Spirit — 10%
- Frontier — 7%
- Allegiant — 5%
- Hawaiian Airlines — 4%
Mobile check-in satisfaction by airline
When it comes to how satisfied travelers were with the mobile check-in experience, the ranking shifted significantly:
- Alaska Airlines — 62%
- JetBlue — 47%
- Southwest — 46%
- American Airlines — 44%
- Delta — 42%
- United Airlines — 38%
- Spirit — 34%
- Frontier — 29%
- Allegiant — 25%
- Hawaiian Airlines — 22%
A key takeaway: Delta leads in mobile check-in adoption (41%) but ranks fifth in satisfaction (42%). Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines has just 12% mobile check-in usage but leads satisfaction at 62%. High adoption does not equal a good experience.
What this means for the industry
The data suggests a clear opportunity for airlines, airports, and technology providers:
- The biggest traveler frustrations are process-driven, not weather-driven. Security lines (61%) and counter queues (41%) are solvable with better identity verification, pre-processing, and digital flows.
- Travelers will pay for speed. With 76% willing to pay extra — and 35% willing to pay over $10 — there is a real revenue opportunity in premium fast-track experiences and seamless digital check-in.
- Mobile check-in needs work. At 65% satisfaction, mobile trails every other check-in channel. Airlines investing in app-based flows should focus on reducing friction in document verification, seat selection, and boarding pass delivery.
- Adoption ≠ satisfaction. Airlines with the highest mobile check-in usage aren't necessarily delivering the best experience. The gap between Delta's 41% adoption and 42% satisfaction — versus Alaska's 12% adoption and 62% satisfaction — suggests that scale alone doesn't solve the UX problem.
Methodology
- Survey period: September 6–9, 2024
- Total respondents: 1,456 U.S. adults
- Age group: 18 and above
- Credibility interval: ±4 percentage points
The full survey report (PDF) is available via the LinkedIn post.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
More news and updates
