Travelers make claims again the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for a variety of reasons. The vast majority of these claims (~99%) are for loss or damage of property in checked baggage (76%) or at TSA checkpoints (23%). As it turns out, how that claim is resolved varies considerably from airport to airport.

This graph shows data from 2010-2014 on the 20 airports receiving the most claims, broken down into the three possible decisions: deny, settle, and approve in full. Denied claims receive no compensation. The settlement and approval bars are shaded as a heat map to show median payouts.

SeaTac is the only airport on the list that settles or approves at least half of claims. McCarran International Airport, serving Las Vegas, denies the highest percentage of claims (77%). Median payouts range by about a factor of two. The lowest for settlements is $124.99 (PHX) and highest is $289.00 (ATL). The lowest for full approvals is $54.50 (FLL) and highest is $100.00 (LAX).

Data source: http://www.dhs.gov/tsa-claims-data