# MyTSA vs American Airlines

The clearest difference is update cadence: American Airlines at weekly against MyTSA's every 3 months. American Airlines also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 29%) and ratings volume (1.7M vs 32K). MyTSA's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

American Airlines holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: American Airlines has 1.7M ratings behind it against 32K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of MyTSA's written reviews are positive against 57% of American Airlines's.

MyTSA ships an update every 3 months, American Airlines weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MyTSA | American Airlines |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (32K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mytsa/id380200364/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.7M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-airlines/id382698565/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32K | **1.7M** |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **56.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #178 | **#6** |
| Size | 34 MB | 318 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Transportation Security Administration](https://appshunter.io/developer/380200367) | [American Airlines](https://appshunter.io/developer/382698568) |

## What reviewers say

### MyTSA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mytsa/id380200364)

**Currently charting:** #178 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Access essential travel information 24/7, including what items are permitted on flights, real-time airport wait times, and weather delays. Get assistance through social media integration and learn how to navigate security checkpoints efficiently.

**Highlights:** Item search for flights, Live TSA assistance, Airport historical busyness, Crowd-sourced wait times, Report wait times, Airport delay and weather info, Security checkpoint guide

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for getting to the airport on time
- 👍 Attractive design
- 🔒 Useful security information
- 💡 Provides airport maps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate wait time information
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Unable to select airports
- 🐛 Relies on user-submitted data

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Unable to access certain features
- Location services issues
- Compatibility problems on tablets

**Requested features**

- Live, accurate wait time data
- Ability to report wait times
- Terminal-specific wait times
- More real-time airport status updates


### American Airlines

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-airlines/id382698565)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Free · Travel, #160 Top Free (US App Store)

Manage your entire travel experience with this app. Access flight information, mobile boarding passes, and airport maps. Track your bags, book trips, and manage your loyalty account all in one place.

**Highlights:** Live flight tracking on Lock Screen and Apple Watch, Mobile boarding pass, Interactive airport terminal maps, AAdvantage account management, Book flights, hotels, cars, and cruises, Track checked baggage, Seat selection and changes

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient and informative app
- 🔒 Secure login process
- 👍 Helpful for navigating airports
- 👍 Tracks baggage status
- 👍 Provides real-time flight updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 👎 Poor customer service experience
- 👎 Inconsistent and confusing user experience
- 👎 Difficult to make changes or updates
- 👎 Lacking key features compared to competitors

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to access account
- Trouble checking in and accessing boarding passes
- Inconsistent behavior when making changes or updates
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Glitches with in-flight entertainment system

**Requested features**

- Allow Canadian address entry
- Integrate with OneWorld alliance
- Improve in-flight entertainment options
- Provide more self-service options
- Enhance mobile boarding pass functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MyTSA free?

MyTSA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is American Airlines free?

American Airlines is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MyTSA or American Airlines?

American Airlines is rated higher. MyTSA averages 4.6 out of 5 from 32K ratings, while American Airlines averages 4.8 from 1.7M ratings.

### Do MyTSA or American Airlines have ads?

Neither MyTSA nor American Airlines shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MyTSA or American Airlines?

MyTSA ships an update every 3 months, and American Airlines weekly. Most recently, MyTSA was updated on October 31, 2026 and American Airlines on October 31, 2026.

### Which is more popular, MyTSA or American Airlines?

MyTSA currently peaks at #178 in the App Store charts, and American Airlines at #6. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*