Airlines are not required to conduct criminal background checks on all passengers. Airlines lack police authority. If a screening is conducted, it is done at the direction of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Airlines do not perform private "background checks" (like a criminal record search) on passengers in the way an employer would; however, they are legally required to cross-reference passenger data with government-maintained "No Fly" and "Selectee" lists. When you book a flight, your name, date of birth, and gender are sent to the government's security agencies (such as the TSA in the US) through the "Secure Flight" program. If your data matches a high-risk individual on a watch list, you may be denied a boarding pass or selected for "SSSS" (Secondary Security Screening Selection). In 2026, international travel also involves the sharing of APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) data with the destination country's immigration department before the plane even departs. While airlines aren't checking your credit score or employment history, they are acting as a "frontline" for national security, ensuring that known threats are prevented from boarding. The only "private" background check an airline might perform is a check of their own "internal" banned list for previous disruptive behavior or "air rage" incidents.