What does SSSS mean on boarding pass?

What is SSSS? Secondary Security Screening Selection, or SSSS, is a designation by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that flags passengers for extra security screening. SSSS can happen on any flight to, from, or within the U.S., including inbound international flights.



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A Secondary Security Screening Selection or SSSS designation on your boarding pass means that you've been picked for a secondary security screening. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may select passengers for SSSS on flights from, to and within the U.S.

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It all depends on the country and the airport. Some metal detectors and scanners are set to give a false positive signal at random intervals, leading to a personal search, but in many instances what are declared to be random searches are not that at all.

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There are signs that will indicate you have been flagged for additional screenings: You were not able to print a boarding pass from an airline ticketing kiosk or from the internet. You were denied or delayed boarding. A ticket agent “called someone” before handing you a boarding pass.

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Programs that normally expedite passage through security checkpoints such as TSA PreCheck or Global Entry do not prevent an SSSS code from appearing on a boarding pass. The SSSS code overrides these programs.

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As a result, prohibited items may result in both a TSA civil enforcement action and a criminal enforcement action. Before leaving home, remember to check your baggage to ensure you are not carrying any prohibited items to avoid a possible arrest and/or civil penalties.

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If you're flying internationally, you may need to go through a second security screening before your flight: immigration. All you'll need to do here is show your passport and follow the instructions from the immigration staff. This is the last step before you can walk to your gate for your flight.

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The airport official swabs the outside of your hand luggage liberally, before inserting the swab into a mysterious machine. This process, known officially as explosive trace detection, is doing just that—checking to see if your luggage has come into contact with a bomb or explosive material.

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SSSS is NOT about immigration but about another security search immediatoy before you board the plane.

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The Redress Control Number (redress number) is a unique seven-digit identifier issued by the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Secure Flight program to match travelers with the results of their redress case through the DHS TRIP program.

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TSA is among the U.S. government agencies that screen individuals using information from the Terrorist Screening Database. TSA implements the No Fly List through its Secure Flight program. Individuals on the No Fly List are prevented from boarding an aircraft when flying within, to, from and over the United States.

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It means that your passport has been checked by some form of airport/airline security and that you have answered their “security” questions satisfactorily. The sticker indicates that you are cleared for your flight.

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Just be aware, says Malvini Redden, that if you opt out, “a TSO will physically check your body from head to toe, possibly including an intimate check of breasts/groin/buttocks.” You can request a private room for the screening, but they're typically done near the checkpoint.

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For frequent flyers, you will notice that there is usually a police officer present at many TSA security checkpoints. That is because, while they are authorized to detain you, if you violate the law, they cannot arrest you. They must call law enforcement officers, like airport police or local police, to arrest flyers.

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