Imagine your son is heading to the airport for a flight when he suddenly calls you in a panic. He has noticed four letters—SSSS—printed on his boarding pass after checking in at the airport. He is worried that something is wrong, and his family is anxious about what might happen next.
The good news is that SSSS does not automatically mean a passenger has done anything wrong or is prohibited from flying. It means the passenger has been selected for additional airport security screening.
Here is what the code means, why it may appear, and what travelers should expect.
What Does SSSS Stand For?
SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection.
The code is associated with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and indicates that a traveler must undergo additional security checks beyond the standard screening process.
The code may appear on domestic or international itineraries involving U.S. aviation security screening. Passengers traveling to the United States from abroad may also encounter it at an international departure airport.
Although seeing the code can be unsettling, it is a screening designation—not, by itself, an accusation of wrongdoing.
