Long queues, confusing baggage rules, and strict staff: getting through airport security can be a stressful experience for many travellers.
But if the thought of facing extra scrutiny makes you feel uneasy, you may want to pay closer attention to your boarding pass.
Those travelling to and from or within the US could be unlucky enough to find a mysterious quadruple S printed on their boarding pass — an experience recently documented by @themobilehomie on TikTok.
In the video, she explains: ‘When your boyfriend gets SSSS, so you are now a solo traveller.’
Her partner is then taken away to a separate security space, leading her to frantically separate all of her things from her boyfriend’s bag before it’s swabbed down.
While it may seem innocuous, this code – which stands for ‘Secondary Security Screening Selection’ – can spell disaster for your plans. And here’s why.
What is an SSSS boarding pass?
If you see SSSS on your boarding pass, it means you’ve been selected for Secondary Security Screening Selection – an intensive check enforced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the US.
This means passengers will have to undergo an especially thorough security process, which can involve a pat-down, additional bag searches, explosive detection tests on personal items, and detailed questioning by gate officers.
Passengers are often escorted to a private room for the screening by a TSA staff member too, with the process sometimes taking anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour or more — which can create significant delays to a journey.
The security measure was created in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to enhance security across American transportation systems.
According to its website, the TSA’s mission is to ‘protect the nation’s transportation systems and ensure the freedom of movement for people and commerce.’
Why are travellers selected for SSSS?
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website: ‘Many factors are considered to determine whether to select someone for secondary screening, but for security reasons they cannot be disclosed.’
While there is no official information on why passengers might be selected, there are several reported reasons, including travelling to and from high-risk countries and ‘suspicious activities.’
According to travel experts at The Points Guy (TPG), these could include:
- ‘Suspicious’ activities, like booking one-way tickets, purchasing tickets using cash or travelling to and from high-risk countries
- Random decisions by on-site TSA staff who identify ‘suspicious behaviour’
- Purely random selection, as according to TPG there may be a quota to hit.
How to get ‘SSSS’ removed
If you frequently notice SSSS on your boarding pass, content creator and travel expert Michelle (@laxtoluxury) suggests applying for a redress number through the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP).
In a video, she explains: ‘You can apply for a redress number, which prompts the DHS to review your record and clear up any erroneous or weird info that could be triggering the additional security measures.’
The process allows travellers to request a review of their records and correct any errors that may be causing extra security screenings. Once approved, you’ll receive a redress control number, which should be added to all future flight bookings to help prevent repeated SSSS selections.
While this can help clear up any existing errors, it doesn’t mean you won’t ever be flagged again.
Concerns over SSSS
Although the process is said to be random, some tourists have complained they have been pulled aside almost every time they’ve travelled to the US.
The SSSS selectee list has also been condemned by civil liberties groups as infringing on privacy rights and potentially leading to racial and ethnic discrimination.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a lawsuit alongside a dozen plaintiffs in 2023, calling for an end to SSSS screening, which they claim disproportionately targets Muslim travellers.
In a statement, CAIR said: ‘The watchlist is Islamophobic. An expert statistical analysis of leaked portions of the 2019 watchlist estimates that at least 98.3% of the names on the watchlist are identifiably Muslim. That doesn’t happen by accident.’
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also criticised the SSSS process, claiming that its lack of transparency leads to unfair selection and the disproportionate targeting of Muslims and individuals of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent.
Passengers have taken to X to share their frustrations towards the SSSS boarding pass.
One traveller wrote: ‘I’m SSSS on EVERY flight. Special treatment includes @TSA feeling & squeezing you & every single item in the luggage.’
Another questioned the pattern of selection. They wrote: ‘Why do you SSSS me every time I travel to the Mideast? Come on already, can’t Americans travel freely without harassment?’
Others have pointed to their travel history as a likely factor, with one passenger commenting: ‘A flight history that includes multiple trips to Iraq and Libya will do that, I guess.’
A TSA spokesperson told Metro that SSSS ‘pertains to TSA’s unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, to accomplish our transportation security mission’.
They added: ‘Security measures begin long before passengers arrive at the airport. TSA works closely with the intelligence and law enforcement communities to share information. Additional security measures are in place from the time passengers get to the airport until they arrive at their destination.
‘In some cases, passengers are randomly selected for enhanced screening. TSA adjusts processes and procedures to meet the evolving threat and to achieve the highest levels of transportation security. Because of this, passengers may notice changes in our procedures from time to time.
‘Passenger screening at the airport is part of TSA’s layered approach to security to get passengers safely to their destination. TSA’s screening procedures are intended to prevent prohibited items and other threats to transportation security from entering the secure area of the airport and are developed in response to information on threats to transportation security.’
TSA also encourages travellers to report suspicious activities, such as unattended bags or packages and individuals in possession of a threatening item, as part of its If You See Something, Say Something enforcement.
Expert tips to sail through security
Holiday experts at Travel Republic have revealed top tips to get through the additional security screening with minimal hassle:
- Pack hand luggage appropriately – Ensure your bag is security-compliant and easy to search by using clear pouches for liquids, keeping electronics accessible, and avoiding overpacked luggage.
- Arrive early – Additional screening can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour, so allow extra time before your flight.
- Be cooperative – Security checks can feel frustrating, but staying calm and following instructions can speed things up.
- Have documents ready – Keep your boarding pass and passport easily accessible for multiple checks.
- Know what to expect – You’ll likely face extra bag searches, hand swabs, and possible questioning, so don’t be caught off guard.
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