SSSS on Boarding Pass? What Does It Mean & How to Avoid It! [2019]

Posted on by

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. 

Getting through TSA and airport security is already stressful enough but there’s an additional screening method that you might be subjected to at times. And it happens when you find those four letters, “SSSS” on your boarding pass.

Some people absolutely dread this additional screening but is it really that bad? 

In this article, I’m going to show you what it means to have SSSS on your boarding pass and what you can expect during the screening process. I’ll also give you some tips for how to avoid getting SSSS in the future! 

What does SSSS mean on a boarding pass?

SSSS on a boarding pass means that you’ve been selected for “Secondary Security Screening Selection” and that you’re going to be subjected to additional screening measures, such as invasive pat downs and tedious luggage inspections.

While this sounds bad and can be quite time consuming, the process isn’t always as painful as some make it out to be in my experience.

How do I know if I have an SSSS boarding pass?

The first sign that you might be getting hit with SSSS (also known as a “quad”) is if you go to check-in for your flight on your phone or online and you’re unable to pull up a boarding pass. Instead, you might just see a message that says something like you need to check with the check-in desk or that brings up an error screen.

Sometimes, this can just be a system quirk you have to resolve at the airport but if you’re going to be subject to SSSS, there’s a high chance you won’t be able to pull up your boarding pass online prior to arrival.

The way you know for sure you’ve been selected is that you’ll see SSSS printed on your boarding pass, usually near the corner or edges and in bolded letters that are hard to miss. Sometimes the agent who printed your ticket will inform you of your misfortune.

Who gets SSSS on their boarding pass?

There are different reasons why you might SSSS on your boarding pass.

In some cases, it could be because of your unusual travel patterns. The government may have deemed you an at-risk traveler based on your recent visits to the Middle East or Africa, for example. Or maybe you have a very quick turnaround at a destination.

Anything that could remotely resemble sketchy activity could increase your odds of getting secondary screening.

Other examples include:

  • Passengers with a one-way reservation
  • Passengers who pay cash for their tickets
  • Random selection

Some people even state that doing things like re-printing an international boarding pass could trigger SSSS.

On my very first long-haul international flight (to Australia) I was selected for SSSS. I wasn’t able to print out a ticket from the check-in kiosk and it actually took United a long time to get the computers to finally issue me a boarding pass.

And then when I arrived at the gate, I had to head over to a screening area where I was pat down and my luggage was opened up and searched. I also got it another time flying Etihad from AUH to JFK and went through a similar process so this is something you can get in the US, out the US, or when traveling to the US.

What is an SSSS search like?

The SSSS experience can begin as early as entering the security line. If you have TSA Pre-Check, it’s likely that you won’t get Pre-Check on your boarding pass and will have to go through the standard security line or a line dedicated for airline elites (if that fits you).

Tip: Some have reported having success “cutting” the line by showing a TSA agent that you’ve got to go through an SSSS check.

Once you hand over your boarding pass and ID, a TSA agent will likely call for someone (or even a small team of TSA agents) to initiate your search.

Sometimes there is nobody currently available and you might have to wait several minutes for your search (especially if they are trying to find someone of the same gender), so if you’re cutting things close this can actually be a big problem.

The search can vary but generally you can expect a few things. First, you might be subjected to multiple scanners/x-rays and even asked to go through them more than once.

Second, they’ll ask you to unpack many of your belongings, especially electronics. Your belongings, clothing, and hands, may be swabbed all over, multiple times even. Sometimes the agents will ask you to power on your electronics (if you can’t power it on that can become a big issue so keep things charged up!).

Tip: If you’re traveling with a partner, it’s a good idea to take the bag with fewer items/electronics to make thing easier. We have one designated carry-on filled with electronics and hand that off if needed.

You also will likely get a pat down which can be very in-depth and hands will likely come close to places you’d rather them not to be. If you prefer, you can often get this “enhanced” pat down in a private screening area.

Other times the SSSS screening will take place near the gate like when I left for Australia from LAX. If you’ve already been searched, your boarding pass should have been stamped and they should see that at the gate, allowing you to avoid a second additional screening but some have reported 2X the screening.

Brad recently got “hit with the quad” when we departed Milan to JFK on Emirates first class. The SSSS search actually took place in a closed off area in the first class and business class lounge. Those SSSS passengers actually got to board first so it wasn’t a bad deal.

How long does the SSSS search take?

Overall, the time for the SSSS search can range drastically from a few minutes to 30+ minutes so try to be as patient as possible. A lot of times these agents know they are inconveniencing you and they want to make the process as stress-free as possible but other times they can be miserable to deal with.

As mentioned, if you have a tight connection, an SSSS search could mean trouble.

How does SSSS affect connections?

If you have connecting flights, it’s possible that you will have to go through SSSS multiple times, especially if those connections are in the US.

If your connection is abroad and you’re coming to the US, you might not have to go through SSSS at your original point of departure.

Does Global Entry prevent SSSS?

Unfortunately, Global Entry does not prevent you from receiving SSSS on your passport. Plenty of people, including myself and Brad, had gotten SSSS even after joining Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check.

How can I prevent an SSSS search?

There’s no for sure way to 100% prevent being issued a boarding pass with SSSS.

Some have reported that you can ask an airline agent at the check-in desk to re-issue a boarding pass without SSSS but it’s not clear to me what the success rate is when doing so and how much control the airlines have in the process.

However, if you’ve been subject to them on a repeated basis, you can apply for a redress number. This is a special case number that the DHS issues to help you avoid unnecessary additional screening. Basically it’s a way for the government to give you a close look to make sure that you’re not a high-risk traveler.

Sometimes, your name may have ended up on a list because it’s the same or similar to someone who is on a no-fly list and a redress number can fix that.

To get a redress number you simply need to go through the application process which you can do online. It doesn’t take very long at all to fill out and you just need to mail in a signed form along with a copy of your passport or other qualifying document. Sometimes you can hear back within a week but other times it could take a couple of months.

Is the SSSS program effective?

A lot of people question whether or not the program is effective in deterring terrorists. The biggest concern is that one would see “SSSS” plainly on their boarding pass and then simply decide to abandon their plans. Well, even if that is the case, the SSSS still acts as a deterrent so I would consider that a success.

But if you know anything about TSA you know that they have a 95% failure rate with detections so I think it’s fair to say that there are much bigger issues to address related to airport security like the effectiveness of the standard screening procedures.

Final word

Overall, getting SSSS on your boarding pass is not the worst thing that can happen to you. It can be an inconvenience because you have to set aside time for the search and endure pat downs but I don’t think it’s anything to dread in a lot of cases. And if it becomes a repeated problem, you can look into getting a redress number so that you can try to avoid getting SSSS in the future.