If you spot the letters SSSS on a boarding pass for a journey involving US aviation security, it means you have been selected for additional security screening.
SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection. It can mean spending longer at security or undergoing additional checks before you are allowed to board your flight.
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Seeing SSSS can be worrying, particularly if you have never encountered it before. For autistic travellers and families travelling with autistic children, the unexpected change to the normal airport routine can also create additional stress. Knowing what the letters mean and preparing for the possibility of extra screening can make the process more predictable.
For more about travel in the United States, head to our guide about visiting the United States with autistic children.
What Does SSSS on a Boarding Pass Mean?
SSSS means Secondary Security Screening Selection. The designation indicates that a passenger has been selected for additional security screening associated with US aviation security procedures.
The letters may appear on a printed or electronic boarding pass. You might also discover that additional screening is required when you reach the airport rather than noticing SSSS on a boarding pass beforehand.
The SSSS code does not by itself tell you why you were selected. The US Department of Homeland Security does not publicly disclose all of the criteria used in aviation security screening.
Does SSSS Mean You Are on a Watchlist?
No. You should not assume that the code SSSS on a boarding pass means you are on a terrorist watchlist.
The US Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry Program states that fewer than two per cent of its applicants have a connection to the Terrorist Watchlist. Travel problems can arise because a passenger has similar identifying information to another person or for reasons unrelated to a watchlist, including random screening.
For security reasons, the US authorities generally do not disclose whether an individual is or is not on a terrorist watchlist.
Why Did I Get the SSSS Code on my Boarding Pass?
There is not always a way for a passenger to know why they were selected and given the SSSS code.
Security screening can involve both risk-based and unpredictable measures. A single SSSS security selection therefore does not necessarily indicate that anything is wrong with your booking, passport or immigration status.
If additional screening happens repeatedly, however, there is a formal US redress process that may be relevant. This is covered later in this guide.
What Happens if You Have SSSS on a Boarding Pass?
The exact procedure can vary according to the airport, flight and circumstances. In general, you should expect additional security checks beyond the standard passenger screening process. These can take extra time and may involve closer examination of you and your belongings. Follow the instructions given by security staff at the airport.
Because procedures can change and security agencies deliberately do not publish every operational detail, avoid relying on online checklists that claim to predict every step of an SSSS screening.
Allow Extra Time at the Airport
If the SSSS airport code appears on your boarding pass before you arrive at the airport, allow more time than you normally would you pass through security and get to your gate. Additional screening can take longer than ordinary security, and you do not want the process to turn into a race to the gate. This is particularly important if your family needs more time for transitions, toilet breaks, medication, food or sensory regulation.
Follow the airline’s recommended airport arrival time as a minimum and consider adding a sensible buffer when you already know secondary screening is required.
Why Can’t I Check in Online?
Being unable to complete online check-in does not automatically mean you have been selected for extra SSSS security screening. Airlines can require passengers to visit a desk for many reasons, including document checks. However, passengers experiencing US security-related travel issues may sometimes be unable to print a boarding pass online or at a self-service kiosk and be directed to an airline ticket counter.
If online check-in fails, do not immediately assume the worst. Follow the airline’s instructions and leave enough time to resolve the issue at the airport.
Can Children Get SSSS on a Boarding Pass?
Additional security screening can affect travellers of different ages. Families should therefore be prepared for the possibility that a child rather than an accompanying adult may be the passenger requiring extra screening.
Security officers should follow the procedures that apply to the child’s age and circumstances. A parent or guardian should calmly tell staff about any disability, communication need or relevant medical issue before screening begins.
The SSSS Secuirty Code With an Autistic Child
Secondary screening can be particularly difficult for an autistic child because it introduces an unexpected change into an airport routine. A child may have prepared for a familiar sequence of check-in, security, departures and boarding, only to discover that this journey includes extra waiting, questions or screening.
Use clear language rather than making promises about exactly what will happen. You could explain that security may take longer today and that staff might need to check some things again.
If your child uses a visual schedule, include a flexible “extra security check” card that can be added when needed. This avoids having to create a completely new sequence in the middle of a stressful airport environment.
Keep familiar sensory supports accessible where security rules permit. Ear defenders, communication devices and comfort items can be important, but security officers may still need to inspect items.
Tell Security Staff About Disabilities and Communication Needs
Travellers can tell security staff about a disability, medical condition or communication need before screening.
For an autistic traveller, useful information might include difficulty understanding verbal instructions, distress caused by unexpected touch, inability to communicate reliably when overwhelmed or the need for extra processing time.
Keep the explanation practical. Staff need to know what support helps the screening happen safely rather than receiving a detailed medical history.
If you are travelling through a US airport, TSA Cares provides information and assistance for passengers with disabilities, medical conditions and other circumstances. Support can include coordination with a Passenger Support Specialist where available. TSA advises requesting checkpoint assistance at least 72 hours before travel.
Does Special Assistance Mean You Will Avoid the SSSS Code?
No. Disability assistance and security screening are separate processes and arranging special assistance does not remove travellers from the possibility of recieving extra security checks.
Requesting airport assistance, using a wheelchair or having a hidden disability does not exempt a passenger from required security screening. Equally, being selected for secondary screening does not mean you lose the right to ask for reasonable disability-related support during the process.
Our guide to airport special assistance explains the wider assistance process and how to prepare for an airport journey.
Can You Refuse SSSS Security Screening?
Passengers must complete the security screening required for access to the secure area and boarding. Choosing not to complete required screening can mean you cannot continue to the flight.
If you have concerns about how screening can be carried out because of a disability, medical device or other relevant condition, explain this to security staff. Ask what accommodations are available rather than simply refusing the process.
What if You Are Selected for SSSS Repeatedly?
If you repeatedly experience secondary screening or other US travel difficulties, you may be able to use the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, known as DHS TRIP.
DHS TRIP is the official redress programme for travellers who experience certain recurring difficulties during travel screening or entry to the United States. Its published examples include repeated referral for secondary screening, being unable to print a boarding pass, delays or denial of boarding and other specified travel problems.
An application does not guarantee that future journeys will be free from additional screening. DHS states that additional screening can still occur for reasons outside the redress process.
Is SSSS the Same as TSA PreCheck?
No. SSSS and TSA PreCheck are different.
SSSS indicates selection for secondary security screening. TSA PreCheck is a trusted-traveller screening programme that can provide eligible passengers with an expedited screening experience at participating US airports.
Is the SSSS Code Used Outside the United States?
The SSSS code is associated with US aviation security screening and can appear on boarding passes for flights connected with US security requirements, including some journeys departing from airports outside the United States.
Do not assume that the airport you are standing in uses exactly the same process as a domestic US checkpoint. Local airport and security arrangements can affect how additional screening is carried out.
Practical Tips for Those With SSSS on a Boarding Pass
- Arrive with additional time for security.
- Keep passports and boarding documents easy to reach.
- Follow instructions from airport security staff.
- Tell staff about disabilities or communication needs before screening where possible.
- Keep essential medication accessible and correctly packed.
- Prepare autistic children for an extra step in the airport routine.
- Avoid promising that screening will take a particular amount of time.
- If the problem happens repeatedly, investigate whether DHS TRIP is appropriate.
Preparing an Autistic Traveller for Extra Security
It is impossible to predict every security procedure, so preparation should focus on flexibility rather than rehearsing one exact sequence.
A visual guide might show ordinary security followed by an optional card saying “staff need to check again”. This prepares the traveller for a change without suggesting that extra screening happens on every trip.
Explain that bags may need to be looked at again and that staff may give additional instructions. Use the communication style that works best for the individual traveller.
If physical contact is particularly difficult, tell staff before any screening that may involve touch. Do not assume that a disability automatically removes the need for screening, but ask staff to explain what is going to happen and what accommodations are available.
Frequently Asked Questions About SSSS
What Does SSSS Stand For?
SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection. It means the passenger has been selected for additional aviation security screening.
Does SSSS Mean I Have Done Something Wrong?
No. An SSSS designation does not by itself mean that you have done anything wrong. Security screening can occur for different reasons, including random selection and situations involving possible misidentification.
Does SSSS Mean I Am on a Terrorist Watchlist?
No. You cannot conclude from SSSS alone that you are on a terrorist watchlist. DHS says fewer than two per cent of DHS TRIP applicants have a connection to the Terrorist Watchlist, and travel difficulties can arise for other reasons.
How Long Does SSSS Screening Take?
There is no reliable fixed time. The length of additional screening depends on the airport, circumstances and procedures required. Arrive early enough that extra screening does not immediately put your flight at risk.
Can I Get SSSS Even With TSA PreCheck?
Trusted-traveller status does not mean a passenger can never be selected for additional security measures. Follow the screening instructions shown on your boarding pass and given by security staff for that particular journey.
What Should I Do if I Get SSSS Every Time I Fly?
Repeated secondary screening is one of the travel difficulties for which DHS TRIP may be relevant. The programme allows travellers to request review of certain recurring US travel-screening problems.
Seeing SSSS on a boarding pass means extra security screening, not that you should assume you have done something wrong. Give yourself additional time, tell staff about relevant disability or communication needs and prepare children for a change to the usual airport routine.
If secondary screening becomes a repeated problem on US-related journeys, DHS TRIP provides the official route for asking the US authorities to review certain recurring travel difficulties.
Continue Learning About Airline Codes
Understanding these SSR codes can make it easier to check that the right assistance has been added to your booking. You can explore our guides to airline SSR disability codes to learn what the different codes mean, when they are used and what support you may need to arrange before you fly.
- Airline and airport codes and what they mean
- Download a copy of all of the airline SSR disability codes for free
- Airline meal codes explained
- Download a list of all of the airline meal codes for free
- Learn which airline meal codes are for travellers with allergies
- What does DPNA mean?
- Download a free, printable checklist for MEDA passengers to complete before they fly
Continue Planning Your Trip to the United States
- Start with our North America with autistic children guide to explore more destinations and practical family travel advice across the region
- Learn more about what Preclearance for the US is and where you can do it
- Use our guide to the US ESTA for those eligible for the Visa Waiver Programme for entering the US
- Travelling with a hidden disability? Learn more about using the Sunflower Lanyard when you travel
For a full list of guides that can help you plan a trip to the United States with autistic children check out our United States archives.
Continue Planning Your Trip With Autistic Children
- Find out about the help available if you are travelling through an airport
- Discover whether a cruise with an autistic child would work for your family
- Find out how to make travelling with ADHD manageable
- Check out guides to all of the different destinations we have travelled to with autistic children
- Learn step-by-step how to set up the accessibility feature on Google maps
- Learn more about our favourite sensory toys for travelling
- Discover an app that helps you locate a playground anywhere in the world
- Always alerted last minute that the little one needs a toilet? Find a toilet anywhere with this app
Continue Planning Your Accessible Trip With Our Guides
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