Airport security can already feel like running a gauntlet.
From the anxiety-inducing body scanners to overpriced meal deals and baggage restrictions, flying isn’t exactly stress-free. But some passengers say there’s one code that takes the chaos to another level — and it’s turning heads online.
If you spot the letters “SSSS” stamped on your boarding pass, brace yourself. Travelers have dubbed it the “kiss of death,” and not without reason.
What Does ‘SSSS’ Mean?
Speaking to Fox News, senior aviation writer for The Point Guys, Zach Griff, revealed that the code is “a measure implemented by security authorities in the US to screen certain passengers with additional checks.”
SSSS stands for “Secondary Security Screening Selection.” It’s a TSA security protocol that triggers an intense inspection process for certain passengers flying to, from, or within the US.
The code was introduced after the 9/11 attacks to strengthen aviation security, and it signals that you’ve been flagged for enhanced screening, The Metro reports.
Once I saw ‘SSSS’ on my boarding pass my whole mood change lmfaooo
—pic.twitter.com/ccLmoAikJq
(@cinelliverse) April 20, 2024
Griff added: “Selectees for this enhanced security are chosen in the days leading up to a flight when airlines share the manifest with U.S. security authorities.
“SSSS can also be entirely random, and there’s no way to know when booking your flight whether you’ll be chosen as SSSS.”
But once you’re hit with the SSSS, your airport experience changes significantly. Passengers may be taken aside for private pat-downs, swabs for explosives, and extensive searches of their luggage and electronics. The whole thing can take anywhere from a few minutes to over half an hour — and it’s not optional.
One traveler on Reddit recalled: “I’ve gotten SSSS several times flying back from Europe.
“Once, the extra security screening (done before getting to the boarding gate in my case) was so slow that my flight left. United booked my partner and me on new flights for the next day and got us a hotel. We couldn’t get seats on the same flights, however, so she left earlier than me. Next day, we go back to the airport, I get my new boarding pass, and SSSS is on it again.”
Another simply wrote, “22+ hours of travel ahead of me and I already know that SSSS designation is going to make this hell.”
Who Gets the SSSS Code?
According to TSA, the code can be issued for a number of reasons — some obvious, some murky, and some completely random, Travel & Leisure reports.
The Department of Homeland Security says that “many factors are considered to determine whether to select someone for secondary screening, but for security reasons they cannot be disclosed.”
However, known reasons for being flagged include:
- Booking one-way or last-minute tickets
- Paying in cash
- Traveling frequently to or from countries deemed “high-risk”
- Being on a government watchlist
- Simply being randomly chosen
A US Senate report from December 2023 revealed that while the SSSS designation can be tied to unusual travel patterns or watchlists, it is “most often random”.
However, some social media users have voiced experiences that appear to go against the suggestion that the screenings are mostly “random”.
One X user vented: “I’m SSSS on EVERY flight. Special treatment includes @TSA feeling & squeezing you & every single item in the luggage.”
Another asked, “Why do you SSSS me every time I travel to the Mideast? Come on already, can’t Americans travel freely without harassment?”
Some believe their travel history could be to blame, with one user commenting: “A flight history that includes multiple trips to Iraq and Libya will do that, I guess.”
SSSS and Social Media Frustration
Over on TikTok, @themobilehomie shared a video showing what happened when her boyfriend was selected for the screening. “When your boyfriend gets SSSS, so you are now a solo traveller,” she explained, as her partner was escorted away for private screening. She scrambled to separate her belongings before TSA staff swabbed his bags.
It’s become such a meme-worthy experience that passengers now share their SSSS stories like urban legends.
While some on Reddit have branded the code the “kiss of death” and others joked that it is “time to drop your pants”, others have defended the code – highlighting that it is clearly marked on a boarding pass, so nobody with anything untoward should have any concerns.
But behind the online jokes, the code has sparked serious concerns.
Civil Liberties Groups Sound the Alarm
Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have raised red flags about the SSSS process.
Metro reports that CAIR filed a lawsuit in 2023 with a dozen plaintiffs, arguing that the SSSS and government watchlist programs disproportionately target Muslim travelers.
In their statement, CAIR claimed: “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 ACLU echoed concerns about lack of transparency and potential racial profiling. Critics say the process lacks clear guidelines and opens the door for discrimination.
Can You Get the SSSS Code Removed?
While you can’t opt out of SSSS entirely, there is something travelers can do to improve their odds.
The Department of Homeland Security offers the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP), which allows frequent SSSS recipients to apply for a redress number. If successful, this redress control number can be added to future bookings and may help reduce the likelihood of being selected again.
Michelle, a travel expert known as @laxtoluxury, explained in a video: “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.”
Even with a redress number, it’s not a guarantee you’ll avoid the SSSS in the future—but it might at least improve your chances of getting through security without major delays.
What the TSA Says
In response to mounting questions, a TSA spokesperson told Metro that the process “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.”
“KCM participants with a boarding pass showing SSSS are not permitted to use KCM access points,” the TSA’s website also states, referring to the Known Crewmember program, which normally allows airline crew members to skip standard screening.
The Bottom Line
Whether it’s random or not, getting hit with the SSSS code can disrupt your travel plans — and your patience. And with over 904 million passengers screened in 2024 alone, the odds might be higher than you’d think.
So the next time you check in, scan your boarding pass closely. If you see those four dreaded letters, better cancel your airport coffee run — you’re about to get very familiar with TSA.
