Have you ever had an “SSSS” on your boarding pass when taking a flight with an airline? In this post, I want to take a detailed look at the significance of that. In some cases, this isn’t a big deal at all, while in other cases, you may have landed on some sort of a list, and get it on every flight, until you get it resolved (as happened to me back in 2017).
To be clear, just because you get that message doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get extra screening. You could also get a message about not being able to get your boarding pass in advance for a number of other reasons. You’ll know for sure when you print your boarding pass at the airport, and see the “SSSS” on it.
When the initial TSA agent scans your boarding pass, it will make a loud beep and a red light will illuminate. The agent will radio for a supervisor and say they have a “quad” (which I guess is the codeword for “SSSS,” with the “quad” referring to the four letters).
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
