What Does “SSSS” on Your Boarding Pass Mean? (And How to Stay Calm When You See It)

You’re boarding a flight, feeling good, coffee in hand—then you glance at your boarding pass and notice four ominous letters: SSSS.
Your stomach drops. Are you in trouble? On a watchlist? About to miss your flight?

Take a breath. While SSSS does mean extra screening, it’s far less dramatic than it sounds—and knowing what to expect makes it much easier to handle.