You’ve checked in.

Printed your boarding pass.

Grabbed your coffee.

And then you see it—right there at the bottom of the barcode:

SSSS

Four little letters that feel like a punch to the gut.

No warning.

No explanation.

Just… extra screening.

Suddenly, your stress level skyrockets.

“What did I do?”

“Am I on a watchlist?”

“Will I miss my flight?”

Take a breath.

Let’s demystify SSSS—what it really means, why it happens, and how to get through security with calm (and maybe even a little grace).