Then, when you pass through security, TSA knows you’re good to go. Though a redress number can smooth out your trip, it’s different from a Known Traveler Number (KTN).

At JFK, “we saw a decrease in the number of firearms that people brought to our checkpoints from 15 guns in 2023 to 10 in 2024,” said John Essig, TSA’s security director for JFK.

If SSSS appears on your boarding pass, plan for an additional 15-45 minutes of TSA screening when you get to the airport. Here's why.