Travelling to the US usually involves more queuing in passport control/customs/immigration than you experience visiting most other countries.
And while everyone can expect a certain level of hanging around before being allowed to get on with their holiday, the wait could be even longer for some.
The next time you're travelling to the States, take a glance at your boarding pass to see whether you've been 'blessed' (not so much) with these four letters: SSSS.
If you have, well I'm afraid the journey is going to be a lot longer for you - and potentially more stressful as a result.
According to news.com.au SSSS stands for “Secondary Security Screening Selection”, the meaning of which you can probably decipher on your own.
Along with expecting to be fully searched by TSA (Transport Security Administration) officials, all of your bags will be checked and you'll likely have to give an account of your travel plans, why you're in the country and what you do back home, too.
Everyone's clicking on...
Right now it is unknown whether the list is entirely generated at random, or if factors such as where you have recently visited, how often you travel and how you paid for your ticket (ie cash over card) has an impact.
If you struggle to print your boarding pass off at home, it might be that you've been added to the list and will find out when you reach the check in desk.
Jess Edwards is Cosmopolitan UK’s Deputy Editor, working to deliver the very best experiences across the brand's platforms (print, social, video, digital), products and events, including a focus on our membership offering, Club Cosmo. Jess has worked in the media industry for almost 20 years and at Cosmopolitan for over 10 years, joining the brand as Fashion Editor and later going on to lead the digital team as Site Editor. With her background in lifestyle journalism, it is no surprise that you’re most likely to find her in the Fashion section and exploring the very best in hospitality via our Travel pages.
