WHAT ALL THOSE NUMBERS AND LETTERS ON YOUR BOARDING PASS MEAN
What do the numbers and letters on your boarding pass mean, and what is the dreaded SSSS code you don’t want to see?
Ever stared at your boarding pass and wondered what all those codes, letters, and numbers actually mean? In this episode, Max Hartshorne, editor of GoNOMAD Travel, breaks down the secret language of airline boarding passes — from the six‑digit record locator that unlocks your reservation to the mysterious “SSSS” that signals extra Security screening.
You’ll learn:
- What your record locator (PNR) really does — and why it’s the key to your entire trip.
- How flight codes identify airlines and prevent confusion in the skies.
- What those fare class letters (A, F, Q, Y) reveal about upgrades and ticket types.
- Why codeshare flights appear as “operated by” another airline.
- How the dreaded SSSS can land you in secondary screening — and what triggers it.
- The meaning behind S/O and SPTC stopover codes, and how some airlines still make them worthwhile.
This episode updates our original 2022 story with the latest info on printed and mobile boarding passes, digital IDs, and how airlines are modernizing the check‑in experience in 2026.
🎙️ Host: Max Hartshorne ✍️ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: GoNOMAD Travel Podcast 📩 Have a travel story idea? Email us at [email protected]
Max Hartshorne has been the editor and publisher of GoNOMAD Travel in South Deerfield Mass since 2002. He worked for newspapers and other sales positions for 23 years until he finally got what he wanted and became the editor at GoNOMAD. He travels regularly, enjoys publishing new writers, and is proud to be able to truly do exactly what he wanted to do all his life.
