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Getting a redress number for air travel can make your trip easier

Avoid potential problems at the airport by getting a redress number

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Airport terminal sunrise
Safwan Mahmud / Unsplash

Your bags are packed, you left early for the airport, and you can’t wait to get where you’re going. It’s a sunny day, and the views from your window seat should be ideal, letting you take in the views as you jet across the country. But then, when you’re almost through security, you’re stopped for additional screening. What was a morning of excitement is now an inconvenient situation.

On each flight within, to, and from the U.S., the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Secure Flight program screens your info for your safety and those around you. Unfortunately, from time to time, the system incorrectly identifies passengers as high-risk, requiring additional security screening or even denying travel. If that’s happened to you, applying for a redress control number (also called a redress number) ensures it doesn’t in the future.

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So, what is a redress number, and how can you apply for one? Read on to find out.

What is a redress number for air travel?

Traveler looking at flight information
Erik Odiin / Unsplash

A redress number is a seven-digit identifier provided by the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP). It helps the TSA’s Secure Flight program match you with info from your redress case so you aren’t misidentified as being on a watch list. 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). A KTN signifies affiliation with Trusted Traveler programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, programs that are also designed to streamline the security process. 

Typically, airplane passengers don’t have a redress number. The only way to obtain one is to apply through the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP).

Should you apply for a redress number?

Airplane passengers walking through terminal
Josh Sorenson / Unsplash

You don’t need a redress number if you’ve never been stopped for extra security screening, never had trouble passing through U.S. border checkpoints, or have never been prohibited from boarding a plane. But if you have, applying through TRIP could make your life a lot easier. Before you apply, here are scenarios to consider.

DHS TRIP recommends applying if you’ve experienced the following:

  • You could not print a boarding pass from an airline ticketing kiosk or the internet.
  • You were delayed or denied boarding an aircraft.
  • The airline ticket agent informed you that the federal government was not authorizing you to travel.
  • You are repeatedly referred for secondary screening when clearing U.S. Customs or were denied entry into the United States.
  • CBP told you at a U.S. port of entry that your fingerprints need to be corrected.
  • You wish to amend a traveler record because of an overstay due to not submitting the required I-94 when exiting the United States.
  • You believe you were incorrectly denied ESTA authorization.
  • You believe a government agent was inappropriately exposed or shared your personal information.

Remember, TRIP doesn’t solve all travel-related hangups. Its purpose is to resolve watchlist mismatches and other security issues. Beyond that, TRIP can’t help with issues like customer service, discrimination, lost or damaged items, personal injury, and assistance during screening for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and other circumstances.

You may still be subject to extra screening

Airport security agent searching a female passenger's carry-on bag with a dog nearby
CDC / Unsplash

While a redress number is intended to help people have a smoother travel experience and correct any incorrect government records that may hamper their travel, having a redress number does not automatically exempt you from enhanced security measures at the airport.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, even after completing the process of getting a redress number through DHS TRIP, travelers could still be subjected to additional enhanced security screening at the airport. This selection could be based on a number of factors, and it could even be random.

Additionally, obtaining a redress number doesn’t mean your name is not on a travel watch list. According to DHS, “Security procedures and legal concerns mandate that we can neither confirm nor deny any information about you that may be within federal watch lists; we also cannot reveal any law enforcement-sensitive information.”

How to get a redress number

Airplane waiting at gate as the sun rises
Rocker Sta / Unsplash

If any of the above situations apply to you, a redress number could be what you need. Applying is as simple as visiting the DHS TRIP website, answering some questions, and logging in to the portal. 

If you’re a U.S. citizen, you must provide a copy of the bio page from a current U.S. passport. If you don’t have one, a valid government-supplied photo ID will suffice (shown below). Additionally, minors only need a birth certificate or valid U.S. passport. 

If you aren’t a U.S. citizen, you must also supply the bio page from a current U.S. passport or provide duplicates of a specific federally issued ID, found on the following list. 

The DHS website lists the following acceptable documents:

  • Passport
  • Passport card
  • Driver’s license
  • Birth certificate (only for individuals under the age of 18)
  • Military identification card
  • Government identification card (federal/state/local number)
  • Certificate of citizenship
  • Naturalization certificate
  • Immigrant/non-immigrant visa
  • Alien registration
  • Petition or claim receipt
  • I-94 admission form
  • FAST card
  • SENTRI card
  • NEXUS card
  • Border crossing card
  • SEVIS card

How to use a redress number

Once you obtain a redress number, enter the seven-digit code when booking. You can attach it to your frequent flyer profile or provide it to an airport agent at check-in. Here’s how.

When booking online with an airline or travel service, there’s usually a field where you can enter your redress number. If you belong to a frequent flyer program, just enter the number on your online profile, and every time you book, it’ll be automatically added. If neither of those options works, most airport agents can add your redress number to your reservation. 

Security-related issues can put a dent in your travel experience. When you can’t wait to get where you’re going, extra screening (or worse) turns a fun getaway into a time-consuming plight. Obtaining a redress number ensures you’re all set so you can breeze through the terminal and be on your way. If you meet the criteria, it’s an easy solution and worth applying for. 

Mark Reif
Mark Reif
Mark Reif is a storyteller focused on the intersection of outdoor culture, travel, and design. From the peaks of Banff to the… Read Full Bio
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