What the symbols on your boarding pass actually mean

Amid the excitement of backpacking to a new location or heading on that dream vacation destination, it can be pretty easy to overlook what's on your boarding pass.

However, the symbols on your plane ticket, whether that be physical or digital, all have a meaning.

While a boarding pass obviously permits you entry onto a flight, it also corresponds to vital passenger information collected on the airline's end, from ID documentation, to the finer details of a meal you've requested onboard.

There are plenty of symbols found on a boarding pass though, so here are the ones you should look out for and what exactly they mean.

Flight code and number

You'll find this on all boarding passes and no matter what airline you fly with, it follows the same formula.

It begins with two uppercase letters, the code for the airline, which would be 'AA' in American Airlines' case, for example.

Following that is a four digit number, rounding off the full flight code and number.

The flight number is ultimately determined by the airline, and is said to take into account current airline flight numbers, as well as previous ones.

Flight codes and numbers are generated by an algorithm (Getty Stock Photo)

Bar Code

This is certainly the most recognizable symbol on a boarding pass, which is often scanned at the gate by airline staff to speed up the boarding process.

Often appearing on the bottom right of a boarding pass, the scanner provides gate staff with useful information, such as how many people have boarded a flight thus far, as well as how many bags have been checked in.

Unique identifier

This six-digit code known as your PNR, or Passenger Name Reference, is essentially a booking code.

It's what's used to retrieve your boarding pass at a computer or a self-serve kiosk in the airport, while it also acts as a mechanism to identify you as a unique passenger if, on the off chance, someone on your flight has the same first and surname.

TSA security code

If you've got 'SSSS' on the bottom of your boarding pass, then you've been selected for additional security screening.

It remains unclear how passengers are picked for 'Secondary Security Screening Selection', though previous purchasing patterns being inconsistent can lead to a passenger being singled out.

A boarding pass could indicate you'll be subject of more TSA checks (Getty Stock Photo)

Stopover

'S/O' on a boarding passing means you're having a stopover or layover on your travels, while 'SPTC' indicates the stopover lasts for a prolonged period of time, aka more than a few hours.

Floating letter

You may notice a 'lonely letter' sitting there on your boarding pass, with that indicating a passenger's chances of getting an upgrade based on loyalty status with the airline.

For example, a 'B' means you're more likely to receive an upgrade compared to those with the letter 'Q' or 'Y'.

You'll often find that the latter two are the cheapest economy tickets available for said airline.