When you book travel to, from, within or over the US, we’ll ask you to provide a few details during booking and when you check in at the airport.
This information is mandatory, as it is required by the US authorities under the Secure Flight and Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) programs.
Add these details when you book:
- Each passenger's full name exactly as it appears on the passenger’s travel document
- Date of birth
- Gender
At airport check-in, the following information must be added to your booking:
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Country of passport issue
- Alien Registration Number (where applicable)
- Destination address in the USA (not required for US citizens and permanent residents) and country of residence for flights arriving into the US
- Redress number* (if applicable)
*The redress number is a unique number that helps the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) eliminate watch list misidentification. If you’ve experienced screening difficulties or believe you’ve been mistakenly matched to a name on the watch list, apply to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a redress number.
What is the Secure Flight Program?
The Secure Flight Program enables pre-screening of passenger information against US Federal Government watch lists. Watch list matching applies to all passengers travelling on flights to, from, within or over the US. The stated objectives of the program are to:
- Identify known and suspected terrorists
- Prevent individuals on the No Fly List (and in some circumstances, other watch lists maintained by the US Federal Government) from boarding an aircraft to the US
- Identify individuals on the Selectee List for enhanced screening to determine if they are permitted to board an aircraft
- Facilitate passenger air travel by allowing cleared passengers to continue with their travel to the US
- Protect individuals’ privacy
The airline must receive clearance from the TSA for every passenger before that passenger is allowed to board a flight to, from, within or over the US.
To obtain Secure Flight clearance, the airline must send the passenger’s name, date of birth, gender and redress number (if applicable) to TSA at least 72 hours prior to flight departure. TSA is a division of DHS and is responsible for the matching process.
TSA has provided the following Privacy Notice for passengers:
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires you to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender for the purpose of watch list screening, under the authority of 49 U.S.C. section 114, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and 49 C.F.R parts 1540 and 1560. You may also provide your Redress Number, if available. Failure to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender may result in denial of transport or denial of authority to enter the boarding area. TSA may share information you provide with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice. For more on TSA privacy policies, or to review the system of records notice and the privacy impact assessment, see US Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
If you have not provided your full name, date of birth and gender, your tickets will not be issued. The passport details and destination address for each passenger is also required at the time of booking. If you have not provided all of this information, you may not be able to board your flight.
The Secure Flight Program does not replace the APIS requirement. In addition to the information provided to the TSA, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires carriers to submit passenger passport details, alien registration number (where applicable) and, for flights arriving into the US, country of residence details and address details in the US (not required for US citizens and permanent residents). The carrier will not permit a passenger to board a flight to the US unless CBP clearance has been received.
For further information about APIS see the Customs and Border Protection website.