What Is a Redress Number?

What is a redress number?

A redress number is a unique identification number issued by the US Department of Homeland Security to travelers who have experienced repeated difficulties during travel screening, such as being consistently pulled aside, delayed, or even denied boarding, usually because their name or details are similar to those of someone on a government watchlist. The number comes from the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, known as DHS TRIP, which exists to resolve these cases of mistaken identity. Once you have a redress number, you add it to your travel bookings so that airlines and security can correctly distinguish you from the person who triggered the issue, smoothing out your future travel. It is essentially a tool to fix a recurring misidentification problem.

Who needs a redress number?

Most travelers never need a redress number, so it is not something to obtain preemptively. You would consider applying for one only if you have repeatedly run into the same screening problems, such as consistently being flagged for additional screening, told you cannot check in online, delayed at the ticket counter every time, or denied or delayed boarding, typically because your name matches or resembles one on a watchlist. These are the specific situations DHS TRIP is designed to address. If your travel generally goes smoothly, you have no reason to apply. The redress number is a remedy for a persistent, identity-related travel issue, not a general convenience or a substitute for a Known Traveler Number, which is a separate thing entirely.

How do you get a redress number?

You obtain a redress number by filing a request through the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP), which is a free process. You submit an inquiry online, describing the travel problems you have experienced, and provide identifying information and supporting documents, such as a copy of your identification, to verify who you are. DHS reviews your case, works to resolve the underlying misidentification, and issues you a redress number. The process can take some time, so if you are experiencing ongoing issues, it is best to start early rather than right before a trip. Once assigned, your redress number is yours to use going forward on your bookings, and it should reduce or eliminate the repeated flagging you had been facing.

How do you use a redress number?

Once you have a redress number, you use it much like a Known Traveler Number, by entering it in the designated redress number field when you book a flight or in your reservation profile, and by saving it in your airline frequent-flyer accounts so it is applied automatically to future bookings. Make sure you put it in the redress field specifically, not the Known Traveler Number field, since the two are different and serve different purposes. Providing the redress number with your booking gives the airline and security the information they need to correctly identify you and avoid the mix-up that had been causing delays. Ensuring your name and details match your travel documents also helps the number do its job of smoothing your screening.