Do I need a CTN?

There are many reasons why you could face delays or issues when travelling by plane.

If you are not sure why you were delayed or denied boarding at the airport on a recent trip, the first step is to call your air carrier. They may have more information on why you were delayed. Make sure to have your travel identification and ticket numbers ready.

Travel issues that may be related to the Secure Air Travel Act (SATA) list

These travel issues may be related and the Passenger Protect Inquiries Office (PPIO) may be able to help resolve them.

• Delays at home online, or at the airport, check-in
• Not allowed to board the plane, and immediately received a letter from the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada explaining your right to request recourse for your denial

Other common travel issues

Here are some common problems and advice to help prevent them from happening again. These are unrelated to the PPP and the SATA list.

• Flight delays and cancellations
• Delays during security screening
• Delays entering Canada
• Not allowed to board the plane – identification documents (ID) are not accepted
• Not allowed to board the plane – no letter or explanation

A CTN prevents delays at the airport only for travelers who have a similar name to someone on the Secure Air Travel Act (SATA) list (sometimes called Canada's “No Fly List”).

The CTN is a unique number assigned by the Passenger Protect Program (PPP) to travelers booking flights to, from and/or within Canada. The CTN is used during the SATA list security screening process before boarding a plane. It is used as an extra piece of information to ensure travelers are not accidentally flagged and face delays at the airport.

Please review the information below to determine whether a CTN could help prevent delays at the airport.

When a CTN may help:

• You were unable to check in to your flight online
• You were unable to print your boarding pass at the kiosk at the airport
• An airline customer service agent asks you to step aside and wait while they call someone before giving you your boarding pass

When a CTN will not help:

• You were not allowed to get on the plane
• You were not travelling to, from, or within Canada
• Your name is similar to or on another country's security list
• Your issue is related to immigration, customs, or airline customer service

Other Common Travel Issues

Here are some common problems and advice to help prevent them from happening again. These are unrelated to the PPP and the SATA list.

Flight delays and cancellations

Air Travel Issue

“I was bumped off my flight.”

“My flight was cancelled.”

“My flight was delayed.”

What to do

For more information about your delay, contact customer service for your air carrier.

For information on types of air travel delays and how to file a complaint please consult: the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Air Passenger Protection Regulations

Delays during security screening

Air Travel Issue

“Every time I travel, I am selected for extra security screening. This is a stressful situation and this causes delays and sometimes missed flights.”

“My bags are searched and this causes me to be delayed or miss my flight.”

What to do

For travel within Canada, review what is allowed on a plane, how screening works, and contact/file a complaint if needed: The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

Security screening processes in foreign airports may follow different rules. Visit the website of the airport you travel from to find out more about their security requirements.

Delays entering Canada

Air Travel Issue

“I always face delays coming back into Canada.”

What to do

There are many reasons you could face delays entering Canada. All travelers arriving in Canada are obligated by Canadian law to present themselves to a border services officer and may be subject to additional examination of their documentation and goods on entry.

For more information on the process involved when crossing the border: Canada Border Services Agency.

Not allowed to board the plane - identification documents (ID) are not accepted

Air Travel Issue

“The airline customer service agent said my name on the plane ticket did not match my travel documents.”

“I was not allowed to board my flight due to not having the right travel documents.”

What to do

When you book a plane ticket, make sure to enter your name exactly as it appears on the ID that you will use to travel.

We recommend reviewing the documents required to travel: Travel.gc.ca.

Not allowed to board the plane – no letter or explanation

Air Travel Issue

“When I check in at the airport the customer service agent says I'm not allowed to board my flight, but I don't know why.”

What to do

If you were denied boarding but did not receive a letter or explanation, contact customer service for your air carrier. Make sure to have your travel identification and ticket numbers ready.

Applying for a CTN is free and voluntary. A CTN is not mandatory for travel, and is used only as an additional piece of information to help prevent SATA-related delays when traveling by air to, from and/or within Canada.

You can apply for a CTN for yourself or your child(ren). You must be 16 years of age or older to submit an application. If you are a parent or a legal guardian/tutor, you may submit an application on behalf of your child(ren) if they are 15 years of age or younger.

To apply online, read the information below and launch the application.

If you are not able to apply online, please contact the Passenger Protect Inquiries Office (PPIO) about how you can apply by mail.

Required documents

Gather the identification documents (ID) below and follow the instructions to scan or take photos of them. You will be asked to upload the images when you fill out the application.

• Two (2) IDs per person applying for a CTN, that will be acceptable for travel and valid for at least six (6) months after the application is submitted. Please only provide clear colour copies or photos of the ID that you use when travelling (i.e., front and back; and if it's a passport, the biometric and signature pages, as well as the middle binding pages) (Example of ID and Passport).
• If you have a valid passport, it is strongly recommended to include a copy of it with your application.
• If you are applying on behalf of a child or children (15 years of age or younger), you will need to include a copy of a proof of parentage document, such as a birth certificate.

For a full list of acceptable ID see the Travel Documents page.

Create a CTN account

The CTN application uses GCKey and Government Sign-in by Interac for authentication for you to securely sign into your account. When the CTN application is launched, you will be asked to sign-in using one of the two methods.

Once signed in, create your CTN account by providing the requested information and accepting the privacy disclaimer. With your account, you can prepare and submit an application for a CTN for yourself and/or your child(ren). Your application will be saved and can be accessed any time.

When you access your account you will be able to:

• Track the status of your application.
• Pause your application process and continue it later.

Prepare and submit an application

During the application process, your information will continue to save every time you click on ‘next' and go to the following screen. You can pause your application process and restart any time by coming back to the the CTN Account login page. Every time you access your account you will need to sign in using GCKey or Government Sign-in by Interac. Remember the method you used to sign in and keep your username and password handy.

To learn more about what happens after you have submitted your application, consult I already applied for a Canadian Travel Number.

For more information, contact the Passenger Protect Inquiries Office.