U.S. Bag Rechecks Start to Disappear
International connections through the United States are starting to lose one of their most annoying steps. Under CBP’s International Remote Baggage Screening programme, some passengers arriving on eligible flights no longer need to collect checked bags at their first U.S. airport and hand them back to the airline before boarding a domestic connection. Bags can instead move automatically to the final destination.
Where the New Bag Transfer Applies
- Programme: CBP International Remote Baggage Screening
- Main change: eligible connecting passengers can skip collecting checked bags at their first U.S. airport
- Current routes: American Airlines Sydney–Los Angeles; United Airlines Sydney–San Francisco; Delta/Korean Air Seoul-Incheon to Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Seattle-Tacoma
- Latest expansion: Seoul–Los Angeles and Seoul–Seattle-Tacoma joined the programme on 23 June 2026
- Important exception: CBP can still send selected bags to baggage claim for inspection
- Who should check: passengers with an international arrival and a same-ticket onward U.S. connection
The change does not remove U.S. immigration or security checks. Passengers still complete entry formalities after landing, and CBP can send selected bags to baggage claim for inspection. For most eligible bags, x-ray images taken at the foreign departure airport are reviewed before arrival. American began the first test; Delta, Korean Air and United have since added participating services on select routes.
That matters most at big hub airports where long-haul arrivals feed smaller U.S. cities. A smoother connection through Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles or San Francisco can make one-stop trips to places such as Nashville, Denver, Las Vegas, Boston, New Orleans and Florida beach cities less tight. It also gives visitors more breathing room between passport control, security and boarding.
Travellers should not assume the old baggage step has disappeared everywhere in the United States. The programme only applies on selected routes, so it is worth checking the airline’s instructions before booking a tight connection. On eligible routes, checked bags are sent on to the final destination unless CBP selects them for inspection. This removes one of the slowest steps for connecting passengers after an international arrival in the United States.
