American Airlines is revolutionising the international travel experience by becoming the first airline in the United States to offer seamless connections for travellers and their checked bags. In partnership with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the UK Department for Transport (DfT), the new process allows customers travelling from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and connecting through the airline’s largest hub, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), to clear U.S. Customs right at the arrival gate.
Customers can then proceed directly to their connecting flight without reclaiming and rechecking their checked baggage or passing through TSA security. Checked bags are automatically transferred to the connecting flight, streamlining the experience while maintaining the highest security standards.
This first-of-its-kind program, known as One Stop Security (OSS), is expected to cut connection times – which typically include clearing U.S. Customs, claiming checked bags, rechecking bags and then clearing TSA security – by more than half, dramatically improving the customer journey. By leveraging advanced technology and working with vendor partners BagCheck and Brock Solutions (both Strategic Partners of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group), American is further enhancing safety, security and operational efficiency across the process.
“One Stop Security is one of the most forward-thinking enhancements we can bring to international travel – and importantly, to our customers – as it delivers a level of convenience and time-savings that’s never been available before to customers connecting from international flights,” said David Seymour, Chief Operating Officer, American. “With this game-changing program and thanks to our federal partners at CBP and TSA, along with DFW Airport, our customers will spend significantly less time worrying about an onerous connection process and more time enjoying their travel journey.”
The investment by DFW – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – in the infrastructure and operational systems needed to support OSS was instrumental in making the program a reality. The airport’s role in enabling a secure, efficient handoff from international arrivals to connecting flights reinforces its position as a global leader in airport innovation.
The U.S. launch at DFW follows a successful pilot earlier this year at LHR, where OSS was introduced for travellers connecting to non-U.K. destinations.
American plans to explore opportunities to expand OSS to additional flights and U.S. airports in the future, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and delivering a more efficient, customer-friendly global travel experience.
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