Summary:
- Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have expanded Seamless Baggage Transfer to Seattle and Los Angeles, streamlining connections for travellers flying from Korea to the U.S.
- Powered by International Remote Baggage Screening technology, the service eliminates the need for customers to collect and recheck baggage during U.S. connections.
- The operational innovation can save passengers up to 20 minutes and is now available across five major U.S. gateway airports.
Korean Air and Delta Air Lines – both Partners of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group – are expanding Seamless Baggage Transfer from Incheon International Airport (ICN) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), further enhancing the travel experience for customers flying from Korea to the United States by saving up to 20 minutes when connecting in the U.S.
Seamless Baggage Transfer, powered by International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) technology, allows checked baggage to be screened prior to arrival in the U.S., eliminating the need for customers to collect and recheck bags during connections. With this expansion, Seamless Baggage Transfer is now available across five major U.S. gateways – Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, Seattle and Los Angeles – extending faster, more efficient connections to more customers travelling through or from Incheon. This includes Korean Air and Delta customers connecting through Incheon from across Asia to these five U.S. cities.
Using advanced X-ray screening technology, baggage is screened at Incheon and securely reviewed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before the flight lands. Customers can proceed directly to their connecting gate, similar to a domestic transfer, while their bags are automatically transferred to their final destination, saving up to 20 minutes.
Since its introduction on Incheon-Atlanta flights in August 2025, Seamless Baggage Transfer has proven to significantly elevate passenger convenience. Notably, it has cut customs interactions at U.S. airports by over 65%. In situations when an unexpected late arrival would have caused customers to miss their connections under the previous baggage recheck process, it has enabled a vast majority of customers to successfully catch their onward flights.
“Our joint venture with Delta continues to strengthen connections between Korea and the United States,” said Kwangho Ko, Senior Vice President, Korean Air. “Together, we are building a more connected global network through Incheon, giving customers greater convenience, more choices and a consistently elevated level of service throughout their journey.”
Jeff Moomaw, Vice President – Asia Pacific, Delta Air Lines, commented: “Seamless Baggage Transfer simplifies the connection experience for customers travelling to the United States. By expanding this service to Seattle and Los Angeles, we enable customers to move through U.S. airports more efficiently and have more time to relax between flights.”
The expansion of Seamless Baggage Transfer reflects broader efforts by Korean Air and Delta to enhance the end-to-end customer journey, including continued network growth, premium onboard experiences and operational innovations designed to improve travel at every step. The partners continue to explore opportunities to extend this capability to additional markets in the future.
You may also be interested in
12 technology and CX trends that can enhance airline and airport operations in 2026
