Korean Air and Delta streamline connecting flights with remote baggage screening on Incheon–Atlanta route
August 15, 2025
Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have introduced International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) on their Seoul Incheon (ICN)–Atlanta (ATL) service. IRBS will simplify the passenger experience for travellers entering the United States.
As part of the new system, checked baggage is X-ray screened at Incheon and images are securely transmitted to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for remote inspection before departure.
With their baggage pre-screened, passengers no longer have to collect and recheck their bags upon arrival in Atlanta. The airlines state that IRBS can reduce connection times by about 20 minutes.
The initiative applies to both nonstop Incheon-Atlanta passengers and travellers connecting through Incheon from other cities. It allows passengers to proceed straight to their connecting flight or exit the airport immediately upon arrival in the US, avoiding queues for baggage recheck and customs clearance.
Korean Air and Delta are speeding up travel for up to 300,000 passengers a year
More than half of the 300,000 annual passengers flying between Incheon and Atlanta continue to other destinations, so the carriers expect this change to have a significant impact.
- In 2024, Korean Air carried 123,000 passengers on the route, 67,000 of which connected onward from Atlanta.
- Delta carried 160,000 passengers, with more than 100,000 making connections.
“Together with Delta and our partners, we are introducing new initiatives to deliver a seamless passenger experience,” says Kwangho Ko, Senior Vice President at Korean Air. “We will continue to deploy services to maximise convenience and comfort for our customers.”
“Through our joint venture with Korean Air, we’re committed to making transpacific travel easier and more enjoyable,” said Jeff Moomaw, Delta’s Vice President for the Asia-Pacific region. “This is only the beginning—we aim to bring these benefits to more US destinations from ICN.”
Korean Air and Delta Air Lines joint venture grows in passenger numbers
Korean Air and Delta Air Lines are launching IRBS as the two carriers mark the seventh anniversary of their trans-Pacific joint venture.
Since its inception in May 2018, the partnership has served nearly 15 million customers.
More than 4,400 passengers connect between the two carriers at Incheon each day—a 50% increase over seven years.
Together, the airlines operate up to 19 peak-day departures between Seoul and the United States, offering connections to more than 260 destinations across the Americas and over 65 in Asia.
A broader push to streamline US arrivals
IRBS is part of a broader push to reduce friction for international passengers arriving in the US.
Developed in partnership with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.K. Department for Transport (DfT), the One Stop Security initiative is also cutting connection times.
Since February, Delta Air Lines has offered One Stop Security (OSS) to eastbound passengers on select flights connecting in Atlanta from London Heathrow. OSS allows passengers to skip redundant security checks, saving 45 minutes in their journey. To qualify, travellers must use Global Entry or the Mobile Passport App. Delta plans to expand the OSS service to other international routes in the future.
American Airlines announced the launch of the One Stop Security (OSS) programme at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in July. With OSS, eligible travellers arriving from London Heathrow (LHR) can connect through DFW without reclaiming and rechecking baggage or undergoing TSA security screening again. American Airlines is also looking to expand the programme to other US airports.
Like IRBS, OSS aims to eliminate the most time-consuming parts of international arrivals. Both programmes highlight a shift toward pre-clearing baggage and security processes overseas, enabling faster and more predictable connections at busy US hubs.
