The TSA Is Now Allowing Some Passengers To Skip This Step

No traveler likes to wait in a long line — especially after a long-haul flight. But if you’re flying internationally back to the U.S. and have a domestic connection, that’s likely exactly what you’ll be facing. When travelers arrive in the U.S. from an international flight, they not only have to stand in a customs line but also must wait for their checked bags, recheck them, and clear TSA security again. Fortunately, a new pilot program called One Stop Security (OSS) promises to reduce wait times during your next layover — find out how it works and where you can use it below.

How One Stop Security Works

Most travelers prefer to fly nonstop if they can, but often that’s not possible, especially if their home airport is a smaller one. Under the current system, if you take an international flight to a U.S. airport that is not your final destination, you have to jump through a number of hoops before boarding your domestic connection. 

First, you must clear customs and immigration (unless you’re flying from an airport with preclearance). Those lines can be lengthy, but you can skip them if you have Global Entry or you’re enrolled in Mobile Passport Control. Then, if you have checked bags, which is often the case for travelers on big international trips, you have to proceed to the baggage claim, wait for your luggage, and check them again to your final destination. 

Lastly, you’ll have to undergo TSA security screening, even though you went through a similar process before boarding the first leg of your trip. That’s where One Stop Security (OSS) comes in: Travelers on a handful of flights that are participating in this pilot program can bypass the second security screening altogether and don’t have to worry about collecting and rechecking their bags. 

Instead, passengers on those flights will head to a dedicated customs area at the arrival gate that is separate from standard screening. There, they will undergo passport checks before heading directly to their connecting gate, while bags are transferred automatically. 

Industry experts have praised the pilot program. In a statement, the U.S. Travel Association said One Stop Security signals “a new era for U.S. travel,” calling it “a smart, long-overdue step toward modernizing the travel experience, eliminating redundant screening, cutting connection times, and unlocking more international air service.”

Where Is It Available?

Unfortunately, you might have to wait a while to take advantage of the new program, which is a partnership between airlines, the TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.K.’s Department of Transport.

Currently, One Stop Security is available to a very limited number of passengers. American Airlines was the first to introduce the program in the U.S., starting with flights from London Heathrow Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth in July 2025. In a statement, the airline said the streamlined process reduces connection times for those passengers by 50%. 

Delta Air Lines also introduced One Stop Security on select flights from London Heathrow to Atlanta in July. However, with Delta’s program, travelers must be enrolled in Global Entry or Mobile Passport Control to be able to skip the second TSA screening. Delta says those passengers who are eligible can save up to 45 minutes on their connections. 

Details on the future of the program are scarce, but the TSA’s deputy administrator Adam Stahl said in an interview that more international airports will be added in the “coming months.” 

The program launched on the other side of the pond in February 2025. Passengers landing at London’s Heathrow Airport on select flights from Dallas/Fort Worth and connecting to destinations outside of Britain can also skip security checkpoints upon arrival. 

Other Time-Saving TSA Initiatives 

In recent months, the TSA has announced a number of changes aimed at reducing wait times and improving the passenger experience. The biggest change came in July 2025, when the department dropped the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at standard security screening checkpoints. Additionally, the TSA has introduced dedicated family screening lanes at select airports, with more to be rolled out in the coming months. Many U.S. airports have also implemented a new security system called Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), which allows passengers to breeze past security without showing their boarding pass.