United Debuts Remote Baggage Screening on Select Intl Flights

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) United Airlines has launched an International Remote Baggage Screening program that lets many international-to-domestic connecting passengers skip baggage claim on arrival in the United States, starting with the carrier’s daily Sydney-to-San Francisco flight. The program, known as IRBS, began on September 29, 2025, and is being run in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). United says the effort removes the need to collect and recheck luggage after landing from abroad, a change that could save travelers up to 45 minutes on a long travel day.

The launch focuses on United’s daily service from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Under IRBS, passengers on this route clear customs, immigration, and agricultural checks in San Francisco as usual, but they do not stop at baggage claim to pick up their checked bags before connecting to another U.S. flight. Instead, United Airlines works with CBP and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to screen and transfer luggage directly to the next flight, so travelers collect their bags only at their final destination.

United says more than 160 passengers per flight have already used the streamlined process since rollout. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the approach aligns with a wider push in 2025 to cut connection times and reduce bottlenecks for international arrivals, especially at large U.S. hubs where baggage recheck lines can stretch travel days and cause missed connections.

Policy launch and implementation details

CBP officers remotely review baggage images that are captured at the start of the journey in Sydney using security protocols similar to those used in the United States. If CBP flags a bag for extra screening, it is pulled aside; otherwise, it moves through to the connecting flight without the passenger touching it.

The process is designed to meet U.S. security standards while removing an outdated step that required international arrivals to reclaim and recheck luggage before proceeding to their domestic gates.

United’s Vice President of Customer Operations Strategy and Execution, Jennifer Schwierzke, said the airline plans to expand IRBS “in the months ahead.” That would extend the time savings to more markets if the partnership with CBP continues to scale.

United becomes the third major U.S. airline to introduce such a program in 2025, following:
– American Airlines’ Sydney–Los Angeles initiative (launched earlier in the spring)
– Delta Air Lines’ setup for Seoul–Atlanta connections

The airline industry is moving in this direction across multiple gateways. In 2025, carriers worked with CBP and TSA on programs that let some inbound passengers skip security rechecks on routes through London Heathrow into U.S. hubs like Atlanta and Dallas Fort Worth. IRBS adds a luggage-side upgrade to that same effort: shaving time off international-to-domestic connections by removing baggage claim and recheck from the flow where possible.

How IRBS works for travelers

For the United Airlines pilot route, the steps are straightforward:

1. Check bags normally at SYD, with bag tags printed to the final U.S. destination.
2. Fly to SFO and proceed through U.S. immigration, customs, and agricultural inspection.
3. Skip baggage claim and recheck; bags undergo automatic screening by CBP (and handling with TSA in coordination with United) and are routed to the connecting flight.
4. Pick up the luggage at the final destination, as on a normal domestic arrival.

The central change is what passengers don’t do: wait at carousels and stand in recheck lines. The IRBS model moves the screening behind the scenes, leaning on remote image review by CBP and close coordination between United and federal officers.

• The program applies only when CBP is satisfied with the remote review.
• If officers need a closer look, the bag is taken for additional screening.

United describes IRBS as a technology-enabled process, but its promise is practical: smoother connections, shorter lines, and less stress. For many families and business travelers, 30 to 45 minutes saved can be the difference between making a meeting or catching the last flight of the night.

Why Sydney–San Francisco benefits

Sydney–San Francisco is a high-volume, long-haul corridor that feeds dozens of onward U.S. flights. As a result:
– Operational gains can help many passengers each day.
– Early usage — more than 160 passengers per flight — suggests broad interest among travelers connecting through SFO.
– The shift may reduce crowding around baggage belts and recheck counters during peak times, easing pressure on facilities.

The partnership’s security chain remains clear: CBP reviews images remotely, and a bag only moves ahead if it meets U.S. requirements. If not, it is pulled for extra checks. That structure aims to maintain safety while removing steps that often don’t add value to the travel experience.

For official information on customs processing for international arrivals, travelers can consult U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance for international travelers.

Time savings, industry context, and what’s next

IRBS fits a broader pattern of process improvements in 2025. Examples include:
– American Airlines’ program on Sydney–Los Angeles
– Delta’s program on Seoul–Atlanta
– Security recheck waivers on select flows through London Heathrow into Atlanta and Dallas Fort Worth

These initiatives aim to simplify the most time-consuming points in arrival and connection processes.

United’s plan to expand IRBS “in the months ahead” signals that more city pairs may see the option soon. While no specific next routes have been announced, the combination of CBP remote review and airline coordination suggests other long-haul gateways could be candidates. Rollout will depend on close alignment between airline operations and federal review capacity at each location.

What travelers should do

• If flying United from Sydney to San Francisco with a domestic connection, tag your bags through to your final city at check-in.
• Follow normal signs for U.S. entry at SFO.
• Expect to collect your luggage only at your final destination, unless CBP requests additional screening.

Families with strollers, students with instruments, and business travelers with tight schedules are likely to see the biggest benefit.

Expected operational effects

For airports and airline staff, IRBS may:
– Reduce crowding around baggage belts and recheck counters
– Create steadier passenger flows during peak banks
– Lower missed-connection rates if connections become more reliable

United will monitor connection times and missed-connection rates to measure the program’s impact on the Sydney–San Francisco route.

VisaVerge.com reports that the IRBS model reflects growing collaboration between carriers, CBP, and TSA to make international connections less painful without changing core security checks. The early adoption on a flagship Pacific route shows where United sees strong demand and a clear operational payoff.

United Airlines’ International Remote Baggage Screening program is still new, but early weeks suggest a practical win: fewer lines, faster connections, and a smoother path from overseas arrival to a domestic gate. With CBP remote image review at the center and clear procedures for pulling bags when needed, the approach aims to keep safety strong while giving travelers time back on the ground. As United and CBP consider more routes “in the months ahead,” many international passengers will be watching to see where IRBS goes next.