Sydney–San Francisco travelers gain streamlined bag screening via IRBS

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA TO SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) Passengers flying Sydney to San Francisco on United Airlines are now skipping a major hassle: picking up and re-checking their checked bags during U.S. entry. As of September 2025, United’s daily service from Sydney (SYD) to San Francisco (SFO) is live with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s International Remote Baggage Screening, known as the IRBS program. The change, led by CBP with airline and airport partners, lets travelers clear U.S. customs, immigration, and agriculture checks in San Francisco and head straight to security for their next flight. Bags move in the background and show up at the final U.S. destination.

CBP designed the International Remote Baggage Screening process to remove a pain point on long international trips: the forced baggage handoff before connections. According to United and its partners, the system can save connecting travelers up to 45 minutes, easing tight layovers and lowering the chance of missed flights. For families with strollers, older travelers, or anyone connecting through busy hubs, that window can be the difference between a calm transfer and a sprint through the terminal.

How the IRBS Flow Works

Under the new setup, the steps are simple and straightforward:

1. Passengers check their baggage as usual at Sydney Airport.
2. On arrival at SFO, passengers go to CBP for customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections.
3. Instead of going to baggage claim and a re-check counter, passengers go straight to TSA for security screening and then to their next gate.
4. Bags are handled behind the scenes and arrive at baggage claim at the traveler’s final U.S. city.

There’s no need to collect and re-check bags in San Francisco.

Policy Changes Overview

The IRBS program changes the point in the journey where checked bags are handled by the traveler. The bag is still inspected through CBP’s normal process—what changes is the need for the traveler to touch it during the SFO connection.

• Scope now: United’s daily Sydney to San Francisco service.
• Next steps: United plans to add more routes in the coming months.
• Partners: Sydney Airport, BagCheck, and Brock Solutions are supporting implementation.
• Benefits cited: time savings of up to 45 minutes, lower stress, and fewer missed connections.

Other major U.S. carriers, including American and Delta, offer similar programs on select routes. The Sydney–San Francisco deployment sits within that wider trend: streamlining handoffs on international arrivals when systems can support remote verification.

CBP remains the lead U.S. agency at the border, and the Transportation Security Administration handles security screening before domestic onward flights. For official background on screening and inspection roles, travelers can review U.S. government guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Impact on Travelers

The most direct gain is time. A typical transfer after a transpacific flight can involve waiting for bags, finding the re-check area, then joining a TSA line with little time to spare. With IRBS, that middle step drops away.

• Parents no longer need to juggle luggage and kids between two queues.
• Students arriving for the first time can follow a simpler path.
• Seniors and travelers with reduced mobility face fewer lifts and shorter distances with heavy bags.

Practical example:
– A family connecting to Denver checks bags in Sydney, clears CBP in San Francisco, goes to TSA, and boards the Denver flight. Their bags meet them at Denver baggage claim. The family avoids the back-and-forth between carousels and counters after a long flight.

Travel Planning Notes (Warnings & Best Practices)

• Travelers should still build reasonable connection times. While IRBS can save up to 45 minutes, actual savings depend on arrival volumes, CBP processing times, and TSA lines.
• Weather, air traffic, or other delays can affect any connection. The new flow reduces one major variable—the baggage re-check—but does not erase the need for buffer time, especially in peak seasons.
• Flyers should check their specific itineraries with United to confirm participation and look for any special tag or notation in bookings.

Impact on Airports and Airlines

The program benefits airport operations and airline on-time performance:

• Reduces crowding in customs halls and re-check counters.
• Helps baggage systems run more efficiently by routing bags remotely to final destinations.
• Reduces peak congestion, particularly during early-morning arrival waves when many long-haul flights land.

Operational requirements:
– Tight coordination between airline baggage systems, ground handlers, and CBP-approved processes.
– Accurate tracking of bags by traveler and flight.
– Secure routing to the final domestic belt without error.

Partners named (Sydney Airport, BagCheck, Brock Solutions) show the layered technical and operational work behind a seemingly simple traveler experience.

Policy and Regulatory Context

For immigration-focused readers, the change does not alter legal entry requirements. Travelers still:

• Complete the same CBP inspections on arrival.
• Follow instructions from CBP officers.
• Undergo agriculture checks as required.

The IRBS model demonstrates how technology and process design can remove friction without weakening border checks. CBP retains inspection authority and visibility while partnering with carriers to cut unnecessary traveler steps.

The result, at least on this route, is a simpler connection after a long overnight flight, with bags moving safely in the background and arriving where they should: at the final U.S. baggage claim.

Final Notes and Next Steps

• Confirmed availability: United’s daily SYD–SFO service is active with IRBS.
• Planned expansion: United intends to roll the model out to additional international routes in coming months.
• Travelers: Check bookings with United for participation details.
• Policymakers: The approach signals how coordination and technology can improve passenger experience without compromising inspection integrity.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com frames this rollout as part of a broader pattern: U.S. airports and carriers coordinating with CBP to simplify international-to-domestic connections where secure remote routing and verification are possible. The end goal is clearer guidance, fewer stops, and less room for mistakes when passengers are tired after long-haul flights.