A new airport security initiative being piloted in the United States—One Stop Security—could soon change the way international travelers handle layovers in America.
The program aims to eliminate redundant security checks for passengers arriving from select foreign airports, allowing them to connect to domestic flights as seamlessly as they would on an all–U.S. itinerary. Instead of picking up and rechecking bags or going through TSA screening again, travelers can proceed straight to their next gate.
The pilot launched earlier this year with two routes, both departing from London’s Heathrow International Airport (LHR): American Airlines to Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Delta Air Lines to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
According to officials, the streamlined process can save travelers up to 45 minutes—but does it really? I decided to find out.
Putting It to the Test
My journey was LHR to ATL, connecting onward to St. Louis. To compare experiences, I recruited my husband as a control subject—he’d follow the traditional route through customs and security, while I’d try out One Stop Security.
The moment I stepped off the jet bridge in Atlanta, I was greeted and escorted by a representative to the dedicated One Stop Security lane. From there, I presented my passport, confirmed I had nothing to declare, and—just like that—was cleared to continue to my connecting flight. Total time: one minute.
Ordinarily, I’d have needed to clear customs, claim my checked bag, recheck it, and then queue up again for TSA screening. Not this time—not with One Stop Security.
Meanwhile, my husband began the familiar routine. After disembarking, he joined the U.S. Customs line—at this point, I was already headed to the new Delta Sky Club in Atlanta. After a 20-minute wait in customs, he headed to baggage claim to retrieve his suitcase. From there, he rechecked his luggage for the next leg, a process that took another 15 minutes. Finally, he joined the standard TSA line, waiting an additional 20 minutes to re-enter the terminal. Time check: he stood in lines for 35 minutes.
By the time he was through, nearly one hour later, he headed to meet me at our gate and I was already relaxing in Delta’s Sky Club, enjoying dinner and decompressing after my nine-and-a-half-hour transatlantic flight.
The Verdict
For now, One Stop Security is limited to a few routes, but if its rollout expands, it could dramatically reshape the U.S. arrival experience for international travelers. For frequent flyers, saving an hour (and skipping the chaos of baggage claim) feels nothing short of revolutionary.
