American Airlines changes international baggage rules at LAX airport

Australians departing Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport with a connection at Los Angeles International Airport will no longer have to collect and re-check their bags when flying with American Airlines.

Having to clear customs, collect your baggage and re-check it for a second round of security screening when connecting between international flights is a time-consuming inconvenience most travellers do their best to avoid. Alas, any globetrotter transiting through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) must dance the whole routine before continuing on their journey, regardless of whether their final destination is international or domestic. However, this hindrance is set to become a chore of the past, as American Airlines has partnered with US Customs and Border Protection and the Sydney Airport Authority to streamline the process.

American Airlines baggage changes SYD > LAX

From Tuesday, 8 April 2025, American Airlines will begin piloting a new baggage protocol on the carrier’s daily flight from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Utilising International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS), passengers arriving in the US from select international airports will no longer have to claim their checked baggage in the CBP Customs Hall and re-check it with American Airlines for their connecting flight. Instead, after clearing CBP Passport Control, passengers will proceed directly to a TSA checkpoint and continue to their connecting flight.

“We are excited to collaborate with CBP on this innovative initiative,” said Gary Tomasulo, Vice President of Global Corporate Security at American. “By leveraging advanced technology and working with Sydney Airport and our vendor partners BagCheck and Brock Solutions, we are enhancing safety and security while streamlining the CBP baggage inspection process to make global travel smoother and more convenient for our customers.”

Baggage changes DFW > LHR

The change follows a similar initiative rolled out in February by American Airlines together with the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.K. Department for Transport (DfT). The new pilot program, One Stop Security, allows passengers to connect to international (non-UK) destinations through London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Terminals 3 or 5 without having to go through security screening a second time. Simplified and streamlined, the two new initiatives make transiting easier.