Huge time-saver: Atlanta, DFW flyers connecting in London can now skip security re-check

Making a connection at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) after a flight from America’s two busiest airports just got a lot easier.

As of this month, travelers flying into Heathrow on certain flights from the U.S. can now skirt a security re-check in London. It should make for a quicker and far more seamless trek to their connecting gate.

American Airlines on Wednesday announced a new “One Stop Security” pilot program for flights between its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) home base and London.

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The time-saving trial program launched Feb. 4 — and will also cover passengers on American’s Oneworld Alliance partner, British Airways, on its flights to Heathrow from DFW, a Heathrow spokesperson confirmed to TPG.

Passengers flying to London on a handful of airlines from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) can now reap similar time-saving benefits, too.

How one Stop Security works

Going forward, American and British Airways passengers originating from DFW and making a connection in Heathrow’s Terminal 3 or Terminal 5 can deplane, and head right to their next gate without having to re-clear security.

That eliminates a longtime hurdle for any London connection: Under typical protocol, passengers connecting in London have to deplane, and then go back through the standard security process as if they were a traveler arriving locally at the airport — and in some cases, that’s after taking a shuttle from one terminal to another.

“What this means for our customers — and our team’s ability to care for our customers — cannot be overstated,” American chief operating officer David Seymour said in a statement announcing the news Wednesday.

It’s not just DFW passengers, either.

ATL included in pilot program

Earlier this month, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) announced a similar initiative for London-bound passengers on a handful of airlines.

Delta Air Lines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic passengers flying from ATL to Heathrow can similarly skip the security re-check in London, when making a connection in Heathrow’s Terminals 3 or 5 (those are the two terminals most often used by North American passengers flying through the airport).

Airlines worked with the Transportation Security Administration and United Kingdom’s Department for Transport to launch the trial program, which is largely possible due to comparable security checkpoint protocols enforced by both the U.S. and UK for air travel.

“This is a huge step forward for efficiency, sustainability, and overall passenger experience,” ATL said in a post announcing the news earlier this month, calling it a “game-changer” for travelers.

Limitations

Clearly, with One Stop Security being just a trial program at this point, there are some limitations.

It only covers passengers flying from DFW or Atlanta to Heathrow — meaning, if you’re flying to London from another major U.S. city, you’ll still have to re-clear security across the pond.

But, with Atlanta and DFW being the nation’s two busiest airports, this program should, on its own, have a sizable impact — potentially offering time savings to thousands (or even millions) of passengers that fly to the UK in a given year.

Airlines operated nearly 3,400 flights between Atlanta and Heathrow last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. American operated more than 2,700 flights between DFW and London.

What about the US?

This new one-stop program abroad comes as the TSA has studied similar pilot programs for one-stop security back here in the U.S.

Like London — and many countries abroad — travelers arriving from an international fight in the U.S. have to go back through a security checkpoint stateside before proceeding to their connecting gate.

Back in September, former administrator David Pekoske told me the agency hoped, within a year, to launch similar trial programs allowing travelers flying to the U.S. from certain approved, vetted countries to make seamless connections, skipping the TSA checkpoint and bag re-check.

Pekoske left his post on Jan. 20 when the Trump administration took office.

Bottom line

Re-clearing security is easily the most arduous part of a connection at Heathrow. On busy travel days, it’s not uncommon to face a lengthy wait at security, often following an overnight flight with little sleep.

While this is a limited trial program for Atlanta and DFW passengers flying to London, it should make connections at the busy UK hub a lot less stressful, while allowing travelers to maximize their time in an airport lounge during their layover.

It’s worth watching how the concept might expand in the future — and whether additional U.S. airports and overseas destinations might be included in similar time-saving initiatives.

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