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

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 recheck 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 LHR.

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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 LHR from DFW, a Heathrow spokesperson confirmed to TPG.

Passengers flying to LHR 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 Airlines and British Airways passengers originating from DFW and making a connection in LHR's Terminal 3 or Terminal 5 can deplane and head right to their next gate without having to reclear 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," David Seymour, American's chief operating officer, said in a statement announcing the news Wednesday.

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It's not just DFW passengers, either.

ATL included in pilot program

Earlier this month, 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 LHR can similarly skip the security recheck in London when making a connection in Heathrow's Terminal 3 or Terminal 5 (the two terminals most often used by North American passengers flying through the airport).

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

"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 ATL to LHR, meaning if you're flying to London from another major U.S. city, you'll still have to reclear security once you get across the pond.

But with ATL 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 who fly to the U.K. in a given year.

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

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 to the U.S. have to go back through a security checkpoint stateside before proceeding to their connecting gate.

Back in September, former TSA Administrator David Pekoske told me the agency hoped to launch similar trial programs within a year that would allow travelers flying to the U.S. from certain approved, vetted countries to make seamless connections, skipping the TSA checkpoint and bag recheck.

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

Bottom line

Reclearing 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 ATL and DFW passengers flying to LHR, it should make connections at the busy U.K. 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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