United Airlines' New Checked Luggage Policy Could Be A Big Improvement For Travelers

Frequent flyers know that traveling with checked luggage can be both pricey and inconvenient. According to a 2024 study by SITA, more than 36 million bags were lost or delayed the year prior, even though passengers typically pay at least $35 to check a single bag — and more for the second and third. Though there's no quick fix for the issue — save for skipping checked bags altogether and packing one carry-on for your vacation — United Airlines just announced a new policy that could significantly improve the experience of traveling internationally with luggage: Remote baggage screening.

The initiative, launched last week in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, makes it possible for travelers with connecting flights to proceed directly to their gate without retrieving and rechecking their bags. "We're streamlining the international arrival process by eliminating extra steps for travelers," said Jennifer Schwierzke, the airline's vice president of customer operations strategy and execution, in a press release.

The International Remote Baggage Screening program, or IRBS, has already been rolled out on United Airlines' service from Sydney, Australia, to San Francisco, California. The airline says the new policy is already saving travelers time (and headaches). So far, more than 160 passengers on each flight have opted into the process, United reported in a statement, cutting connection times by about 45 minutes per person.

In the same statement, the airline explained how the IRBS process works, using the pilot route of Sydney to San Francisco as an example. When travelers arrive at the Sydney Airport, they'll check in as usual, dropping off checked luggage with an agent at the airline's counter. After the international flight, they arrive in San Francisco, where they clear customs and immigration. But instead of following the signs to the baggage area to claim and then recheck their bags, travelers simply proceed to security and make their way to their connecting flights. For travelers participating in IRBS, in other words, luggage is loaded directly onto the next aircraft for transport to their final destination.

United isn't the only company experimenting with new strategies to simplify the process of traveling with bags of any size. Game-changing luggage courier services like LuggageFree, LugLess, and Luggage Forward help savvy travelers skip airport hassles — though the price can be steep — while luggage accessory brands offer space-saving compression bags that help fit more in carry-ons. After all, as travel expert Rick Steves says, the perfect bag for traveling might just be one that fits in the overhead compartment.