Korean Air and Delta Expand “Seamless Baggage Transfer” Service to Seattle and Los Angeles
Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have announced the expansion of their Seamless Baggage Transfer (SBT) service to two new strategic gateways in the United States: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. This initiative aims to enhance passenger convenience for those traveling from or through Seoul Incheon International Airport to the U.S., cutting connection times by up to 20 minutes.
The SBT program is powered by International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) technology. Under this system, checked luggage undergoes advanced X-ray screening at Incheon Airport. The scan results are then securely reviewed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before the flight touches down at its North American destination.
This procedure completely eliminates the need for travelers to reclaim and recheck their bags during U.S. layovers. The process replicates the simplicity of a domestic transfer: passengers proceed directly to their connecting departure gate while their belongings are automatically transferred to their final destination.
Consolidation Across Five Major U.S. Gateways
With the addition of Seattle and Los Angeles, the SBT service is now operational at five of Delta Air Lines’ primary hubs and international gateways in the United States:
- Atlanta
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Detroit
- Seattle
- Los Angeles
This airport network enables much faster and more efficient connections, not only for passengers originating in Seoul, but also for all Korean Air and Delta Air Lines customers connecting from various points across Asia via the Incheon hub.
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Operational Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction
Since its initial rollout on the Incheon–Atlanta route in August 2025, the SBT program has delivered a direct, positive impact on the customer experience. According to operational data gathered by the carriers, this system has reduced customs screening bottlenecks and passenger interactions at U.S. airports by more than 65%.
Furthermore, it has proven to be a vital tool for operational resilience. In the event of unforeseen arrival delays—which under the old framework would have caused missed connections due to baggage rechecking—SBT has enabled the vast majority of passengers to successfully board their connecting flights.
“Our joint venture with Delta continues to strengthen connectivity between Korea and the United States,” said Kwangho Ko, Senior Vice President at Korean Air. “Together, we are building a more seamless global network through Incheon, providing customers with greater convenience, more options, and a consistently elevated level of service throughout their entire journey.”
Jeff Moomaw, Vice President of Asia-Pacific at Delta Air Lines, highlighted the streamlined travel experience: “Seamless Baggage Transfer simplifies the connection experience for customers traveling to the United States. By expanding this service to Seattle and Los Angeles, we are enabling passengers to navigate U.S. airports more efficiently and enjoy more time to relax between flights.”
The expansion of this technical service is part of a comprehensive strategy by both operators to optimize the end-to-end passenger journey. This includes the continuous growth of their route network, premium onboard experiences, and operational innovations focused on mitigating the friction points of international travel. Both airlines confirmed they will continue to evaluate options to bring this technology to additional markets in the future.
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