Returned from England last week with checked bags via Atlanta with a connection from there home. The initial passport/customs queue branched to a nearly empty Global Entry line, the agent was sitting at at desk and scanned our faces with the digital camera, asked if we had anything to declare and we did not. He waived us through and indicated we did not have to claim and recheck our bags to our connection or go thru TSA security! This was such a welcome surprise and a first for us. We must have missed the memo. I was sure he was mistaken and we went back and verified. I then double checked my bag tracker(Delta) and sure enough it said the bags had initially cleared customs. I don't know the who, what or when this was implemented but what a super improvement.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
3013 posts
They are implementing this, where you don’t have to recheck your bag, but it is not on every flight so please be sure to check. They will let you know at some point.
They were making announcements to people in the baggage claim area when we flew back in from Istanbul, but people on our flight did have to pick up their bags and go through the recheck
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
16063 posts
Wow, that is interesting to know. That would certainly make having a short connection easier.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Posted by
la la land...
1369 posts
He waived us through and indicated we did not have to claim and recheck our bags to our connection or go thru TSA security!
I get not needing to claim and recheck bags, but how does one avoid going through TSA security? After walking through passport/border control, how do you avoid going through TSA security? Or do you also skip the GE walkthrough? And if so, which signs do you follow to avoid TSA recheck?
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
3013 posts
I believe they are setting up a special walk-through that will keep you in the secure area the whole time
The reason you had to go through TSA before was because you have been exposed to your luggage. You could do that all without leaving a secure area, but you are being exposed to your luggage, which meant that you potentially had access to things that could not go in the cabin with you.
But unless you can confirm your flight is one of the ones they are testing this on do not book a short connection assuming you’re going to get it
Posted by
Minneapolis
375 posts
Is this only Atlanta? So there’s a special shortcut door directly into the secured area of the airport?
More: https://thepointsguy.com/news/one-stop-security-london-atlanta-dallas-fort-worth/
Posted by
OP
Palmetto State USA
65 posts
Yes, we never left the air side(secure side). It was a very short walk from the Global Entry Border Control/Customs check point and poof, we were at the gates. Magic. PS. I neglected to mention in my original post, stating the obvious perhaps, the initial Global Entry queue was forked amongst Global Entry with Connections and Global Entry without connections.
Posted by
Minneapolis
375 posts
Reading from the article not sure global entry is treated differently in this process.
It makes sense that non-connecting passengers would be separated and spill out into a non-secure area like baggage claim.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
3013 posts
My understanding is that they are attempting to do this at several parts throughout the United States. You’ll just have to watch your flights to see.
I mean, there’s some airports where you can probably figure out it’s not going to happen. I’m flying back to Boston on my next flight and considering where international is and where domestic is, I’m going through security.