How TSA’s ‘One Stop Security’ Is Slicing Connection Times In Half

Since being introduced about seven months ago, the One Stop Security piloting program run by the TSA in select US airports are showing considerable reductions in connecting times for inbound passengers from certain destinations. With carriers such as American Airlines indicating a reduction of connection times by more than 50%, this program, if implemented across the board, can significantly improve passenger experience for travelers flying into the US.

At the moment, this service is only available at Dallas and Atlanta, on flights arriving from London’s Heathrow Airport, therefore essentially only benefiting a handful of airlines.

Connection Times Reduced By Half In Dallas

Multiple American Airlines Aircraft at a terminal in Dallas Fort Worth Airport

Launched in July 2025, the partnership between the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the UK Government, the One Stop Security (OSS) program, essentially helps passengers arriving into the US connect to domestic services in a more efficient manner. With this program, the TSA can achieve better security standards at reduced costs, while delivering an enhanced customer experience for arriving passengers.

As per the TSA’s press release, the OSS program allows passengers to skip TSA rescreening when arriving in the US, and will allow passengers to directly proceed to their connections, once they clear the CBP federal inspections. This also means passengers no longer have to claim their luggage and re-check it for their connecting flight, as this transfer will be done automatically.

Aviation Week has reported that American Airlines has recorded that the OSS program has reduced connection times by over 50%, and the publication also reported the following quote from Chris McLaughlin, who is the CEO of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW),

“The first person off the airplane is getting into the sterile area in 7 min. For the last person off the airplane, it’s about 35 min.”

From Heathrow To Only Two US Airports

Many Delta Air Lines Aircraft taxiing at Atlanta Airport

The program is still very much in its pilot phase, and therefore, at the moment, the OSS program is only applicable for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines passengers arriving into their respective hubs at DFW and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), from London Heathrow Airport (LHR). While this is limited in terms of routes and the number of airlines, the operations of the two carriers on these routes are still significant.

Data from FlightRadar24 indicates that either route sees multiple carriers operating with multiple daily frequencies, as follows:

Route	Airline	Number Of Flights (weekly)
LHR – DFW	American Airlines	21+
LHR – DFW	British Airways	Daily
LHR – ATL	British Airways	Daily
	Delta Air Lines	21
	Virgin Atlantic	Daily

As seen above, in both routes, it is the US carriers that dominate in terms of frequency, which also demonstrates that the OSS program is currently eligible to passengers arriving on over 42 weekly flights across the two US airports, and the TSA is looking to expand the program.

On the other hand, LHR is currently the only airport outside the US eligible for the program, and the TSA states that any foreign airport wishing to participate in the program must meet specific standards that are equivalent to those of the TSA standards, ensuring end-to-end safety and security compliance. The program also extends to American and Delta passengers arriving in London, wherein passengers can have an expedited process to get to their connections. The program is available in Terminals 3 and 5 at LHR.

American Airlines Piloting New Program Allowing Passengers To Skip Customs Line At DFW

The new program could improve entry into the United States for select passengers.

How Does OSS Compare To Preclearance?

CBP preclearance section at Calgary airport in Canada

For context, the US Preclearance is only applicable to international passengers flying into the US from 15 airports across six countries around the world. CBP agents are positioned at these select outstation airports and can run advanced checks on passengers flying into the US. The advantage in this case is that these passengers can then arrive in the US as domestic passengers, with the ability to bypass CBP and TSA entirely, providing seamless connections and arrival experiences.

So, is the OSS better than Preclearance? The short answer is no. This is primarily because OSS-eligible arriving passengers still have to go through CBP, while Precleared passengers do not. However, it is worth noting that it would be easier for airports (and more likely) to be eligible for OSS in the future than to achieve Preclearance status. This would mean, going forward, passengers from more destinations and travelling with more airlines could be eligible for OSS, and enjoy easier connections and ground experience within the US.

This is definitely an interesting program, worth keeping an eye on to see how it expands. Have you had the chance to experience the OSS program yet? Let us know of your experience in the comments below!

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