Photo: Shutterstock Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have expanded their Seamless Baggage Transfer service to include flights from Seoul Incheon to Los Angeles and Seattle, making it easier for passengers connecting to onward destinations across the United States.
The service, powered by International Remote Baggage Screening technology, allows checked baggage to be screened before departure from Incheon International Airport. As a result, passengers arriving in the United States no longer need to collect and recheck their bags during connections, potentially saving up to 20 minutes during the transfer process.
Delta Air Lines. Photo: Shutterstock With the addition of Los Angeles International Airport and Seattle Tacoma International Airport, the program now operates through five major U.S. gateways. The service was previously available for flights arriving in Atlanta, Minneapolis St. Paul and Detroit.
Under the system, baggage is screened at Incheon using advanced X-ray technology and reviewed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before the aircraft lands. Once in the United States, travelers can proceed directly to their connecting flight while their luggage is automatically transferred to its final destination.
Photo: ShutterstockThe initiative benefits both Korean Air and Delta passengers traveling from South Korea and customers connecting through Incheon from destinations across Asia.
According to the airlines, the service has already demonstrated significant benefits since its launch on the Incheon to Atlanta route in August 2025. Customs-related baggage interactions at participating U.S. airports have been reduced by more than 65%, while many passengers have been able to make onward connections that might otherwise have been missed under traditional baggage recheck procedures.
Korean Air at Incheon Airport. Photo: jhxfilm / ShutterstockKwangho Ko, Senior Vice President at Korean Air, said the airlines' joint venture continues to strengthen travel links between South Korea and the United States while improving convenience and connectivity through Incheon.
Delta's Vice President for Asia Pacific, Jeff Moomaw, said the expansion to Seattle and Los Angeles will help customers move through U.S. airports more efficiently and spend less time dealing with baggage formalities.
Photo: Korean AirThe Los Angeles service launched on June 23, 2026, while Seattle joined the program on the same date. The airlines say they are continuing to explore opportunities to extend the technology to additional destinations in the future.
The expansion comes as Korean Air and Delta celebrate eight years of their transpacific joint venture, which has served nearly 20 million passengers since launching in 2018. Together, the carriers now offer extensive connectivity between Asia and North America, with thousands of passengers connecting between the two airlines through Incheon every day.