The Obama administration said flights headed to the US from Europe and the Middle East will be subject to stricter security measures, as security fears heighten in the Gulf region.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has directed the Transportation Security Administration to "implement enhanced security measures in the coming days" at selected overseas airports.
"We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travelers as possible," Johnson said in a statement.
There will be no changes to what travelers can take aboard flights but there will be beefed up security inspections and "certain overseas airports with direct flights to the United States" may have another screening stage at boarding gates.
The new measures will not impact domestic flights.
The extra security measures come from new intelligence on harder to detect explosive materials rather than a specific bomb plot, an unnamed counterterrorism official said.
The UK Department for Transport also said it would upgrade security screening at airports.
