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Travel Advice - Can I take it?
Can I take it?*
Determining whether items are banned or allowed either in
carry-on or "checked" luggage.
Air travel took a significant turn in August of
2006 when the threat of a terrorist incident caused the authorities
in the United States to change the rules on what could be
transported on airplanes. We provide a table showing whether
items can be taken along in carry-on or checked luggage.
Click on the categorizations below to find the
rules for items likely to be in
that category.
Makeup & Personal Items
Medication & Special Needs Devices
Electronic Devices
Sharp Objects
Sporting Goods
Guns & Firearms
Tools
Martial Arts & Self Defense Items
Explosive & Flammable Materials, Disabling Chemicals & Other
Dangerous Items
Food & Drinks
Other Items
Also, there has been a significant change
(late 2007) in the rules related to the types of batteries you can
carry in both checked and carry-on luggage. The new rules are
very complex. See our article on transporting batteries (the
kinds you use in cell phones, DVD players, laptops and other
commonly used electronics) for
more information.
NOTE: Ban On Liquids, Aerosols And Gels
- Travelers may now carry through security
checkpoints travel-size toiletries (3 ounces or less) that fit
comfortably in ONE, QUART-SIZE, clear plastic, zip-top bag.
- After clearing security, travelers can now
bring beverages and other items purchased in the secure boarding
area on-board aircraft.
At the checkpoint travelers will be asked to
remove the zip-top bag of liquids and place it in a bin or on the
conveyor belt. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to
more easily examine the declared items.
In addition, larger amounts of prescription liquid medications, baby
formula and diabetic glucose treatments must be declared at the
checkpoint for additional screening.
It is unlikely that additional changes in the liquid, aerosol and gel
policy will be made in the near future.
This security regimen applies to all domestic and international
flights departing U.S. airports. Travelers should, however, check with
transportation security authorities in their country-of-origin for
flights originating at non - U.S. airports.
Due to enhanced security measures, except for the
items described above, larger amounts of liquids, gels, lotions and
other items of similar consistency brought from home will not be
permitted in carry-on baggage. These types of items must be packed in
your checked baggage. For more details see our article on the
rules for carry-ons.
| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
|
Aerosol
spray bottles and cans |
See note |
Yes |
|
All creams and lotions including Neosporin
or first-aid creams and ointments, topical or rash
creams and ointments, suntan lotions, moisturizers,
etc. |
See note |
Yes |
|
Bubble
bath balls, bath oils or moisturizers |
See note |
Yes |
|
Bug and
mosquito sprays and repellents |
No |
Yes |
|
Cigar
Cutters |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Corkscrews |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cuticle
Cutters |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Deodorants
made of gel or aerosol |
See note |
Yes |
|
Eye drops
- You are allowed to carry up to 4 oz., of eye drops
with you. Volumes greater than 4 oz., are only
permitted in your checked baggage. |
See note |
Yes |
|
Eyeglass
Repair Tools - including screwdrivers. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Eyelash
Curlers |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Gel-filled
bras and similar prosthetics - Gel-filled bras may
be worn through security screening and aboard
aircraft. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Hair
styling gels and spray of all kinds including
aerosol |
See note |
Yes |
|
Hair
straightener or detangler |
See note |
Yes |
|
Knitting
and Crochet Needles |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Knives - except for plastic or round bladed
butter knives. |
No |
Yes |
|
Lip gels
such as Carmex or Blistex |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid lip
glosses or other liquids for lips |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid
bubble bath including gel or liquid filled |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid
foundations |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid,
gel or spray perfumes and colognes |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid
sanitizers |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid
soaps |
See note |
Yes |
|
Liquid
mascara |
See note |
Yes |
|
Make up
removers or facial cleansers |
See note |
Yes |
|
Mouthwash |
No |
Yes |
|
Nail
Clippers |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Nail Files |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Nail
polish and removers |
See note |
Yes |
|
Non-prescription liquid or gel medicines like cough
syrup and gel cap type pills - Up to 4 oz. of
essential non-prescription
liquid medications |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Personal
lubricants - Up to 4 oz. |
See note |
Yes |
|
Safety Razors - including disposable razors. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Saline
solution - You are allowed to carry up to 4 oz., of
eye drops with you. Volumes greater than 4 oz., are
only permitted in your checked baggage. |
See note |
Yes |
|
Scissors - plastic or metal with blunt tips. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades
shorter than four inches in length. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Shampoos
and conditioners |
See note |
Yes |
|
Toothpaste |
See note |
Yes |
|
Toy
Transformer Robots |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Toy
Weapons - if not realistic replicas. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Tweezers |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Umbrellas- allowed in carry-on baggage once
they have been inspected to ensure that prohibited
items are not concealed. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Walking Canes
- allowed in carry-on baggage once they have been
inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not
concealed. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Some personal care items
containing aerosol are regulated as hazardous
materials. The FAA regulates hazardous
materials. This information is summarized at
www.faa.gov. |
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Please make sure your medications are properly labeled
with a professionally printed label identifying the
medication and manufacturer's name or pharmaceutical label.
The prescription medicine must match the name on the
passenger's ticket.
| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
|
Braille
Note-Taker, Slate and Stylus, Augmentation Devices |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Diabetes -
liquid or gel low blood sugar treatments, including
juice - Up to 5 oz. (148ml) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Diabetes-Related Supplies/Equipment
- Insulin dispensing products; jet injectors; pens;
infusers; and an unlimited number of unused
syringes, when accompanied by insulin; lancets;
blood glucose meters; blood glucose meter test
strips; insulin pumps; and insulin pump supplies.
These items must be inspected to ensure prohibited
items are not concealed. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Nitroglycerine pills - if properly marked with a
professionally printed label identifying the
medication and manufacturer's name or pharmaceutical
label. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Nitroglycerine sprays - no more than 4 oz. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Ostomy Scissors
- All scissors with blades four inches or less. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Prosthetic
Device Tools and Appliances - including drills and
drill bits, Allen wrenches, pull sleeves used to put
on or remove prosthetic devices, if carried by the
individual with the prosthetic device or his or her
companion. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Wheelchairs with gel cushioned seats/pads. |
Yes |
Yes |
For more information on what to expect during security
screening, you may want to visit our section written for
Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions.
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Camcorders |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Camera
Equipment - the checked baggage screening equipment
will damage undeveloped film in camera equipment. We
recommend that you either put undeveloped film and
cameras containing undeveloped film in your carry-on
baggage or take undeveloped film with you to the
checkpoint and ask the screener to conduct a
hand-inspection. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Laptop Computers |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mobile Phones |
Yes |
Yes |
| Pagers |
Yes |
Yes |
| Personal Data
Assistants (PDA's) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Check with your airline or
travel agent for restrictions on the use of these
and other electronic items during your flight. |
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Box Cutters |
No |
Yes |
| Ice Axes/Ice Picks |
No |
Yes |
| Knives - except for
plastic or round bladed butter knives |
No |
Yes |
| Meat Cleavers |
No |
Yes |
|
Razor-Type
Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor
blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety
razors. |
No |
Yes |
| Sabers |
No |
Yes |
|
Scissors -
metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four
inches |
Yes |
Yes |
| Swords |
No |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked
baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to
prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors. |
| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Baseball Bats |
No |
Yes |
| Bows and Arrows |
No |
Yes |
| Cricket Bats |
No |
Yes |
| Golf Clubs |
No |
Yes |
| Hockey Sticks |
No |
Yes |
| Lacrosse Sticks |
No |
Yes |
| Pool Cues |
No |
Yes |
| Ski Poles |
No |
Yes |
| Spear Guns |
No |
Yes |
| |
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
|
Ammunition
- Check with your airline or travel agent to see if
ammunition is permitted in checked baggage on the
airline you are flying. If ammunition is permitted,
it must be declared to the airline at check-in.
Small arms ammunitions for personal use must be
securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes or
other packaging specifically designed to carry small
amounts of ammunition. Ask about limitations or
fees, if any, that apply.
Read our Firearms & Ammunition section. |
No |
Yes |
| BB guns |
No |
Yes |
| Compressed Air Guns |
No |
Yes |
|
Firearms -
firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be
unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container,
and declared to the airline at check-in.
Read our Firearms & Ammunition section. |
No |
Yes |
| Flare Guns.
Read our section on Camping. |
No |
Yes |
| Gun Lighters |
No |
Yes |
| Gun Powder including
black powder and percussion caps |
No |
No |
| Parts of Guns and
Firearms |
No |
Yes |
| Pellet Guns |
No |
Yes |
| Realistic Replicas of
Firearms |
No |
Yes |
| Starter Pistols |
No |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Check with your airline or
travel agent to see if firearms are permitted in
checked baggage on the airline you are flying. Ask
about limitations or fees, if any, that apply. All
of the firearms listed above, as well the frame or
receiver of such firearms, carried as checked
baggage, MUST be unloaded, packed in locked
hard-sided gun case, and declared to your airline at
check-in. |
| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Axes and Hatchets |
No |
Yes |
| Cattle Prods |
No |
Yes |
| Crowbars |
No |
Yes |
| Hammers |
No |
Yes |
| Drills and drill bits
(including cordless portable power drills) |
No |
Yes |
| Saws (including
cordless portable power saws) |
No |
Yes |
| Tools (greater than
seven inches in length) |
No |
Yes |
| Tools (seven inches or
less in length) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Screwdrivers (seven
inches or less in length) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wrenches and Pliers
(seven inches or less in length) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked
baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to
prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security
Officers. |
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Billy Clubs |
No |
Yes |
| Black Jacks |
No |
Yes |
| Brass Knuckles |
No |
Yes |
| Kubatons |
No |
Yes |
|
Mace/Pepper Spray - One 118 ml or 4 Fl. oz.
container of mace or pepper spray is permitted in
checked baggage provided it is equipped with a
safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge.
For more information visit
www.faa.gov
, click on Travelers, then Preparing to
Fly. |
No |
Yes |
| Martial Arts Weapons |
No |
Yes |
| Night Sticks |
No |
Yes |
| Nunchakus |
No |
Yes |
| Stun Guns/Shocking
Devices |
No |
Yes |
| Throwing Stars |
No |
Yes |
|
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked
baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to
prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security
Officers. |
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|
Explosive Materials |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Blasting Caps |
No |
No |
| Dynamite |
No |
No |
| Fireworks |
No |
No |
| Flares (in any form) |
No |
No |
| Hand Grenades |
No |
No |
| Plastic Explosives |
No |
No |
| Realistic Replicas of
Explosives |
No |
No |
|
Flammable Items |
Carry-on |
Checked |
|
Aerosol
(any except for personal care or toiletries in
limited quantities) |
No |
No |
| Fuels (including
cooking fuels and any flammable liquid fuel) |
No |
No |
| Gasoline |
No |
No |
| Gas Torches |
No |
No |
| Lighter Fluid |
No |
No |
|
Lighters -
In an effort to concentrate resources on
detecting explosive threats, TSA will no longer ban
common lighters in carry-on luggage. Torch
lighters remain banned in checked luggage. Q.
What is a torch lighter?
A. Torch lighters create a thin, needle-like flame
that is hotter (reaching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit)
and more intense than those from common lighters.
Torch lighters are often used for pipes and cigars,
and maintain a consistent stream of air-propelled
fire regardless of the angle at which it is held.
Torch lighters continue to be banned.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Strike-anywhere Matches - Up to 4 books of safety
(non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as
carry-on items, but all matches are prohibited in
checked baggage. |
No |
No |
| Turpentine and Paint
Thinner |
No |
No |
| Realistic Replicas of
Incendiaries |
No |
No |
|
NOTE: There are other hazardous
materials that are regulated by the FAA. This
information is summarized at
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/
click
on "Preparing to Fly". |
|
Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Chlorine for Pools and
Spas |
No |
No |
| Compressed Gas
Cylinders - including fire extinguishers |
No |
No |
| Liquid Bleach |
No |
No |
| Spillable Batteries -
except those in wheelchairs |
No |
No |
| Spray Paint |
No |
No |
| Tear Gas |
No |
No |
|
NOTE: There are other hazardous
materials that are regulated by the FAA. This
information is summarized at
www.faa.gov. |
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| All beverages |
No |
Yes |
|
Baby
formula and food, breast milk and other baby items -
These are allowed in your carry-on baggage or
personal items. You can take these through the
security checkpoints and aboard your plane. However,
you must be traveling with a baby or toddler. All
items including formula or breast milk will be
inspected. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cheese in
pressurized containers |
No |
Yes |
|
Duty free
alcohol and other items |
No |
Yes |
| Gel based sports
supplements |
No |
Yes |
| Jell-O's |
No |
Yes |
| Pudding |
No |
Yes |
| Whipped cream |
No |
Yes |
| Yogurt or gel like food
substances |
No |
Yes |
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| |
Carry-on |
Checked |
| Gel-type candles |
No |
Yes |
|
Gel shoe
inserts - Gel shoe inserts are not permitted, but
shoes constructed with gel heels are allowed and
must be removed and screened.
Read
more on our shoe screening policy. |
No |
Yes |
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* All
information provided by the Transportation Security
Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration
If you have additional questions on what you can and
cannot pack in carry-on or checked luggage check with the TSA at
http://www.tsa.gov/.
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Luggage
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