Yes, small liquids in 100 ml containers are allowed in carry-on, with larger amounts in checked; medical, baby, and duty-free items have special rules.
What The Rules Mean In Plain English
Yes, you can bring liquid on a plane. The catch is simple: small bottles in your hand bag, big bottles in checked luggage, with a few clear exceptions. In the United States the 3-1-1 rule sets the carry-on limit at 100 milliliters per container inside one quart-size, clear, resealable bag. Think toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, face serum, sauces, and spreads. If it pours, pumps, squeezes, spritzes, or smears, the officer will likely treat it as a liquid, gel, or aerosol. Medication, baby food, and breast milk can exceed the small-bottle limit when screened separately. Duty-free purchases in a sealed, tamper-evident bag are allowed when the packaging and receipt check out. In checked bags, size is rarely the issue; safety is. Alcohol has strict proof limits, flammable liquids are a non-starter, and some aerosols carry quantity caps. The rest of this page spells out what flies in your carry-on and what belongs in the hold so you breeze through security without losing items at the bins.
| Item | Carry-On? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Standard liquids and gels | Yes, within 100 ml each | All must fit in a single quart-size clear bag. |
| Aerosol toiletries | Yes, within 100 ml each | Think hairspray, deodorant, shaving cream; keep caps on. |
| Creamy foods | Yes, within 100 ml each | Peanut butter, hummus, soft cheese, yogurt count as liquids. |
| Prescription medicine | Yes, over 100 ml allowed | Tell the officer and present for separate screening. |
| Over-the-counter medicine | Yes, small bottles preferred | Larger amounts permitted when screened as needed. |
| Infant milk and food | Yes, over 100 ml allowed | You may carry pouches, bottles, and cooling packs. |
| Breast milk | Yes, over 100 ml allowed | You may travel without your child; ice packs are fine. |
| Duty-free liquids | Yes, in STEB | Must be in a sealed, tamper-evident bag with the receipt. |
| Alcohol minis | Yes, inside the bag | Bottles must fit in the quart-size bag; airline service rules apply. |
| Contact lens solution | Yes | Pack a small bottle in the bag; larger bottle can ride in checked luggage. |
Carrying Liquid On A Plane: What Counts And What Doesn’t
What TSA’s 3-1-1 Rule Covers
The carry-on standard in the United States is the 3-1-1 rule. Each traveler may bring travel-size containers of up to 3.4 ounces, or 100 milliliters, and place them together in one quart-size, clear, resealable bag. The bag holds your liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes. Typical items include toothpaste, hair products, makeup, perfume, sanitizer, and sun lotion. Food often falls under this rule too; spreads, purees, dressings, and soups count. The officer needs a clean view at screening, so keep the bag near the top of your carry-on. If the bag will not close, you packed too much. You can always move extra bottles to your checked suitcase. Note that empty drink bottles are fine through security; fill them after the checkpoint. Liquids bought after screening may go on board with you unless a gate-side check changes the situation. On return trips or foreign connections, follow the local version of the small-bottle rule at that airport.
Medical, Infant, And Dietary Exceptions
Liquids needed for health, feeding, or special diets receive flexibility. You can bring insulin, liquid prescriptions, contact lens fluid, and similar items in the amounts you need for the trip. Present them to the officer and request separate screening. Parents may carry formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby food in containers larger than 100 milliliters. Cooling aids such as ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs are also allowed for these items. If you fly from or through the United Kingdom, carrying a doctor’s letter or a copy of the prescription helps the discussion at the point of screening. Pack these items so they are easy to remove, and keep them upright in a small tote to avoid spills during inspection. If a test strip or swab triggers a check, the officer may open a container. You can ask for clean gloves and a fresh swab for peace of mind.
Duty-Free Liquids On International Connections
Many travelers worry about a bottle bought abroad. Duty-free liquids can enter the cabin when packed in a secure, tamper-evident bag, sometimes called a STEB. Keep the store receipt visible inside the bag and do not open the package until you reach your final stop. If you change planes in the United States, the item still needs to clear security. Screening officers may run the sealed bag through special equipment. If anything prevents screening, the item cannot enter the cabin and must go to checked luggage. When in doubt, ask the cashier to seal each bottle in its own STEB and keep your itinerary handy so the packaging aligns with your route.
Taking Liquids On A Plane In Checked Bags: Size Isn’t The Limit, Safety Is
Checked luggage gives you space for normal-size shampoo, family-size lotion, giant sunscreen, and gift bottles of oil or vinegar. Airlines and regulators care more about hazards than volume here. Alcohol over certain strengths, flammable paints, solvents, fuel, and many cleaning sprays do not belong in your suitcase. Aerosol toiletries carry quantity limits per person, and each can must have a cap to prevent discharge. Pack bottles upright in leak-proof pouches and pad glass with soft clothes. Pressure changes and rough handling can stress seals, so double-bag items that could make a mess. If a product label carries words like flammable, combustible, corrosive, or toxic, leave it at home or ship by ground. The airline desk agent cannot override these safety rules.
Alcohol Rules That Trip People Up
Wine and beer are straightforward. Spirits are where travelers slip. In the United States, drinks at or below 24 percent alcohol by volume have no quantity cap in checked bags. Between 24 and 70 percent, you may check up to five liters per person in unopened retail packaging. Above 70 percent, even a tiny flask is forbidden. Mini bottles in the cabin must fit inside your quart-size bag. Cabin service rules still apply, so do not serve yourself from personal bottles while on board. If you buy duty-free spirits during a connection, leave them sealed in the tamper-evident bag until you leave the airport system. Many countries mirror these proof limits, though labeling may differ. If the bottle reads overproof, assume it will be refused at the counter.
Aerosols, Cleaners, And Flammables
Aerosol toiletries such as hairspray, deodorant, shaving cream, and dry shampoo are allowed in checked luggage with limits. Your personal total across all such items cannot exceed two kilograms or two liters, and no single can may exceed five hundred milliliters or eighteen ounces. Non-toiletry aerosols, such as many insect sprays and cleaning sprays, usually count as hazardous. Those do not go in carry-on and are often refused in checked luggage too. Paints and solvent products are a problem as well; many are flammable and therefore banned from both cabin and hold. When the label warns of fire risk, do not pack it. Store household cleaners at home and buy small bottles at your destination if needed.
| Item | Checked Bag? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Toiletry liquids | Allowed | Any size; pack to prevent leaks. |
| Aerosol toiletries | Allowed with limits | Max 2 L total per traveler; 0.5 L per can; caps on. |
| Alcohol ≤ 24% ABV | Allowed | No quantity limit in checked bags. |
| Alcohol 24%–70% ABV | Allowed with limits | Up to 5 liters per person in unopened retail packaging. |
| Alcohol > 70% ABV | Not allowed | Forbidden in carry-on and checked luggage. |
| Non-toiletry aerosols | Usually not allowed | Often classed as hazardous; skip or ship by ground. |
| Paints and solvents | Not allowed | Flammable types are banned from aircraft. |
| Nonflammable artist paint | Allowed | Small sets are fine; confirm the label is nonflammable. |
Rules Outside The U.S.: EU And UK Snapshot
The 100 milliliter cabin rule began in Europe and still applies at most European airports. The European Commission and member states have been testing new screening tech that can clear larger containers, yet airports change in stages. Some United Kingdom airports now accept liquid containers up to two liters where modern scanners are active. Many still apply the 100 milliliter limit, so your outbound and return trips may follow different rules even within the same country. Medicine and baby food exemptions apply in Europe as well, and duty-free liquids in sealed bags are widely accepted. Check your departure airport and your connection points before you fly so you do not lose items during a transfer.
Packing Tips That Speed Up Screening
Smart packing saves time and reduces stress at the checkpoint. Start with a single quart-size bag and prefill it at home so you are not shuffling bottles in line. Use sturdy, travel-grade containers that seal well. Decant thick products like sunscreen and conditioner to smaller bottles; a set of three to six is plenty for a week. Keep the liquids bag in an outer pocket so you can pull it out with one hand. Put medical and infant items in a small tote or pouch and place it on top of your carry-on. Keep paper prescriptions or a screenshot in case a question comes up. Slip duty-free receipts into the clear bag that seals the purchase and do not break that seal until you exit the airport at your final stop. Pack a dry bag for beach days; lotion and salt water do not mix well with cameras. If you use hard cases, pad bottles so they cannot clink and crack. Finally, move any large liquids to your checked suitcase before you join the line. That single step avoids the most common cause of item loss at screening.
Common Edge Cases That Cause Delays
A few items surprise even frequent flyers. Peanut butter has the texture of a spread, so it counts as a liquid in the cabin. The same goes for soft cheese wheels, dips, salsa, and jarred sauces. Snow globes are liquid too unless the globe is tiny. Frozen water or gel packs pass screening only when fully solid at the time you enter the checkpoint. Hand sanitizer has its own rules from time to time, so check the current limit before you fly. Contact lens solution is allowed; keep a small bottle accessible and pack a larger bottle in checked luggage. Gel candles are treated as liquids, so put them in checked luggage with care or skip them. Nicotine e-liquid falls under the liquids bag; the device itself must travel in the cabin to keep lithium cells out of the hold. Glass olive oil bottles make lovely gifts; protect them in padded sleeves and choose leak-proof caps. If you bring sports drinks or cold brew from home, finish them before screening or empty the bottle and refill it post-security. Label homemade sauces and dressings so an officer can see what is inside at a glance. When an item is borderline, be ready to shift it to checked luggage or part with it to keep your trip on track.
Final Checks Before You Fly
Run a quick check the night before departure. One quart-size bag, packed and reachable. Medical and infant items set aside for separate screening. Any large liquids moved to the checked suitcase. Duty-free plans mapped to your route and kept sealed. Receipts in the STEB. Alcohol strength on labels confirmed. Aerosols capped. Bottles padded. If you follow these steps, your liquids plan will match airport rules and your items should arrive with you.
Small Airport Differences You Might See
Screening setups vary by terminal and time of day. Some lines use trays and ask you to remove the liquids bag; others keep bags inside carry-ons. Computed tomography lanes let you leave items in the bag, yet capacity changes can switch a flight to a standard lane. Listen for directions from officers and follow the signs posted at the queue entrance. Rules can change.