No. Sealed drinks over 3.4 ounces can’t pass TSA screening; only travel-size liquids in a quart bag and declared baby or medical liquids are allowed.
Airport Liquid Basics: What Counts As A Drink
Sealed bottle or can, sports drink, iced coffee, yogurt drink, soup in a cup—if it pours, spreads, or sloshes, TSA treats it as a liquid or gel. The famous 3-1-1 limit applies at U.S. checkpoints: each container must be 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and all of those containers must fit in one clear, quart-size bag. Anything larger stays out of your carry-on until after you clear screening.
The word “sealed” doesn’t change the rule. A factory cap, shrink band, or sticker shows tamper resistance, not screening status. Security looks at volume and the type of item, not the cap style. Buy your drink after the checkpoint or carry an empty bottle and fill it airside.
You can read TSA liquids rule on its site; it also lists the few carve-outs for infants, children, and medical needs like Traveling with children.
The 3-1-1 Rule In Plain Terms
- 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters per container.
- One quart-size, resealable bag per traveler.
- All travel-size liquids, gels, creams, and pastes ride in that bag too.
- Anything over the limit goes in checked bags or gets left behind.
Quick Outcomes For Common Drinks And Containers
| Drink Or Container | Carry-On Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed bottled water (16.9 oz / 500 ml) | Not allowed at screening | Over the limit; buy airside or empty and refill. |
| Sealed soda can (12 oz / 355 ml) | Not allowed at screening | Over the limit; same rule as water. |
| Travel-size juice (≤3.4 oz) | Allowed in quart bag | Single minis that fit your liquids bag. |
| Empty reusable bottle | Allowed | Fill after you pass the checkpoint. |
| Frozen water bottle, solid at screening | Allowed | Must be rock solid; if slushy, it must meet 3-1-1. |
| Baby formula or breast milk | Allowed in needed amounts | Declare for screening; no quart bag required. |
| Liquid medication | Allowed in needed amounts | Declare at the start; expect extra screening. |
| Duty-free liquor in STEB during an inbound connection | Allowed with conditions | Bag sealed, receipt inside, and purchase within 48 hours. |
Bringing A Sealed Drink Through TSA: What Works
A sealed drink over the limit fails the x-ray story every time. The scanner can’t confirm contents inside a large sealed bottle, and size alone breaks the rule. That’s why a brand-new water or soda gets the same answer as an opened one: it stays behind at the checkpoint.
There are only a few routes that succeed. One is to keep drinks at travel size inside your liquids bag. Another is to bring a bottle that’s empty and refill it at a fountain or cafe after screening. A third is to buy sealed drinks inside the secure area and carry them to the gate or onto the plane.
If you’re arriving from abroad and re-clearing security for a U.S. connection, duty-free liquids can ride along when they sit in a security tamper-evident bag and the receipt shows a recent purchase. Keep the bag sealed until the trip ends.
Edge Cases That Change The Answer
Infant And Toddler Drinks
Formula, breast milk, toddler milk, and purée pouches ride in carry-ons in the amounts you need for the trip. You don’t have to squeeze them into the quart bag. Tell the officer at the start, and expect swabbing or a bottle test. Bring them in clear bottles or pouches when you can to speed things up.
Medical Liquids
Liquid meds, nutrition shakes used as medicine, and saline can travel in the volumes you need. Declare them before the bins go in and keep them separate from your regular liquids bag. A quick test or extra pass through the scanner is common.
Frozen Drinks
A bottle that is frozen solid at the checkpoint can pass. If it shows melt, puddles, or slush, it flips to liquid rules. Pack it next to ice packs to keep it firm while you reach the line.
Alcohol Rules In Brief
Mini bottles that meet 3-1-1 can go in the quart bag. Stronger bottles above the limit belong in checked bags. Most airlines don’t allow self-served alcohol in the cabin, so save minis for checked luggage unless you will drink them later.
Smart Ways To Carry Drinks Without Delay
Use An Empty Bottle
Slide a clean metal or plastic bottle in your backpack. It sails through screening and saves money and plastic once you refill. Many terminals post water stations near restrooms and gates.
Buy Inside Security
Shops and cafes past the checkpoint sell sealed water, tea, juice, and sports drinks. Those items fly with you, even on long walks through the concourse.
Ask For Water At The Gate
A cup from a fountain or service cart keeps you hydrated while you wait. Flight crews can pour water after boarding as well, so you don’t need to bring a large bottle through screening.
Mind Connections
If you leave the secure area during a layover, a drink you bought earlier may not survive the next checkpoint. Keep drinks sealed and inside the secure zone until you board. Duty-free liquids inside a tamper-evident bag are the exception during inbound international connections.
Mistakes That Trigger Secondary Screening
Travelers lose time for the same handful of slip-ups. A full bottle in the side pocket, a liquids bag buried under clothes, or gel-type foods tossed in loose can all stall the line. Set up your quart bag on top, keep big bottles out of the carry-on, and put slushy items with your checked gear.
Foods That Count As Liquids
Peanut butter cups, drinkable yogurt, smoothies, soups, and soft cheese spreads meet the “if you can smear it” test. Treat them like liquids for the bag or move them to checked luggage.
Signs Your Drink Won’t Pass
- It’s factory-sealed and larger than 3.4 ounces.
- It makes a slosh when tilted.
- It sits outside your quart bag with other liquids.
- It’s in a duty-free bag that’s open or missing a receipt during an inbound connection.
Second Table: Exceptions And Proof At A Glance
Exceptions And Proof: What TSA Looks For
| Exception | Carry-On Rule | What To Show/Do |
|---|---|---|
| Infant and toddler drinks | Allowed in needed amounts | Tell the officer; separate for swabbing. |
| Liquid medication | Allowed in needed amounts | Tell the officer; carry prescriptions when possible. |
| Frozen drink, solid at screening | Allowed | Must be solid with no slush or puddles. |
| Duty-free liquids in STEB on an inbound connection | Allowed with conditions | Bag sealed; receipt inside; purchase within 48 hours; keep sealed. |
Packing Steps That Keep Lines Moving
- Pack regular toiletries in travel sizes and set the quart bag near the top of your carry-on.
- Place large bottles at home or in checked luggage.
- Carry an empty bottle and fill it after screening.
- Separate any infant drinks or medical liquids and tell the officer up front.
- Keep duty-free bottles sealed in the tamper-evident bag until the trip ends.
At The Checkpoint: Smooth Moves
A tidy bin speeds screening for everyone. Drop your quart bag on top of your laptop so officers see liquids right away. Empty pockets and keep your bottle empty, then set it at the far end of the tray to avoid spills. If you carry infant drinks or meds, tell the officer as you reach the belt and set those bottles in a separate bin. That small heads-up often prevents a bag pull.
Scenarios: Will My Drink Make It?
Morning Dash With Sealed Water
You roll in with a sealed 500 ml water at the top of your backpack. The officer spots it, and you get a choice: drink it on the spot, dump it at a nearby sink, or toss it. If you empty it, you can carry the bottle through and refill inside. The sealed cap does not change the outcome.
Layover After An International Arrival
You bought a one-liter Scotch at your departure duty-free. On landing in the U.S., you must clear customs, recheck bags if needed, and re-enter security. Keep the bottle sealed in the tamper-evident bag with the receipt from the last 48 hours. Break the seal and it becomes a regular oversized liquid that won’t pass.
Parent Traveling Without The Baby
You packed two 8-ounce breast-milk bags and a small formula can for a work trip. Both can fly in your carry-on in the amounts you need. Tell the officer, keep them separate from your quart bag, and expect a quick test or swab. This is allowed even when the child stays home.
Small Details That Help
If you use frozen bottles, wrap them in a thin towel so outside sweat doesn’t drip into the bin. Pack a soft sleeve for glass duty-free to keep it safe in overhead bins and during tight connections. Simple props like these keep your plan intact without slowing the line.
What About Other Countries?
Rules outside the U.S. can differ by airport and region. Some hubs now scan bags with 3D machines that let passengers keep items in the bag, yet many still stick to the 100 ml limit. When you start abroad, check your departure airport’s site and your airline’s page so the drink plan matches local rules.