Yes—some airports updated screening steps, yet TSA 3-1-1 and lithium battery limits still apply across U.S. flights.
Why This Question Keeps Coming Up
Airports rolled out new scanners, airlines rewrote some pages, and headlines flew. Flyers now see one airport asking for laptops out, another waving them through. A few hubs in the UK even allow larger liquid bottles. That mix sparks confusion. This guide clears it up so you can pack once, move smoothly, and avoid gate-side surprises.
New Carry On Rules In 2025: What Changed And What Didn’t
Across the U.S., the core template is steady: the 3-1-1 liquids rule, standard screening for electronics, and strict battery safety. What’s moving is implementation. Computed tomography lanes are expanding, which means more checkpoints where laptops and quart bags can stay inside. Rollout isn’t universal, so habits still matter. Internationally, select UK airports now permit up to two liters of liquid in cabin bags, while most of the world still sticks to 100 milliliters per container. When you’re unsure, pack to the stricter standard and you’ll pass anywhere.
Carry-On Rule Snapshot For 2025
Use this table as an at-a-glance map. It shows the steady baseline and where you may see a different playbook on the same trip.
| Topic | U.S. Today | Where It Differs |
|---|---|---|
| Liquids | 3-1-1 applies to carry-ons; meds and baby items are screened outside the quart bag. | Some UK airports allow up to 2 L with CT scanners; most places still use 100 mL per container. |
| Laptops/Tablets | Remove in standard lanes; often stay inside in PreCheck or CT lanes. | Many CT-equipped lanes worldwide allow devices to remain in bags. |
| Duty-Free Liquids | Over 3.4 oz allowed when sealed in a STEB and screened during connections. | Many countries accept STEBs; transfer rules can vary by terminal or route segment. |
| Powders | Over 12 oz may need extra screening; officers may suggest checking bulk non-essential powder. | Similar approach in many regions; declare larger containers. |
| Batteries | Spares in carry-on only; watt-hour limits apply. | Same principle globally, with airline approval details changing slightly. |
| Food | Solid food passes; spreadables count as liquids for 3-1-1. | Wording differs, outcome is usually the same. |
| Aerosol Toiletries | Travel sizes within 3-1-1; pressurized cans need caps. | Some countries restrict aerosols beyond toiletries. |
| Knives/Tools | No knives in the cabin; tiny tools may pass size rules. | Lists vary; airline pages list exceptions. |
| Carry-On Size | Airline policy controls dimensions; weight limits are rare. | Weight caps are common outside the U.S., and often enforced at gates. |
| Strollers/Car Seats | Gate check is common; space and seat rules apply on board. | Procedures vary more outside North America. |
Are There New Rules For Carry On Bags On International Trips?
Short answer: changes exist, but they’re patchy. Many airports still expect liquids under 100 mL per container and laptops in separate bins. In the UK, a few airports with advanced scanners now let flyers keep liquids and devices in their bags and permit larger liquid containers. That lenience won’t always apply on the return leg or during a connection. If your path includes a stricter checkpoint, pack to that standard so your bag passes everywhere.
Liquids And Laptops At UK Airports
New CT scanners can smooth the line. Where fully deployed and approved, security may allow up to 2 L of liquids in cabin bags and no tray for electronics. That’s a big shift from the 100 mL norm. The rollout isn’t nationwide. You could depart from a relaxed airport and fly back through one still using the old limit. Check both directions before filling a large bottle or buying full-size sunscreen airside. Government notices outline this change and note phased activation across airports.
Transiting The U.S. With Duty-Free Liquids (STEBs)
If you buy duty-free over the limit on an international leg and then connect in the U.S., keep the bottle sealed inside a tamper-evident bag with the receipt visible. Security can screen the sealed bag during your connection. Break the seal early and you may face a pour-out or a recheck. When moving between terminals, follow signs for the connecting screening point and keep the sealed bag intact until you reach the exit at your final domestic stop. See the TSA’s guidance on duty-free liquids in STEBs for the fine print.
Latest Carry On Rules For Batteries And Power Banks
Batteries aren’t flexible. Spares and power banks ride in the cabin, never in checked bags. Devices with installed batteries can go either way, but many travelers keep them on hand to avoid damage and to handle power-on requests. For lithium-ion, the common limit is up to 100 Wh without airline approval. A narrow band up to 160 Wh can ride in the cabin as spares when a carrier approves, with a cap on quantity. Terminals must be protected from short circuits using original boxes, individual sleeves, plastic covers, or tape. The FAA’s PackSafe battery guide spells out these limits.
Battery And Device Packing Matrix
Use this quick matrix while packing. When you aren’t sure, treat the item as a spare and keep it with you in the cabin.
| Item | Carry-On | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Or Laptop (Battery Installed) | Allowed; power off on request. | Often allowed, but cabin is safer. |
| Power Bank Or Loose Li-Ion ≤100 Wh | Allowed; protect terminals. | Not allowed. |
| Spare Li-Ion 101–160 Wh | Allowed with airline approval; quantity limits apply. | Not allowed. |
| Lithium Metal Spares | Allowed in cabin within gram limits; protect terminals. | Not allowed. |
| E-Cigs Or Vapes | Cabin only; no charging on board. | Not allowed. |
| Removable Smart-Bag Battery | Remove and carry on. | Checked bag only after removal. |
Safety note: If a battery is swollen, cracked, or recalled, don’t fly with it. Replace it first. For U.S. flights, see TSA battery pages and the FAA links above for details and exceptions.
Carry On Size, Weight, And Personal Item Rules
Size rules live with the airline. In the U.S., the common cabin bag template is around 22 × 14 × 9 inches, plus a personal item like a small backpack or shoulder bag. Outside the U.S., weight caps are common and sometimes strict. Budget carriers often weigh both pieces at the gate. If you’re close to the line, wear your bulkiest shoes, move dense cables to your pockets, and keep your laptop in the personal item so you can gate-check the roller without surrendering the essentials.
Packing Strategy That Speeds Up Screening
- Build layers near the top flap for your quart bag, laptop, and any powders.
- Use zip pockets for cables, trackers, and sunglasses so small bits don’t scatter.
- Pre-empty bottles and mugs; carry an empty water bottle and fill past security.
- Keep meds and baby items together so you can present them in one go.
- Even in CT or trusted lanes, a tidy layout helps if an officer needs a closer look.
What Counts As A Liquid Or Gel
If it pours, spreads, smears, or pumps, treat it as a liquid for the baggie. Peanut butter, hummus, jam, soft cheese, yogurt, hair gel, and sunscreen all count. Cooling packs must be fully frozen to pass as solid; slushy packs get treated as liquids. Wet wipes are fine outside the bag. Empty your coffee mug before the line. Pull half-used water bottles from side pockets. Small misses like these cause many delays.
Powders And Supplements
Bulk protein powder, baby formula, ground coffee, spices, and bath salts can travel. Once the container reaches 12 oz or more, expect an extra look. Keep the lid easy to open and avoid scoops buried at the bottom. If you can move non-essential bulk to a checked suitcase, do it. Keep the carry-on sample tidy in a clear canister so officers can see the contents and keep the belt moving. TSA outlines powder screening and recommends placing big containers in checked bags when practical.
Food You Packed From Home
Sandwiches, fruit, nuts, cookies, chips, and granola bars are fine in the cabin. Sauces and dips belong in the quart bag if they aren’t solid. Pack snacks flat inside a gallon bag so inspectors can lift them out in one motion. If you’re bringing a birthday cake or a pie to a family visit, keep the filling texture in mind. Custard-like centers may earn extra screening, so arrive with a little buffer time.
Medication, Baby Items, And Accessibility Needs
Liquid meds, baby formula, breast milk, and juice for infants travel outside the quart bag in reasonable quantities, but they must be presented and screened. Tell the officer what you’re carrying before your bag goes through. Ice packs for these items can be partially melted. If you use a mobility device with a battery, arrange help with the airline early and carry the battery specs. Service animals and aids pass once screened; keep paperwork in a top pocket for quick access.
Aerosols, Sprays, And Toiletries
Travel sizes go into the quart bag. Deodorant sticks and solid perfumes aren’t liquids and can ride in pockets. Pressurized sprays must meet container limits and some products aren’t allowed at all, like bear spray and most paint. Hair sprays and dry shampoos usually pass if they fit the liquids rule and caps are on. If you plan to carry a fragrance you love, decant it into a travel atomizer and label it so there’s no guesswork at the belt.
Tech, Trackers, And Smart Bags
Item trackers can stay attached to your bags. Laptops, tablets, cameras, and handheld game systems move through quickly if they’re easy to reach. If you travel with a camera kit, cap every lens and use individual pouches to avoid loose metal parts in the bin. For smart suitcases, remove the battery before checking. Place power banks in a slim sleeve next to your laptop so you can pull both with one hand.
Are There New Carry On Rules For Families?
Family packing adds layers. Pack a separate pouch for baby liquids and food and show it early. Keep one adult focused on the stroller fold, one on the bins. Gate tags go on strollers at the counter or at the gate desk; ask for the return spot on arrival so you don’t wait at the wrong door. If a child needs a car seat on board, confirm the label matches aircraft approval and pick a window seat so the shell doesn’t block an exit path.
Tips For International Connections
Plan for the strictest checkpoint on your route. If you depart from a UK airport that allows large liquids but connect through a city with the 100 mL limit, you’ll lose that big bottle. Keep duty-free alcohol or perfume sealed in STEBs until you leave the airport at your final stop. When moving from international to domestic, expect a rescreen. Keep your quart bag on top, even if the first airport didn’t ask for it.
When To Check A Bag On Purpose
Carry-on travel saves time, but it isn’t a fit for every trip. If you need sports gear, a formal kit, or a medical device that won’t meet size rules, check a bag and keep only the truly irreplaceable items with you. Put your name and contact info inside and outside the suitcase, add a simple self-inventory on paper, and take phone photos at drop-off so any claim moves faster if the bag strays.
Quick Pre-Trip Checklist
- Start with an empty bag and pockets; old items hide in side sleeves.
- Move liquids to travel sizes and cap every bottle tightly.
- Build a top layer for the quart bag, laptop, and powder containers.
- Put spares and power banks in the cabin pile; nothing battery-related in checked bags.
- Label medication and keep it reachable; carry scripts if needed.
- Freeze any ice packs solid; slush counts as liquid.
- Pre-charge devices, then power them off for the flight.
- Weigh your carry-on if your airline lists a cabin weight cap.
- Screenshot boarding passes and baggage rules in case the app stalls.
- Arrive with time to spare so small surprises don’t snowball.
Helpful Official Resources
For the U.S. liquids rule, start with the TSA liquids page. For battery specs and watt-hour limits, see the FAA PackSafe battery guide. For UK screening changes and baggage basics, consult the government and CAA pages, and always check your departure airport’s latest notice before you pack.
The Bottom Line For 2025
Yes, change is real, but the safest play is the old playbook. Pack to 3-1-1, keep spares in the cabin, and be ready to lift out laptops unless the lane signs say otherwise. If your route touches a stricter airport, your bag still clears. If it doesn’t, you glide through even faster.
Reference pages: TSA Liquids • FAA Batteries • TSA Powders