Yes, you can take liquids in carry-on if each bottle is 100 ml/3.4 oz inside one quart-size bag; larger containers go in checked bags, with extra rules for alcohol.
Taking liquid on a plane: what counts and what doesn’t
Security treats anything you can pour, spread, pump, squeeze, or spray as a liquid. That includes gels, creams, lotions, foams, pastes, and many aerosols. Common items: toothpaste, shampoo, hair gel, sunblock, make-up, mouthwash, peanut butter, hummus, yogurt, soup, and jam. Solid bars and sticks are different. Bar soap, solid deodorant, wax balm, and shampoo bars usually travel outside the liquids bag. If an item looks runny or gooey, plan for it to be screened as a liquid. When in doubt, take a travel size in the cabin and pack the family size in your checked bag.
| Item | Carry-on rule | Quick tips |
|---|---|---|
| Toiletries (shampoo, lotion, toothpaste) | 100 ml/3.4 oz per item in one quart-size bag | Use leak-tight travel bottles; tape flip-tops |
| Non-flammable aerosols (hair spray, deodorant) | Counts toward the 3-1-1 bag | Keep caps on; don’t overfill |
| Make-up (liquid foundation, mascara) | Under 100 ml in the liquids bag | Powders ride outside the bag |
| Food spreads (peanut butter, soft cheese) | Under 100 ml in the liquids bag | Pack jars in the hold if larger |
| Drinks (water, juice) | Empty bottle through security, refill airside | Buy sealed drinks after screening |
| Medically needed liquids | Allowed in needed amounts | Declare at screening; keep labels |
| Baby milk and food | Allowed in needed amounts | Declare; bring only what you need |
| Duty-free liquids | Allowed when sealed in STEBs | Keep the receipt visible |
| E-liquid for vapes | Counts toward 3-1-1 | Carry devices and spares in the cabin |
Carry-on limits, exemptions, and packing that works
In the United States, the TSA liquids rule sets a cap of 3.4 oz (100 ml) per container. All liquid items must fit in one clear, quart-size, resealable bag. One bag per traveler. Place it near the top of your carry-on so it’s easy to lift out on request. That’s the baseline. Three common exceptions apply on most routes: medically needed liquids, baby nourishment, and duty-free purchases. Each uses a slightly different routine.
Medical, baby, and dietary liquids
Bring only what you need for the flight plus layovers, then pack any extras in the hold. Keep pharmacy or product labels where possible. Tell the officer you’re carrying these items and be ready to place them in a separate tray. Cooling aids such as ice packs or gel packs can go through with medicine; if soft or slushy, they may get extra screening. For baby care, formula, expressed milk, and sterilizing fluid can pass in needed amounts when declared. Warmers are fine in a carry-on. A small spoon or feeder cup keeps mess down once you’re seated.
Tips that smooth screening
- Pack special items in a small pouch so you can lift them out fast.
- Use clear bottles or keep items in original containers.
- Print dosage or feeding notes if a caregiver is traveling with you.
Duty-free purchases and transfers
Buying perfume or liquor after security is handy, yet connections can cause trouble. Keep items sealed in a tamper-evident bag (STEB) with the receipt visible. If you pass through a second checkpoint during a transfer, an opened STEB may be taken by security even when the bottle inside is sealed. On long trips with multiple legs, move duty-free bottles into your checked bag once you reach a stop where you won’t be re-screened.
Aerosols and toiletries
Personal-care aerosols such as hair spray or deodorant follow the same 3-1-1 limit in the cabin. Pump packs count the same way. Pick packaging with tight caps, add a small square of cling film under twist tops, and slide the items into a zip bag to block seepage. If the can is marked flammable, place it in the hold if your airline permits it. Many travel-size grooming sprays are non-flammable and ride in the quart-size bag without fuss.
Checked bags: liquids that can ride in the hold
Checked luggage is the right spot for big bottles. Tape caps, bag items twice, and wrap glass so it can’t clink. Pressure shifts can force drips through threads. Line the suitcase with a plastic trash bag and corral liquids inside packing cubes or a dry bag. That way a leak won’t spread through clothes. Place heavy bottles low in the case and pad with soft layers.
Alcohol rules by ABV
Alcohol has extra limits. Beers and wines at or under 24% ABV can ride in checked bags in reasonable quantities. Between 24% and 70% ABV, most airlines follow the FAA: up to five liters per traveler in unopened retail packaging. Anything stronger than 70% ABV is not allowed in the cabin or the hold. For current wording, check the FAA’s PackSafe page. In the cabin, minis still count toward the 3-1-1 bag and you can’t drink your own alcohol on board.
Cabin minis
Small bottles must fit inside the quart-size bag. If you carry them, keep caps tight and leave them sealed. Flight crews manage service for safety and policy reasons.
| Liquid type | Checked bag rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wine, beer (≤24% ABV) | Allowed | Use sleeves or molded inserts to protect glass |
| Spirits 24–70% ABV | Up to 5 L per traveler | Must be unopened and in retail packaging |
| Over 70% ABV | Not allowed | Forbidden in carry-on and checked bags |
| Large toiletries, sunscreen | No size cap | Lock pumps; double-bag to block leaks |
| Cooking oil, sauces | Allowed | Use leak-proof bottles; pad well |
| Pressurized non-flammable aerosols | Often allowed | Airlines may set a total net-quantity limit |
Taking liquids on a plane internationally: regional rules to watch
Most regions mirror the 100 ml cap for carry-on and ask you to place all containers in a single clear bag. Across the EU, a one-liter bag is standard and each container must be 100 ml or less, with declared exemptions for medicine and baby care. The summary is on the EU’s Your Europe page. Some airports now run CT scanners that clear larger bottles, yet that rollout isn’t universal. If your trip includes a mix of airports, stick to the classic 100 ml limit in the cabin to avoid a snag at a re-screen point.
Smart packing moves that save time at security
- Pre-pack the quart-size bag at home so you aren’t sorting at the belt.
- Group liquids by type: wash, skin, hair, dental. You’ll find items faster.
- Pick flip-top minis that don’t work loose in transit.
- Leave headroom in each bottle so pressure changes don’t force leaks.
- Place the liquids bag where your hand lands first in the carry-on.
- Keep medical items and baby care in a separate pouch you can lift out fast.
- Carry an empty bottle and fill it airside at a fountain or café.
- Buy drinks and soups after screening if you want them at the gate.
- Pack a few wipes; they ride outside the liquids bag and tidy spills.
Are you allowed to take liquid on a plane? real scenarios answered
Water bottles
Bring an empty reusable bottle through security and fill it after screening. A full bottle won’t pass the checkpoint even if factory sealed. Hydrate after you clear the lane.
Perfume and cologne
A 50 ml bottle fits inside the quart-size bag. Larger bottles ride in the hold with tight caps, tape over sprayers, and a zip bag around the box. If you buy duty-free during a layover, keep the STEB sealed until the last landing.
Peanut butter, jams, and dips
Spreadables count as liquids. Spoon a small portion into a travel jar for the cabin or pack the family jar in the hold. Hard cheese, whole fruit, crackers, and bread travel as solids and don’t use up your quart-size space.
Contact lens solution
Small bottles go in the liquids bag. A bigger bottle can travel as a medically needed liquid when declared. Keep it handy for inspection and carry a travel bottle for use in the cabin.
Batteries and vape gear
Nicotine liquid follows the 100 ml cap in carry-on. Devices and spare lithium cells must be in the cabin, not the hold. Cover coil heads and store liquids upright so they don’t seep.
Soups, stews, and sauces
Runny foods hit the 100 ml cap in the cabin. If you want a meal at the gate, buy it after screening. For gifts, place jars in the hold, pad well, and mark the bag as fragile at drop-off.
Make-up and skincare
Liquid foundation, toner, micellar water, serum, and nail polish count toward 3-1-1. Powders, wipes, and solid cleansers ride outside the bag, so they’re handy space savers. Keep remover pads in a small tin to stop lint from sticking.
Protein shakes and sports drinks
Carry dry powder and mix after you pass the checkpoint, or buy a drink near the gate. Pre-mixed bottles larger than 100 ml don’t clear the lane.
Frozen items
Ice packs or frozen drinks go through when fully frozen. If slushy, they’re treated as liquids and must fit the bag cap or ride in the hold. Wrap cold packs in a small towel to stop condensation from wetting other items.
Duty-free liquor on connections
Keep the purchase sealed in the STEB with the receipt visible. If you pass through a fresh checkpoint during a transfer, an opened STEB can be refused even when the bottle is sealed. When your last flight lands, you’re free to move the bottle to checked luggage for the trip home later.
When rules change at certain airports
Some airports now use advanced scanners that can clear larger bottles in the cabin. Others still apply the classic 100 ml limit. Your outbound terminal may run one rule and a return terminal another. If you plan to fly with full-size liquids in the cabin, read the latest notice from each airport on your route. If anything is unclear, pack big bottles in the hold and keep only travel sizes in the quart-size bag.
Quick reference: what to do before you fly
- Put all carry-on liquids in containers of 100 ml/3.4 oz or less.
- Fit them in one clear quart-size bag per traveler.
- Keep medical and baby items separate and be ready to declare them.
- Leave duty-free sealed in the STEB until your trip ends.
- Pack large bottles and extras in the hold with leak protection.
- Carry an empty water bottle to fill after screening.
- Check each airport on your route for any local twists.
Where to check the official rules
For U.S. flights, see the TSA liquids rule. For alcohol in luggage, the FAA keeps a clear summary on its PackSafe page. For EU trips, the one-liter bag and 100 ml container limit are outlined on the EU’s Your Europe page. These sources reflect the latest wording and give updates when airports adopt new scanners or adjust screening steps.
Bottom line: pack travel sizes in the cabin, stash big bottles in the hold, declare medical and baby items, and keep duty-free sealed during transfers. Follow that rhythm and you’ll breeze through the lane with no surprises.