Yes, you can bring liquid in carry-on if each container is 3.4 oz/100 ml or less and all fit in one quart-size bag; medical and baby items are exempt.
Airport rules can feel fussy, but the basics for carry-on liquid are clear. Small bottles are fine; big bottles go in checked bags. The trick is knowing where the line sits, what counts as a “liquid,” and which items get special treatment.
This guide lays out the 3-1-1 rule, the common edge cases, and the workarounds that keep your toiletries and drinks from ending up in the bin. You’ll also see country notes and a packing plan that saves time at security.
Bringing Liquid In Carry-On: Rules That Actually Matter
The 3-1-1 rule keeps screening fast and predictable. Each traveler may bring one quart-size, clear, resealable bag. Inside that bag, every liquid, gel, cream, paste, or aerosol must sit in a 3.4-ounce (100-milliliter) container or smaller. One bag per person. Anything larger belongs in checked luggage.
That small-container rule covers more than shampoo. Think sunscreen, toothpaste, hair gel, lotion, lip gloss, mascara, liquid make-up, hand sanitizer, soup, yogurt, pudding, soft cheese, nut butters, and even snow globes. If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it, or pour it, pack it as a liquid.
Medically necessary items and baby needs sit in a different bucket. Prescription liquids, contact-lens solution, insulin, liquid nutrition, breast milk, formula, and food for infants can exceed 3.4 ounces. Tell the officer, take them out for screening, and expect a quick test. Ice packs for these items are fine, too.
| Item Type | Carry-On Allowance | Handy Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Toiletries (shampoo, lotion, toothpaste) | 3.4 oz / 100 ml per container; all in one quart bag | Decant into travel bottles; cap tightly to avoid leaks |
| Make-up (liquid foundation, mascara, lip gloss) | 3.4 oz / 100 ml per container; in the liquids bag | Solid sticks avoid the liquids bag |
| Aerosols (deodorant, hair spray) | Travel size in liquids bag | Cap or lock the nozzle |
| Medications & medical liquids | Reasonable amounts over 3.4 oz allowed | Declare and remove for screening |
| Baby needs (breast milk, formula, puree pouches) | Reasonable amounts over 3.4 oz allowed | Ice packs permitted; present at screening |
| Duty-free liquor & perfume | Permitted when sealed in a STEB | Keep the receipt sealed in the bag |
| Water | Empty bottle through security | Fill at a fountain after screening |
| Food spreads (peanut butter, hummus) | 3.4 oz / 100 ml per container | Solid snacks bypass the liquids bag |
What Counts As A Liquid, Gel, Or Aerosol?
Liquids aren’t just drinks. Anything that flows, smears, or sprays lands under the rule. That means creamy dips, soft cheeses like brie, jams, sauces, gravy, and canned soups. Frozen liquids count as liquid once they thaw. If you’re packing ice or gel packs that aren’t for a medical or infant need, they must be completely frozen at the checkpoint.
Aerosols add one more layer: the can needs a cap or a locking top. Flammable sprays face extra limits in checked bags, so keep personal sprays small and in your carry-on liquids bag.
Exceptions That Let Bigger Bottles Fly
Medications and liquid nutrition: Bring what you need for the trip. Keep them separate from your quart-size bag, tell the officer, and expect testing. A pharmacy label or a doctor’s note speeds the chat, but it isn’t always required.
Infant feeding: Breast milk, formula, toddler drinks, and puree pouches are fine in larger sizes when you’re traveling with a baby. Cooling aids like ice packs or gel packs are fine as well, even if the bottle isn’t present.
Duty-free: Liquor and perfume bought after security can go on the plane, even in large bottles. Leave the item sealed in the tamper-evident bag with the receipt inside until you reach your final stop. Connecting flights may require screening again, so keep it sealed.
Regional Rules: Same Idea, Small Tweaks
The 100-milliliter standard appears in many places, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia. A few airports that use CT scanners now allow larger bottles, sometimes up to two liters, without removing liquids from your bag. That setup isn’t available everywhere yet, so check your departure and return airports before you pack.
Terms shift slightly across borders. Some sites call these limits “LAGs” for liquids, aerosols, and gels. Bag sizes can differ a bit by country, but a one-liter zip bag is a safe normal.
| Region | Standard At Security | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3.4 oz / 100 ml in one quart bag | Medical and baby items may exceed 3.4 oz |
| United Kingdom | 100 ml limit at most airports | Some locations with CT scanners allow larger volumes |
| European Union | 100 ml limit | Duty-free in sealed STEBs permitted through connections |
| Canada | 100 ml in one 1-liter bag | Baby items may exceed 100 ml |
| Australia | 100 ml in one snap-lock bag | Powders have separate rules; see airport page |
U.S. Carry-On Liquid Rules In Practice
At U.S. checkpoints, the quart bag still comes out for screening unless your lane signage says otherwise. Toothpaste, sunscreen, hair gel, mouthwash, and lotion belong in that bag in travel-size bottles. Hand sanitizer now follows the same size cap as other liquids, so stick to 3.4-ounce bottles.
UK And EU Nuances
Most airports still use the 100-milliliter limit. Some hubs with CT scanners let you leave liquids in your bag and carry bigger bottles. Those lanes speed things up, but the change isn’t universal. On a round trip, pack to the strict rule unless you’ve checked both airports.
Canada And Australia
Both follow the 100-milliliter limit with a clear, resealable bag. Canada lists common “non-solid foods” like yogurt and peanut butter as liquids for screening. Australia asks for a snap-lock one-liter bag and caps bags by total side length, which still matches a typical 20 cm x 20 cm zip bag.
What To Do At Connections
Duty-free works best when you keep the STEB sealed. The red-border bag and receipt tell screeners it was bought air-side. If a connection requires re-screening, keep the bag closed until you reach your final stop. If an officer must open it for testing, ask for a new STEB if you still have another leg.
Buying water for a long flight? Grab it after your last security check. If a mid-journey stop sends you through screening again, an opened bottle won’t pass. An empty reusable bottle avoids that snag and cuts plastic waste.
Checked Bags: When Big Bottles Make Sense
Full-size shampoo, large sunscreen, and family-size lotion ride best in checked luggage. Place caps under a layer of tape, slide each bottle into a zip bag, and nestle them among soft items. Large aerosols usually belong in checked bags as well; keep protective caps on to prevent a slow leak.
Alcohol follows extra rules. Mini bottles up to 3.4 ounces can ride in the quart bag, while larger duty-free bottles should stay sealed in the STEB. High-proof spirits face limits in both carry-on and checked bags, so read labels and pack with care.
Packing Strategy That Speeds Screening
Group liquids before you leave home. Use small, leak-proof bottles and label them. Place every bottle in a single quart-size bag. Keep that bag at the top of your carry-on so you can reach it fast.
Switch from liquids to solids where you can. Bar soap, shampoo bars, solid deodorant, stick sunscreen, and toothpaste tablets all skip the liquids bag. That swap frees space for items that must stay liquid.
Split items by risk. Keep anything that might set off alarms in an outside pocket. That includes aerosols, metal razor handles, and dense toiletry kits. A tidy bag moves faster on the belt and avoids a manual search.
Edge Cases That Cause Headaches
Food spreads: Peanut butter counts as a liquid for screening. Pack a small 100-milliliter jar or switch to snack-size packets that list the volume on the label.
Snow globes: Only tiny ones make it through; the liquid volume must sit under the 100-milliliter limit. Larger globes ride in checked baggage.
Contact-lens solution: Travel bottles belong in the quart bag. Large bottles can ride outside the bag when treated as medical, but present them at screening.
Sports drinks and coffee: Drinks bought before security won’t pass. Bring an empty bottle and fill it air-side. Drinks bought after security can board.
Carry-On Liquid Checklist
Use this quick pass before you head to the airport:
- All liquids, gels, creams, pastes, and sprays are 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less.
- Everything fits in one clear, quart-size, resealable bag.
- Medical and infant liquids are packed together, ready to declare.
- Aerosols have caps or locks.
- Duty-free stays sealed in the STEB with the receipt inside.
- Empty water bottle is in the side pocket.
Stick to that list and your bag should glide through screening with no surprises.