Glass lets you bring home local olive oil, perfume, or that limited-release stout. Its weak spot is impact. Airlines accept it, yet rules on alcohol, quantity, and packing matter. Follow this guide to move bottles safely and stay within TSA and airline limits.
TSA And FAA Ground Rules
The TSA says drinks above 24 % and below 70 % ABV are capped at five liters per passenger. Beer and wine sit below 24 %, so no federal volume cap applies. Bottles must stay unopened, retail sealed, and cushioned inside the bag.
| Agency | ABV Band | Volume Limit |
|---|---|---|
| TSA | <24 % | Unlimited |
| TSA | 24 %-70 % | 5 L (1.3 gal) |
| FAA | >70 % | Prohibited |
The FAA echoes the same proof ceiling and bars anything stronger than 140 proof. Carbonated drinks can burst under cargo hold pressure, so extra padding helps.
Airline Variations
Carriers adopt federal limits and add their own. Delta allows up to five liters between 48-140 proof in checked bags. United mirrors the five-liter rule and reminds travelers each container must stay below five liters. Low-proof beer or cider rides without a set number, but weight fees still apply.
Fragile Tags Do Little
Workers move thousands of bags per hour, so a “Fragile” sticker rarely slows the belt. Cushioning inside the case beats any tag.
Packing Gear And Methods
Simple household items shield glass. Wrap each bottle in bubble wrap, slip it into a plastic bag, then surround it with soft clothes. DIY towels or sweaters work too. Vacuum-seal pouches stop movement and leaks.
Commercial wine sleeves add inflatable chambers yet weigh little. Wine-shipper boxes fit in hard cases if you need to move a dozen bottles at once.
| Method | Protection Level | Extra Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bubble wrap + clothes | Good | Low |
| Inflatable sleeve | High | Low-Med |
| Hard wine shipper | Highest | Med-High |
Alcohol Strength And Duty Boundaries
Bottles over 70 % ABV cannot ride at all. That includes some over-proof rum and high-grade absinthe. Duty-free shops seal purchases in tamper-proof bags; keep the seal intact or customs may tax the goods upon transfer.
Exceed the five-liter limit and the airline can refuse the bag or charge hazmat fees. European Union routes allow up to ten liters of spirits when checking cross-border within the bloc, yet U.S. inbound legs must stick with the FAA cap.
Non-Drink Glass: Oil, Sauce, Perfume
Food oils, maple syrup, or hot sauce fall under the 3-1-1 liquid rule inside carry-ons, so checking the bottles saves space. Perfumes in breakable glass travel best in padded socks placed near the suitcase middle where crush forces drop.
Insurance And Damage Claims
Airlines limit checked bag liability to around USD 3,800 on international routes. They often exclude expensive wine from that figure. Pack bottles so they cannot clink, and snap photos before securely zipping. If a spill happens, show a baggage agent the damage right away to start a claim.
Quick Checklist Before You Zip
- Check ABV and volume against TSA 24 % and 70 % limits.
- Verify airline allowances and fees.
- Seal every cap; add tape if needed.
- Double wrap, bag, then pad with soft clothes.
- Place bottles in the case center away from edges.
- Weigh the case to stay under allowance.
Pressure And Temperature Effects
Cargo holds are pressurised, yet the pressure still drops compared with sea level. Inside a bottle, trapped gas expands. A tight cork or cap stops leaks, but carbonation adds risk. Sparkling wine and kombucha sit under high internal pressure and can pop a weak seal. Chill fizzy drinks the night before and wrap the neck securely.
Temperature swings on long haul flights sit between 4 °C and 22 °C. Sugar crystals in liqueur can clog a cap when cold. Wipe each mouth clean before packing so nothing sticks that might open under vibration.
Airline Case Studies
Delta
Delta repeats the FAA five-liter cap on spirits and asks travellers to place bottles in strong outer cartons if possible.
United
United invites customers to sign a fragile-item tag; this waives most damage claims. Refuse that tag if you need compensation later.
Ryanair & Low-Cost Lines
Budget lines often sell “priority” labels that promise careful handling. These stickers ride the same belt as other bags, so invest money in padding, not labels.
Choosing The Right Suitcase
A hard-shell case spreads impact forces and keeps bottle necks from piercing fabric. Soft-side luggage can work if a dense foam layer lines the inner wall. Pack shoes at the base, bottles in the centre, clothes all around, toiletries on top. This block structure stops motion during rough landings.
Customs And Taxes
Arriving in the United States you may bring one litre of alcohol duty-free if aged 21 or older. Extra litres face small federal taxes but some states add higher local duty. Declare all alcohol on form 6059B to avoid seizure. Canada allows 1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of liquor without duty when absent 48 hours, rising at seven-day trips. Always check the arrival country limit to dodge surprise fees.
Reusable Protection Products
Inflatable bottle bags weigh about 40 g each and deflate flat after use. Reusable neoprene “wine socks” add insulation and reduce plastic waste. Seasoned flyers invest in a hard wine suitcase with foam cells.
What To Avoid
- Single-wall cardboard mailers. They collapse under load.
- Loose bottles in duty-free bags with no padding.
- Home-bottled sauces without proper seals; leaks void claims.
- Over-proof spirits above 70 % ABV.
- Checking bottles that are already open or half-empty.
Step-By-Step Wrap Routine
- Place a thick T-shirt flat, set bottle at centre.
- Roll cloth upward, tucking sleeves around the neck.
- Add two turns of bubble wrap.
- Slide bundle into a zip-top bag; squeeze out air.
- Place bagged bottle upright between jeans or towels.
- Fill gaps with socks so nothing shifts.
Perform the same steps for each additional bottle and separate them with soft layers. Think of the suitcase as a puzzle, leaving no hollow pockets where momentum could build during luggage drops.
Final Call
If you want a simple test, hold the bag by its top handle and shake it gently. No clinks means each bottle sits in its own cushion. Hear glass tapping? Open up and add more fabric. A quiet case almost always survives the hardest conveyor jolt.
Before heading to the airport weigh the case on a home scale; overweight fees can buy more wine racks than you think.
Stay calm.
By matching liquid strength to federal limits, checking airline pages, and building a soft wall of clothes around each bottle, travellers move glass across continents without broken shards or wet laundry. That extra ten minutes of packing beats pleading with lost-and-found later.