What Can’t You Bring On A Plane? | The No-Go List

What You Can’t Bring On A Plane: Quick Categories

Airlines and airports screen for items that create fire, blast, or sharp‑edge risks. Some things are flat‑out banned. Others depend on size, packaging, or where you pack them. The quick list below gives you a fast read on the most asked‑about items.

Explosives And Flammables: The Hard No List

Anything that can ignite or explode doesn’t fly. That covers fireworks, flares, blasting caps, and gunpowder. Fuel and fuel‑soaked gear are out too. Paint thinners and similar solvents are off limits. Corrosive cleaners, such as liquid bleach, fall in the same bucket. Torch lighters, which shoot a focused blue flame, aren’t allowed in bags or pockets.

Empty camping stoves can travel if they’re fully purged of fuel and fumes. CO₂ cylinders must be empty with the valve open and clearly safe for screening. If a can, cylinder, or container looks pressurized or flammable, expect extra checks or a flat rejection. Cooking sprays and spray starch are aerosols with flammable propellants, so leave them out of your bag. Spray paint is a no‑go in all bags.

Batteries, Power Banks, And Vapes

Spare lithium batteries and power banks ride in your carry‑on only. Keep terminals covered, pack each cell so it can’t short, and don’t charge on board. Devices with installed batteries can go in either bag, yet cabin is safest. Bigger packs between 101–160 Wh need airline approval, and there’s a two‑spare limit. Anything over 160 Wh is out for normal passenger gear.

Vapes and e‑cigs stay with you in the cabin. Remove any spare cells, prevent accidental activation, and never use or charge the device on the aircraft. E‑liquids count toward your 3‑1‑1 bag.

Weapons, Self‑Defense Items, And Tools

Firearms never go in carry‑on. You can check a gun only when it’s unloaded, locked in a hard‑sided case, and declared at the counter. Pack ammo in fiber, wood, or metal boxes, or in the original carton. Some parts—like frames and receivers—are barred from carry‑on as well.

Self‑defense sprays are tight: no carry‑on, and just one 4‑ounce container with a safety cap in checked bags. Sprays with more than 2% tear gas aren’t allowed. Bear spray is banned in all bags. Stun guns and tasers belong in checked baggage only, packed to prevent discharge; remove any spare lithium cells and keep those spares in your carry‑on.

Sharp objects stay out of the cabin unless they’re tiny. Knives and razor blades are banned in carry‑on. Small scissors are fine, but long blades and most tools over seven inches must be checked. Sheath anything sharp in checked bags to protect handlers. Folding utility knives and box cutters are always out in the cabin.

Liquids, Aerosols, Gels, And Duty‑Free

Carry‑on liquids follow the 3‑1‑1 rule: containers up to 3.4 ounces (100 ml), all inside one quart‑size bag, one bag per traveler. That includes gels, pastes, creams, and many foods like yogurt, jam, and soft cheese. Toiletry aerosols are allowed in small sizes; non‑toiletry sprays like spray paint aren’t.

There’s an exception for duty‑free. If you buy liquids after security on an international leg and connect in the U.S., you can keep them in your carry‑on when they’re in a sealed, tamper‑evident bag (STEB) with the receipt visible. Don’t open the bag until your trip ends. If the seal is broken or the package can’t be screened, it won’t pass.

Food, Baby Items, And Medical Liquids

Solid foods are fine in either bag. Slushy or spreadable foods count as liquids for screening. Parents can bring breast milk, formula, and toddler drinks in quantities larger than 3.4 ounces; tell the officer and expect separate screening. Ice packs for milk are allowed, even if partially melted. Medically necessary liquids are also allowed in reasonable amounts when declared.

Gel packs that keep medicine cool are allowed in carry‑on. If you carry needles or syringes, travel with a prescription label. Put sharps in a travel container and tell the officer at the start of screening.

Alcohol On Board And In Your Bags

High‑proof liquor over 70% ABV (over 140 proof) is banned in all bags. Spirits between 24% and 70% ABV are limited to five liters total in checked bags and must be in unopened retail packaging. Mini bottles that meet 3‑1‑1 can ride in your carry‑on. You can’t drink your own alcohol on the plane; only flight attendants can serve it.

Wine and beer are under the 24% threshold, so there’s no hazmat limit in checked bags. The risk is breakage, not rules. Pad bottles and put them near the center of the suitcase.

International And Airline Differences

Core rules are similar worldwide, but weight limits, approval steps, and edge cases vary. In the EU and UK, spare lithium batteries and power banks belong in hand luggage, with the same 100 Wh base limit and the 101–160 Wh approval rule. Many airlines ban hoverboards outright due to battery size and labeling. Pepper spray may be illegal at your destination even when U.S. rules would allow a checked can.

When your trip crosses borders, follow the strictest rule you face, not the loosest. If an airline policy is tighter than the baseline, the airline’s policy wins at the counter.

Household Hazards That Surprise Travelers

The cleaning aisle hides many no‑go items. Liquid bleach, drain opener, strong acids, and pool chemicals are banned in all bags. Aerosol insecticide isn’t allowed in the cabin, and many cans are flagged in checked bags if labeled hazmat. Cooking fuel and lighter fluid draw fines. Glue, epoxy, and solvent‑based adhesives can trip the flammable test. When in doubt, leave chemicals at home and buy small quantities at your destination.

Even common sprays can be tricky. Hairspray and deodorant are fine within small limits, yet spray paint, spray starch, and spray lubricant aren’t. If the can lists flammable propellant and it’s not a toiletry, it’s probably out.

Sports, Hobbies, And Camping Gear

Baseball bats, hockey sticks, pool cues, and lacrosse sticks must be checked. Skis and poles go in checked gear, too. Archery equipment, spearguns, and spear tips are checked‑only. Small hand tools under seven inches can ride in your carry‑on, but power tools, saw blades, and crowbars belong in the hold. Tent stakes count as sharp objects. Scuba tanks must be empty and valve‑open to show no pressure. Bear spray is banned outright; buy it at your destination where allowed and donate or discard it before you head back.

Camping stoves are allowed once purged of fuel and vapor. Pack the stove dry, with caps off, and bring a note from the maker if you have it. Fuel bottles are banned unless they’re brand new and never filled.

Medical Devices And Mobility Aids

Portable oxygen concentrators approved by the airline can travel in the cabin. Bring spare batteries and show labels with watt‑hours. Wheelchairs and scooters with lithium packs need coordination, since some batteries must be removed and carried into the cabin while the device goes in the hold. CPAP and nebulizer machines are allowed and don’t count against your personal item on most carriers; keep them accessible for screening.

Ice packs that cool meds are allowed in carry‑on. Pill cutters are fine in cabin. Liquid medications can exceed 3‑1‑1 when they are screened separately. If you carry syringes, carry the prescription or a doctor’s note to speed things up.

Photography And Tech Kits

Cameras, drones, and audio gear fly daily, yet battery pack choices matter. Pack spare lithium cells and power banks in the cabin. Tape the terminals or use caps, carry them in a pouch, and keep a printed watt‑hour rating handy. A drone with a large pack might push you into the approval range; bring a spare pack under 100 Wh instead of a single large brick. Damaged, swollen, or recalled batteries are not allowed on board.

Film can be fogged by high‑energy scanners. Ask for a hand check if you carry high‑speed film. Remove large cameras and lenses for screening when asked, and pack the rest so it stays put in turbulence.

Duty‑Free And International Connections

Liquids in a sealed security bag can pass between flights when the seal and receipt are intact and the items clear screening. Keep the bag sealed until you reach the last airport on your route. If you need to repack for a long layover, ask an agent before you open the bag. A broken seal can make a brand‑new bottle of whisky a problem at the next checkpoint.

On many routes outside the U.S., limits mirror the 3‑1‑1 rule. Some airports now trial advanced scanners that allow larger liquids, but those trials don’t apply everywhere. Treat the standard rule as the safe baseline and pack larger bottles in checked luggage.

Quick Reference: Battery And Power Bank Limits

Liquids Rule, Food, And Powders: Edge Cases

Soft cheese and peanut butter count as liquids. A frozen ice pack that’s fully solid can pass, yet a slushy block counts as liquid and goes in the quart bag. Powder over 12 ounces may be screened separately and can be refused if it can’t be cleared. Fresh produce headed from islands and territories can face agricultural limits on arrival.

Jams, soups, chia pudding, and sauces count as liquids. Hard cheeses, bread, and whole fruit are fine. If you’re unsure, split the snack: pack the solid parts in your carry‑on and buy the liquid part after security.

What To Do When An Agent Says No

Stay calm and pivot. You can ask to check the item, ship it, toss it, or hand it to someone not flying. Officers make the final call at the checkpoint. Clear labeling, smart packing, and saved policy links on your phone help you sort things fast.

If a bag must be gate‑checked, remove vapes, power banks, and spare batteries before you hand it over. Keep them with you in the cabin.

How This Guide Was Built

We cross‑checked TSA’s item pages and FAA PackSafe charts, pulled the alcohol limits from aviation hazmat rules, and noted EU/UK battery limits from regulator guidance. Rules do change, and airlines can be stricter, so treat this guide as a practical map—then verify edge cases before you fly.

Packing Bottom Line

If it can burn, burst, or cut, think twice. Keep batteries and vapes in the cabin. Put long, sharp, or heavy gear in checked bags with blades wrapped and tools secured. Leave fuels, fireworks, and bleach at home. If you’re not sure, ask your airline and check the official pages linked below while you pack.

Learn the details straight from the source: see the TSA’s 3‑1‑1 liquids rule and the FAA’s PackSafe battery guidance.