Whether it’s visiting family, business trips, or escaping to the emerald hills of Ireland, commercial airlines are a common occurrence in nearly everyone’s life.
They can also be an extremely stressful one if left unprepared. Are you going to have to down a whole bottle of vintage wine because you can’t bring it back with you? What about your firearm? You medicine? I’ve scoured through all of the TSA regulations to put together a simplified but comprehensive guide to what you can bring with you when you fly.
Everything is broken down into four categories: Allowed, Not Allowed, Checked Bag Only, and Special Circumstances. You should consult your airline if you have any questions regarding a special circumstance.
Not Allowed
- Electronic Lighters
- Bang Snaps (those tiny things you throw on the ground to make a banging noise)
- Bear Spray/Bangers
- Blasting Caps
- Butane
- Pool Chlorine
- Co2 Cartridges
- Cooking Spray
- Dynamite
- Fertilizer
- fireworks
- Flammable liquids, gels, airosols, and paints
- Gun Powder
- Hand Grenades
- Lighter Fluid
- Liquid Bleach
- Marijuana – Medical or otherwise
- Party Poppers
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smart Phone
- Spray Paint
- Strike Anywhere Matches
- Tear Gas
Allowed
- Air Mattress with Pump
- Alcohol – Less Than 100 ml if a Carry On. Must be less than 140 proof
- Antlers
- Fake Bones
- Baby Food, Formula, Powder, and Wipes
- Sports Balls (football, soccer, etc)
- Binoculars
- Body Armor – Allowed, but TSA officers may ask you bag it anyway.
- Beverages of all kinds – Carry-ons must be under 100 ml
- Bowling Ball
- Cell Phones
- Cigar Cutters – Generally allowed, but be cautious, best to check it instead
- Electric Blankets
- EpiPens
- Fidget Spinners – That’s right, they have an official stance on these.
- Flashlights
- Geiger Counters
- Glow Sticks – under 100 ml
- Hand Warmers/Heating Pads – Only if non-gel based. If they are, then it has to be checked.
- Laptops
- Game Consoles
- Life Vests
- Lithium batteries with 100 watt-hours – any more than that, and they aren’t allowed in checked bags.
- Lockpicks
- Pill Medicines
- Multitools – As long as there’s no blade
- Night Vision Goggles
- Plants and Seeds
- Rifle Scope – JUST the scope
- Rope
- Screwdrivers – If longer than 7 inches, must be checked baggage.
- Sewing Needles
- Sleeping Bags
- Fishing Lures – Small ones
- Snow Shoes
- Solar Panels – Allowed, but you may want to check if it’s not too large
- Tampons
- Thermometers
- Utensils
Checked Bag Only
- Axes/Hatchets
- Sports Gear (specifically anything used to potentially bludgeon, like a bat)
- Self Defense Blackjacks
- Bowling Pins
- Bow and Arrows
- Box Cutter
- Brass Knuckles
- Canoe paddles
- Cast Iron Cookware
- Corkscrew
- Drills and Drill Bits
- Toy Swords/Weapons
- Hammers
- Hiking poles
- Firearm Holsters
- Ice Axes/Picks
- Knives
- Magic 8 Ball
- Martial Arts Weapons
- Night Sticks
- Nail Guns
- Pepper Spray
- Blade of All Varieties
- Self Defense Spray
- Shoe Snow Spikes
- Ski Poles
- Spear Guns
- Stun Guns
- Swiss Army Knife
- Tent – Just the stakes and poles, but might as well keep it all together.
- Walking Sticks
Special Circumstances
- Bug Spray – Allowed in checked bags if NOT labeled as hazmat.
- Ammunition – If stored correctly in a checked bag.
- Bicycles – Ask the airline if it’ll fit first.
- Blender – Allowed as a Carry on if blades are removed, otherwise, it’s checked baggage.
- Brass Instruments – Checked is safe, Carry On varies by airline.
- Camp Stove – Only allowed if empty of fuel and cleaned of all fuel residue.
- Car Parts – only if in original container and free of any gas or oil.
- Paintball/Compressed Air Gun – Not as a Carry On, must not have the canister attached.
- Cremated Remains – Consult Airline on this one.
- Drones – Consult Airline
- Dry Ice – The FAA limits you to 5.5 pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked. Airline approval is required.
- Vape Pen – Allowed in Carry On, NOT in checked bags.
- Firearms – NOT IN CARRY ON. Firearms carried in checked bags must be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in. Check with your airline to see if they allow firearms in checked bags.
- Guitars – if size allows
- Medically Necessary Liquids/Gases/Gels – allowed in greater quantities, but you need to declare them to the TSA officer at the checkpoint.
- Live Coral/Fish – Only as a carry-on.
- Metal Detectors – Consult Airline
- Parachutes – Allowed, but complicated, consult the airline for details
- Portable Chargers/Power Banks – Carry On Only
Special Notes
Realistic replicas of anything on these lists are to be considered and treated as the items they are imitating, including explosives and firearms.