TSA Liquid Limit: 11 Full-Size Liquids You Can Take Through Airport Security

15.07.2024 - 21:21 / cntraveler.com

For nearly two decades, travelers have become accustomed to packing miscellaneous liquids into their carry-on bags according to the TSA liquid limit.

Created by explosive experts, the international guideline known as the 3-1-1 rule requires airline passengers pack their liquids inside 3.4-ounce containers that can fit into one quart-size bag. Any larger liquids—including toothpaste, shampoo, face wash, and sunscreen—must be packed in checked luggage.

However, with the advent of computed tomography (CT) scanners at airport checkpoints, officers can now use 3-D imaging to detect the hazardous liquids the rule was originally designed to limit. As a result, some airports have become more lenient with the policy, with some European airports even eliminating the restrictions last year.

But the roll out of the new 3-D imaging machines has been slow. The UK originally had a goal of removing the liquid cap by June 1, but the restrictions were re-instilled across the country after major airports flagged their technology wouldn’t be ready in time.

Here in the US, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) tells Condé Nast Traveler they "anticipate the limit on liquids will be lifted in the coming years.” But for now, the TSA liquid limit remains in effect.

That said, there are certain liquids above the 3.4-ounce limit that can be packed in a carry-on—in particular, those that are medical necessities.

To transport those approved oversized liquids, travelers should inform the security officer of the items before the screening and place them in a separate bin. No matter what the exception is, “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint,” the government agency says on its site.

On a recent trip, when extra bottles of Dove deodorant pushed me past the TSA liquid limit the officer apologized that their airport had “such old machines.” One by one, I handed him each item I was willing to part with. To my surprise, he put each one back in the tray and stated out loud with a knowing look, “That one is medicine. And that one is medicine too…” until I was able to bring everything with me.

While not every officer will be as empathetic, it's also important to note that the rules are constantly changing. Hand sanitizer had been an exception to the 3-1-1 rules through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now must also comply with the restrictions.

Below, see the 11 most common full-size liquids that you can actually take through airport security in the US, according to the TSA.

Medication that has been prescribed specifically for you is perhaps the most common item that qualifies as an exception. TSA recommends that it’s clearly labeled so there's no question