{
"source": "https://carryfits.com/methodology/",
"authority": "TSA \"What Can I Bring?\" (tsa.gov)",
"license": "Reuse permitted; please link the page you took the rule from.",
"items": [
{
"slug": "vapes",
"title": "Vapes & E-Cigarettes",
"volume": 12000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Carry-on only. Take measures to prevent accidental activation of the heating element. Lithium battery must not exceed 100 Wh (or 2 g lithium content)."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "Prohibited in checked bags — the lithium battery is a fire risk in the hold."
},
"extra": "Airlines may limit how many devices one passenger can carry — check yours.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/electronic-cigarettes-and-vaping-devices",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"power-banks"
]
},
{
"slug": "food-snacks",
"title": "Food & Snacks",
"volume": 11000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Solid food is fine in carry-on. Liquid or gel foods (yogurt, spreads, sauces) over 3.4 oz are not — they follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Solid food travels freely in checked bags."
},
"extra": "Officers may ask you to separate food from your bag so the X-ray image stays clear — pack it near the top.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/solid-foods",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"water-bottles",
"alcohol"
]
},
{
"slug": "razors",
"title": "Razors",
"volume": 10000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Disposable and cartridge razors — yes. Classic safety razors — only WITHOUT the blade (remove it before screening). Loose razor blades are prohibited in carry-on."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "All razor types allowed — wrap or sheathe blades to protect baggage handlers."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/safety-razor-blades-allowed-without-blade",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"electric-razors",
"scissors",
"nail-clippers"
]
},
{
"slug": "deodorant",
"title": "Deodorant",
"volume": 6100,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Stick/solid deodorant — any size. Spray, gel, liquid or roll-on — 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, inside your quart bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "All formats allowed. Aerosols must have the nozzle protected by a cap against accidental release."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/deodorant-aerosol",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"toothpaste",
"dry-shampoo"
]
},
{
"slug": "perfume-cologne",
"title": "Perfume & Cologne",
"volume": 5700,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "3.4 oz (100 ml) or less per bottle, inside your one quart bag — same rule for perfume and cologne."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed, with FAA toiletry limits — max 17 fl oz (500 ml) per container and 68 fl oz (2 L) total per person."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/perfume",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"makeup",
"hairspray"
]
},
{
"slug": "lighters",
"title": "Lighters",
"volume": 5600,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Disposable and Zippo-style lighters are allowed in carry-on. Torch/jet-flame lighters are restricted — check TSA's torch lighter page before packing one."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Without fuel — allowed. Fueled lighters are prohibited in checked bags unless they meet the DOT exemption (up to two, in a proper enclosure case)."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/lighters-disposable-and-zippo",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"vapes"
]
},
{
"slug": "electric-razors",
"title": "Electric Razors & Shavers",
"volume": 5400,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed. TSA lists electric razors as a plain yes for carry-on — unlike a classic safety razor, there is no exposed blade to remove, so the whole shaver goes through the checkpoint as it is."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags too."
},
"extra": "A cordless shaver's built-in battery travels with the shaver either way. A *spare* lithium battery is the different question — those are carry-on only and never in checked bags.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/electric-razors",
"last_verified": "2026-09-06",
"related": [
"razors",
"spare-batteries",
"electric-toothbrush"
]
},
{
"slug": "nicotine-pouches",
"title": "Nicotine Pouches (Zyn) & Chewing Tobacco",
"short_title": "Nicotine Pouches",
"volume": 4400,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA treats pouches, snus and dip as tobacco products — allowed in carry-on with no TSA quantity limit."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags."
},
"extra": "TSA is not the only gate — some destination countries restrict or ban nicotine pouches; check local law for international trips.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/tobacco",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"cigarettes-cigars",
"vapes"
]
},
{
"slug": "scissors",
"title": "Scissors",
"volume": 4100,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed only if the blades are less than 4 inches from the pivot point. Longer pairs must be checked."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — sheathe or wrap the blades so they can't injure baggage handlers and inspectors."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/scissors",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"razors",
"nail-clippers"
]
},
{
"slug": "vitamins-protein-powder",
"title": "Vitamins, Protein Powder & Supplements",
"short_title": "Vitamins & Protein Powder",
"volume": 3900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Pills and capsules — no limit. Powders over 12 oz (350 ml) go in a separate bin for X-ray, and if screening can't resolve them they won't fly — TSA itself suggests putting big tubs in checked bags."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "The easy answer for full-size protein tubs."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/protein-or-energy-powders",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"medication",
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "sunscreen",
"title": "Sunscreen",
"volume": 3600,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "3.4 oz (100 ml) or less — spray and lotion both count as liquids/aerosols. Full-size bottles won't pass."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Larger sizes go here, within FAA toiletry limits (500 ml per container, 2 L total). TSA's own advice — check the big bottle for the beach."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/sunscreen",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"makeup",
"medication"
]
},
{
"slug": "spare-batteries",
"title": "Spare Lithium Batteries",
"volume": 3500,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Spare (uninstalled) lithium batteries go in carry-on only. Limits — lithium-ion up to 100 Wh per battery; lithium-metal up to 2 g lithium. 101–160 Wh — up to two, with airline approval."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "Spare/loose lithium batteries are prohibited in checked bags (fire risk). This page covers spares — batteries installed in devices follow the device's rules."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/lithium-batteries-more-100-watt-hours",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"power-banks",
"vapes"
]
},
{
"slug": "curling-irons-straighteners",
"title": "Curling Irons & Hair Straighteners",
"short_title": "Curling Irons & Straighteners",
"volume": 3150,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Corded electric irons — carry-on or checked, no restriction. Cordless (lithium battery or butane) — carry-on ONLY, with a safety cover over the heating element and protection against switching on."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Corded — fine. Cordless battery/butane models — prohibited in checked bags. Gas refill cartridges are prohibited everywhere."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/curling-iron-cordless",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"hairspray"
]
},
{
"slug": "toothpaste",
"title": "Toothpaste",
"volume": 3000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, in your quart bag. A standard full-size tube is over the limit — buy travel size or check it."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Any size."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/toothpaste",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"deodorant",
"medication"
]
},
{
"slug": "alcohol",
"title": "Alcohol",
"volume": 2900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Mini bottles must fit comfortably in your single quart-sized liquids bag (each ≤3.4 oz)."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "24–70% ABV — up to 5 liters per passenger, in unopened retail packaging. Under 24% ABV (wine, beer) — no quantity limit. Over 70% ABV (140+ proof) — prohibited everywhere."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/alcoholic-beverages",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"food-snacks",
"water-bottles"
]
},
{
"slug": "cigarettes-cigars",
"title": "Cigarettes & Cigars",
"volume": 2900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Cigarettes and cigars are allowed in carry-on. TSA recommends packing cigar cutters in checked bags."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags too."
},
"extra": "Lighters and matches follow much stricter rules — see those pages.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/cigarettes",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"lighters",
"matches",
"nicotine-pouches"
]
},
{
"slug": "nail-clippers",
"title": "Nail Clippers",
"volume": 2700,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — the \"no nail clippers\" rule is a myth; they've been fine since December 2005."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed. Wrap anything sharp."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/nail-clippers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"scissors",
"razors"
]
},
{
"slug": "knitting-crochet-sewing",
"title": "Knitting Needles, Crochet Hooks & Sewing Needles",
"short_title": "Knitting Needles",
"volume": 2700,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Knitting needles, crochet hooks, sewing needles and pins are all allowed in carry-on — a famously persistent myth says otherwise. Circular thread cutters and any bladed notions must be checked; scissors under 4 inches (from pivot) are fine."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — sheathe or wrap sharp points."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/knitting-needles",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"scissors",
"tweezers"
]
},
{
"slug": "pepper-spray",
"title": "Pepper Spray",
"volume": 2500,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "Pepper spray, mace and other self-defense sprays are prohibited in carry-on bags."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "One container up to 4 fl oz (118 ml) with a safety mechanism against accidental discharge. Sprays with more than 2% tear gas (CS/CN) are prohibited entirely."
},
"extra": "Some airlines refuse pepper spray even in checked bags — confirm with your airline first.",
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/pepper-spray",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"scissors"
]
},
{
"slug": "medication",
"title": "Medication & Pills",
"volume": 2450,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Pills and solid meds — any amount, no baggie needed. Medically necessary liquids OVER 3.4 oz are exempt from 3-1-1 — declare them at the checkpoint for separate screening. Cooling ice packs must be frozen solid at screening."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in any form — but TSA and common sense both say keep essential meds with you in the cabin."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/medications-liquid",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"toothpaste",
"sunscreen"
]
},
{
"slug": "flowers",
"title": "Flowers",
"volume": 2400,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Fresh flowers go through the checkpoint — without water. Carry the bouquet dry; any water you bring alongside it counts as a liquid and follows the normal carry-on liquids rule."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — TSA lists no restriction."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/flowers",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA is only the first gate. Carrying cut flowers or plants across a border runs into agriculture and customs rules, so check those before an international trip.",
"related": [
"water-bottles",
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "hairspray",
"title": "Hairspray",
"volume": 2300,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, in your quart bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed, with FAA aerosol limits — max 18 oz (500 ml) per can, 70 oz (2 L) total toiletry aerosols per person; nozzle must be capped."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hair-spray",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"dry-shampoo",
"deodorant"
],
"detail": [
{
"h": "In the cabin it is a liquid, whatever the can looks like",
"p": "Aerosols sit inside TSA's liquids rule rather than beside it. A can of hairspray in your carry-on has to be 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less and has to fit inside the single quart-sized bag it shares with every other liquid, gel, cream and paste you are carrying. Travel-size cans exist for exactly this reason; a salon-size can is a checked-bag item and nothing about the trip changes that."
},
{
"h": "In the hold the number is the FAA's, and it is a total",
"p": "The checked-bag limits for aerosols are hazardous-materials limits, so they come from the FAA rather than TSA, and there are two of them. No single toiletry or medicinal container may exceed 500 ml (17 fl oz) or 0.5 kg (18 oz). And no passenger may carry more than 2 L (68 fl oz) or 2 kg (70 oz) of them in total — added up across every can and bottle in the bag, so hairspray, dry shampoo, deodorant and shaving foam are all drawing on one allowance."
},
{
"h": "Why the two limits are so far apart",
"p": "They are answering different questions. TSA's 100 ml cap is a screening rule about what can be resolved at a checkpoint in a few seconds. The FAA's 2 L ceiling is a fire rule about how much flammable propellant may travel in a hold nobody can reach in flight. That is why a can too big for the cabin is unremarkable below deck, and why the checked limit counts your whole toiletry bag instead of one container."
}
],
"extra_sources": [
"faa_aerosols"
]
},
{
"slug": "matches",
"title": "Matches",
"volume": 1900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "One book of safety (non-strike-anywhere) matches is permitted in carry-on. Strike-anywhere matches are prohibited everywhere."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "ALL matches are prohibited in checked bags — the opposite of what most people guess."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/matches-safety-matches",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"lighters",
"candles"
]
},
{
"slug": "candles",
"title": "Candles",
"volume": 1900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Solid wax candles — yes. Gel-type candles — not allowed in carry-on."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Both solid and gel candles are allowed in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/solid-candles",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"matches",
"lighters"
]
},
{
"slug": "pocket-knife",
"title": "Pocket Knives",
"volume": 1900,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "No. A pocket knife is a sharp object, and TSA prohibits sharp objects in carry-on baggage — it has to go in your checked bag. The only blades TSA lets past the checkpoint are rounded, blunt, unserrated ones such as butter knives, plus plastic cutlery."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags. Sheathe or securely wrap the blade so it can't injure baggage handlers and inspectors."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/pocket-knife",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Blade length is not a loophole — TSA's multi-tools page prohibits multi-tools with knives of any length, while a multi-tool whose scissors are less than 4 inches may go in carry-on.",
"related": [
"scissors",
"razors",
"nail-clippers"
]
},
{
"slug": "makeup",
"title": "Makeup",
"volume": 1800,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Liquid/cream/gel makeup (foundation, mascara, lip gloss) follows 3-1-1 — 3.4 oz or less each, in the quart bag. Solid and powder makeup — no size limit, but powders over 12 oz go in a separate bin for X-ray."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "All formats allowed; TSA encourages packing large non-essential powders in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/powder-makeup",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"perfume-cologne",
"sunscreen"
]
},
{
"slug": "power-banks",
"title": "Power Banks & Portable Chargers",
"short_title": "Power Banks",
"volume": 1500,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh (that's most consumer power banks — roughly up to ~27,000 mAh at 3.7 V). 101–160 Wh needs airline approval, max two."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "Power banks are spare lithium batteries — prohibited in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/power-banks",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"vapes"
]
},
{
"slug": "dry-shampoo",
"title": "Dry Shampoo",
"volume": 1500,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Aerosol dry shampoo — 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, in your quart bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed within FAA aerosol limits — max 18 oz (500 ml) per can, 70 oz (2 L) toiletry total; cap the nozzle."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/dry-shampoo-aerosol",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"hairspray",
"deodorant"
],
"detail": [
{
"h": "Aerosol or powder changes which rule you are under",
"p": "Dry shampoo is sold in two forms and only one of them is a liquid. The pressurised can is inside the 3.4 oz (100 ml) quart-bag limit like any other spray. A powder dry shampoo is not a liquid at all and never enters the quart bag — but powders bring a screening step of their own, and our powders page carries the container size at which that step starts, verified against TSA's own entry."
},
{
"h": "The can is flammable, which is what the checked limit is about",
"p": "Below deck the constraint is propellant, not screening, so the numbers are the FAA's: 500 ml (17 fl oz) as the biggest single toiletry container, and 2 L (68 fl oz) as the most any one passenger may carry once every can in the bag is added together. Two full-size cans of dry shampoo will not trouble that ceiling; a whole toiletry bag of aerosols can."
},
{
"h": "The travel-size can is usually the cheaper answer",
"p": "Dry shampoo is one of the few toiletries where the travel size is genuinely enough for a week, and buying it at the destination avoids the question entirely. That is a packing judgement, not a rule — nothing above changes if you would rather carry the big can in a checked bag."
}
],
"extra_sources": [
"faa_aerosols"
]
},
{
"slug": "umbrellas",
"title": "Umbrellas",
"volume": 1300,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Umbrellas are allowed in carry-on — TSA points you to your airline for any size limits (a golf umbrella may not fit the sizer)."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "No TSA prohibition; oversized umbrellas are an airline size question."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/umbrellas",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"water-bottles"
]
},
{
"slug": "nail-polish",
"title": "Nail Polish & Remover",
"volume": 1300,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Both polish and remover count as liquids — 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less each, in your quart bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed within FAA toiletry limits — max 17 fl oz (500 ml) per container, 68 fl oz (2 L) total per person."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/nail-polish-remover",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"makeup",
"perfume-cologne"
],
"detail": [
{
"h": "Polish and remover are two liquids, not one exception",
"p": "Both bottles go in the quart bag and both are held to 3.4 oz (100 ml). Acetone remover gets no special treatment at the checkpoint for being a solvent, and polish gets none for being small — a collection of six little bottles still has to fit the same bag as your toothpaste and sunscreen."
},
{
"h": "The checked-bag ceiling is a flammability limit",
"p": "Nail polish and remover are flammable liquids, which is why the hold limits are the FAA's rather than TSA's: no single toiletry container over 500 ml (17 fl oz), and no more than 2 L (68 fl oz) of toiletry and medicinal articles per passenger in total. Ordinary polish bottles are tiny against that ceiling; a litre of remover is not, and salon quantities are a different conversation with the airline."
},
{
"h": "A manicure kit answers to more than one entry",
"p": "The polish and the remover are liquids; the metal is not. Clippers, files and scissors are judged under the sharp-object entries instead — nail clippers are allowed outright, while scissors clear the cabin only with blades under 4 inches from the pivot. Pack the kit expecting two rules, not one."
}
],
"extra_sources": [
"faa_aerosols"
]
},
{
"slug": "water-bottles",
"title": "Water Bottles",
"volume": 1250,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Empty bottles and flasks — yes, any size; fill up past security. Full bottles can't go through the checkpoint (drink it or surrender it)."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Full drink containers can travel in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/empty-water-bottle",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"food-snacks",
"alcohol"
]
},
{
"slug": "hair-dryers",
"title": "Hair Dryers",
"volume": 1050,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Corded hair dryers are allowed in carry-on with no restriction."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hair-dryers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"curling-irons-straighteners"
],
"detail": [
{
"h": "Corded dryers are not a regulated item",
"p": "A hair dryer with a plug on the end carries no fuel and no battery — it draws everything it needs from the wall — so there is nothing for a screening rule to be about. TSA lists it allowed in carry-on and allowed in checked, and the hotel-style folding travel dryers are the same item in a smaller shell."
},
{
"h": "The cousin that is regulated is cordless, and it is not a dryer",
"p": "The restriction people half-remember belongs to butane styling tools. The FAA allows one gas-cartridge curling iron per person, in carry-on baggage only, with a safety cover securely fitted over the heating element and the device protected from switching itself on; spare gas refills are not permitted at all. In the same entry it states that electric curling irons and hair straighteners — the ones that plug into an outlet — are not restricted. Our curling irons and straighteners page has the cordless case in full."
},
{
"h": "Voltage is a product question, not a screening one",
"p": "A 110 V-only dryer plugged into a 230 V socket abroad dies loudly, and no checkpoint anywhere will warn you about it. Nothing on this page changes with the voltage — check the label on the handle before the trip, not at security."
}
],
"extra_sources": [
"faa_curling"
]
},
{
"slug": "ice-packs",
"title": "Ice Packs & Gel Packs",
"volume": 1000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Frozen SOLID at screening — allowed, any size. Partially melted or slushy — treated as a liquid, 3-1-1 applies. Medically necessary gel packs (and packs cooling breast milk, formula or baby food) are allowed in any state — declare them."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed; keep them fully frozen if cooling food."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/gel-ice-packs",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"medication",
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "electric-toothbrush",
"title": "Electric Toothbrushes",
"volume": 1000,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — TSA says lithium-battery devices should ride in the cabin. Officers may ask you to power it on."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "TSA's guidance points lithium-battery devices to carry-on; if you must check it, power it fully off."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/electronic-toothbrush",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"curling-irons-straighteners"
]
},
{
"slug": "drones",
"title": "Drones",
"volume": 880,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "TSA lets drones through the checkpoint, but its answer for both bags is \"check with airline\" — the airline's policy is what actually decides. Ask yours before you leave for the airport."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Same \"check with airline\" answer. TSA warns that drones containing lithium batteries, fuel cells or components of certain parachute systems may be prohibited in baggage, and points to the FAA regulations."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/drones-unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Spare drone batteries are a separate rule of their own — loose lithium batteries ride in carry-on only, never in checked bags.",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"power-banks",
"laptops"
]
},
{
"slug": "ashes",
"title": "Ashes (Cremated Remains)",
"volume": 880,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on, with instructions that matter: the container must be one the X-ray can see into. TSA suggests a temporary or permanent crematory container made of a lighter-weight material such as wood or plastic — a container that generates an opaque image will not be allowed through. Officers will not open a container, even if you ask them to."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA permits cremated remains in checked bags, but some airlines do not — check with your airline before packing them there."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/cremated-remains",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA does not name which materials fail screening; it says only that a container generating an opaque image will not be allowed, and that officers will not open one. A funeral home can usually supply a temporary wood or plastic travel container for the flight."
},
{
"slug": "skateboards",
"title": "Skateboards",
"volume": 720,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Skateboards are allowed in carry-on bags. The special instruction is your airline's — check its size and weight restrictions, because a full-size deck still has to fit the sizer and the overhead bin."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags, with no TSA restriction."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/skateboards",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Electric boards are a different question — TSA's hoverboard page answers \"check with airline\" for both carry-on and checked bags, leaving it to the airline.",
"related": [
"spare-batteries"
]
},
{
"slug": "car-seats",
"title": "Car Seats",
"volume": 720,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on — TSA itself sets no restriction. Its one piece of advice is to check with your airline that the seat will fit in the overhead bin or under the seat."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — the usual choice, since a car seat rarely fits a cabin bin."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/child-car-seat",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "At the checkpoint the seat goes through the X-ray, and TSA asks you to take your child out of it and carry them through the metal detector in your arms. A seat too big for the machine gets a visual and physical inspection instead (tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/traveling-children).",
"related": [
"food-snacks",
"ice-packs"
]
},
{
"slug": "shaving-cream",
"title": "Shaving Cream",
"volume": 700,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, in your quart bag — full-size cans won't pass."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Larger cans allowed within FAA limits — max 18 oz (500 ml) per can, 68 fl oz (2 L) toiletry total."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/shaving-cream-aerosol",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"razors",
"deodorant"
]
},
{
"slug": "hand-sanitizer",
"title": "Hand Sanitizer",
"volume": 600,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "TSA currently lists a temporary exception: hand sanitizer up to 12 oz in carry-on (screened separately). Standard liquids are 3.4 oz — this page tracks the exception while it lasts."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed within FAA toiletry limits — max 18 oz (500 ml) per container, 68 fl oz (2 L) total."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hand-sanitizers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"medication",
"sunscreen"
]
},
{
"slug": "tweezers",
"title": "Tweezers",
"volume": 600,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/tweezers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"nail-clippers",
"razors"
],
"detail": [
{
"h": "Why anyone asks about tweezers at all",
"p": "Tweezers sit in most people's heads next to the things that really are restricted — scissors, razor blades, nail clippers — and that is where the doubt comes from. On TSA's own list they are not in that group. The entry reads yes for carry-on and yes for checked, with no length limit, no condition about pointed versus slanted tips, and no note about keeping them in a case."
},
{
"h": "The sharp-object rules that do bite, and where",
"p": "Each of the neighbours tweezers get confused with carries a real condition, all from the same TSA list. Scissors clear the cabin only when the blades are under 4 inches from the pivot point; longer pairs are checked-bag only. A classic safety razor may fly in the cabin only with the blade removed, and loose blades are prohibited in carry-on entirely. Nail clippers are allowed. If you are packing a grooming kit, those three are what to check — the tweezers were never the problem."
},
{
"h": "In a checked bag",
"p": "Allowed, with no quantity limit. TSA's one request is about the people who open the bag rather than the passenger: anything sharp in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped so it cannot injure baggage handlers and inspectors. A pointed pair in the bottom of a toiletry bag qualifies as much as a pair of scissors does."
}
]
},
{
"slug": "laptops",
"title": "Laptops",
"volume": 600,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — remove it from the bag into its own bin at screening (TSA PreCheck skips this). Officers may ask you to power it up."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed, but spare laptop batteries are carry-on only — and the laptop itself is safer and smarter in the cabin."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/laptops",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"spare-batteries",
"power-banks"
]
},
{
"slug": "strollers",
"title": "Strollers",
"volume": 590,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "TSA has no stroller-specific ruling, but strollers go through the checkpoint routinely — the stroller must be screened by X-ray, and one too large for the machine gets a visual and physical inspection instead. Take your child out and carry them through the metal detector."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA publishes no restriction on strollers in checked baggage — there is no \"What Can I Bring?\" page for them at all. Most travellers gate-check theirs at the jet bridge rather than checking it at the counter, but that is an airline arrangement, not a TSA rule."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/traveling-children",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Empty the pockets and basket before screening: TSA asks you to put those items in a carry-on bag or straight on the X-ray belt. Whether the stroller rides to the gate and how it is tagged is your airline's call — TSA only screens it.",
"related": [
"umbrellas",
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "peanut-butter",
"title": "Peanut Butter",
"volume": 500,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "TSA treats peanut butter as a paste — containers over 3.4 oz (100 ml) can't go through the checkpoint. Travel-size jars in your quart bag are fine."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Full-size jars go in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/peanut-butter",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "coffee",
"title": "Coffee",
"volume": 480,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Depends on the form. Beans and ground coffee — yes, with no liquids limit. Brewed coffee counts as a liquid: 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less through the checkpoint, so finish the cup before screening and buy another airside."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — beans, ground and liquid alike."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/coffee-liquid",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Officers may ask you to take coffee and other powders out of your bag so the X-ray image stays clear (tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/coffee-beans-or-ground). An empty travel thermos goes through fine — fill it after security.",
"related": [
"water-bottles",
"food-snacks"
]
},
{
"slug": "hand-warmers",
"title": "Hand Warmers",
"volume": 400,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Air-activated (disposable) and battery-powered hand warmers — both allowed. Liquid \"click\" crystallization warmers follow 3-1-1."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Air-activated and battery types allowed."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hand-warmers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"ice-packs"
]
},
{
"slug": "inhalers",
"title": "Asthma Inhalers",
"volume": 400,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed — medically necessary liquids/aerosols are exempt from 3-1-1 in reasonable quantities. Declare it at screening; labeling is recommended, not required."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed, but keep it in the cabin — you want it reachable, and TSA recommends the same."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/inhalers",
"last_verified": "2026-07-02",
"related": [
"medication",
"ice-packs"
]
},
{
"slug": "guitars",
"title": "Guitars",
"volume": 390,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed with special instructions. A guitar carried on requires a physical inspection at the security checkpoint, and whether it fits the cabin at all is your airline's policy — ask before you fly."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed with special instructions. It still has to be screened — tell the TSA officer if your instrument needs special care and handling."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/guitar",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA's page opens by sending you to your airline for their policy: whether a guitar can occupy the cabin is their decision, not TSA's. The same page adds one instrument-specific instruction — pack brass instruments in your checked bags.",
"related": [
"umbrellas",
"laptops"
]
},
{
"slug": "bluetooth-speakers",
"title": "Bluetooth Speakers",
"volume": 390,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on — TSA's \"Speakers\" page sets no restriction. Its one piece of advice is to check with your airline that the speaker will fit in the overhead bin or under the seat."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags. TSA points to the FAA's rules for portable electronic devices; since most Bluetooth speakers have a built-in lithium battery, the cabin is the safer place for one."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/speakers",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA has no Bluetooth-specific page — the generic \"Speakers\" entry is what covers it. The speaker itself is fine either way; spare lithium batteries and power banks are not, and those are carry-on only.",
"related": [
"laptops",
"power-banks",
"spare-batteries"
]
},
{
"slug": "crutches",
"title": "Crutches",
"volume": 320,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on. TSA lists crutches as a plain Yes, with no special instructions and no conditions attached."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags too — though most people need theirs right up to the gate."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/crutches",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Crutches still go through screening, and the officer at the checkpoint makes the final call. If you would like help getting through, TSA Cares can arrange assistance in advance at tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares or (855) 787-2227.",
"related": [
"medication",
"inhalers"
]
},
{
"slug": "cheese",
"title": "Cheese",
"volume": 260,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Hard, solid cheese — cheddar, parmesan, a vacuum-wrapped wedge — is a plain Yes in carry-on, with no liquids limit attached to it. Soft or spreadable cheese (brie, cream cheese, ricotta, queso) counts as a liquid or gel: 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, inside your quart bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Every kind of cheese is allowed in checked bags — that is where a whole wheel of brie belongs."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/cheese-creamy",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA splits cheese into two entries: Cheese (Solid) is a plain Yes, Cheese (Creamy) carries the 3.4 oz carry-on limit. Officers may ask you to separate food from your bag so the X-ray image stays clear.",
"related": [
"food-snacks",
"peanut-butter"
]
},
{
"slug": "chocolate",
"title": "Chocolate",
"volume": 260,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Solid chocolate — bars, truffles, a boxed assortment — is a plain Yes in carry-on. Liquid or gel chocolate (syrup, sauce, fondue) is capped at 3.4 oz (100 ml) through the checkpoint; anything larger should go in your checked bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags in either form — solid or liquid."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/chocolate-solid",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Officers may ask you to take a large box of chocolates out of your bag so it does not obstruct the X-ray image.",
"related": [
"food-snacks",
"peanut-butter"
]
},
{
"slug": "breast-milk",
"title": "Breast Milk & Formula",
"volume": 260,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Breast milk, formula, toddler drinks and baby food are treated as medically necessary liquids. Quantities greater than 3.4 oz (100 ml) are allowed in carry-on and do not need to fit in your quart bag. Tell the officer at the start of screening and take these items out of your bag to be screened separately. Your child does not need to be with you."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — but in practice you will want it with you in the cabin."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/breast-milk",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Ice packs, freezer packs and gel packs to cool these items are allowed whether or not breast milk is present, as are liquid-filled teethers; if they are partially frozen or slushy they go through the same screening. If you would rather the milk was not X-rayed or opened, tell the officer — additional steps will be taken to clear it instead, and screening will never include placing anything into the liquid.",
"related": [
"ice-packs",
"medication"
]
},
{
"slug": "disposable-cameras",
"title": "Disposable Cameras & Film",
"volume": 210,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on — and this is where TSA says to put it. TSA recommends keeping undeveloped film, and any camera with film still inside, in your carry-on and asking for a hand inspection at the checkpoint."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA lists film as allowed in checked bags, but its own advice points the other way: carry undeveloped film through the cabin and request the hand inspection."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/film",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Ask for the hand inspection before your bag goes onto the belt — once it is through the scanner the decision is made for you. TSA has no \"What Can I Bring?\" page for cameras or disposable cameras by name; this is TSA's film entry, which explicitly covers cameras containing undeveloped film.",
"related": [
"laptops",
"spare-batteries"
]
},
{
"slug": "tripods",
"title": "Tripods",
"volume": 170,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in carry-on — TSA's page is a plain yes with no size rule attached. Whether a full-length tripod actually reaches the cabin is an airline question, since it still has to fit their sizer."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — the simple answer for a heavy studio tripod or one with a long centre column."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/tripods",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA sets no length limit here, so the constraint is your airline's carry-on dimensions. A monopod or travel tripod usually fits; a full-size one often does not.",
"related": [
"laptops",
"umbrellas"
]
},
{
"slug": "airpods",
"title": "AirPods & Wireless Earbuds",
"volume": 140,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA has no AirPods page — the ruling that covers them is Headphones, which is a yes for carry-on. Earbuds and their charging case can stay in your bag, or in your ears, through the checkpoint."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "TSA's headphones ruling is a yes for checked bags too. Most people keep earbuds in the cabin anyway, which is where you want them for the flight."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/headphones",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "There is no AirPods-specific TSA ruling, so this is the category page that covers them. TSA's headphones entry adds only that regulation questions go to the FAA website.",
"related": [
"laptops",
"spare-batteries",
"power-banks"
]
},
{
"slug": "golf-clubs",
"title": "Golf Clubs",
"volume": 140,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "prohibited",
"note": "No. TSA lists golf clubs as an outright no for carry-on bags, so they cannot go through the checkpoint — they have to travel in the hold."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags — the only way to fly with your clubs. A hard or padded travel case is worth it for the shafts."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/golf-clubs",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA's ruling covers the clubs themselves. Fees, weight and oversize rules for a golf travel bag are set by your airline, not TSA.",
"related": [
"umbrellas",
"sunscreen"
]
},
{
"slug": "snow-globes",
"title": "Snow Globes",
"volume": 110,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Only a small one. The globe must appear to hold less than 3.4 oz (100 ml) of liquid — TSA's own comparison is roughly tennis-ball size — and the whole thing, base included, has to fit inside your single quart-sized resealable bag."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed. TSA says larger snow globes must be packed in checked baggage — pad it well, it is glass and liquid."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/snow-globes",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "The test is the liquid inside, but the base counts too: if the globe and its base together won't fit the quart bag, it can't go in the cabin.",
"related": [
"water-bottles",
"perfume-cologne",
"alcohol"
]
},
{
"slug": "insulin",
"title": "Insulin",
"volume": 50,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "limited",
"note": "Allowed, with special instructions. TSA treats insulin as a medically necessary liquid, so it is exempt from the usual 3-1-1 liquids limit — tell the officer you have it and place it in a bin separately for X-ray screening."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags. Most people keep insulin in the cabin so it stays with them and reachable during the flight."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/insulin",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "Declare the whole kit at the start of screening. TSA's medical guidance, which this page links to, says accessories such as freezer packs, pumps and syringes are screened alongside the medication, and that cooling packs may be presented frozen, partially frozen or melted.",
"related": [
"medication",
"inhalers",
"ice-packs"
]
},
{
"slug": "yoga-mats",
"title": "Yoga Mats",
"volume": 30,
"carry_on": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Yoga mats are allowed in carry-on bags, and TSA attaches no size rule to them."
},
"checked": {
"verdict": "allowed",
"note": "Allowed in checked bags."
},
"source_url": "https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/yoga-mat",
"last_verified": "2026-09-05",
"extra": "TSA has no rule about the size of a mat. The only real question is your airline's — a rolled mat strapped to a backpack may be counted as a second carry-on item.",
"related": [
"umbrellas",
"water-bottles"
]
}
]
}