Hand sanitizer or sanitizing gels are essential items to bring on planes and to have in hand whenever you are heading and when you can’t use soap and water.
You can bring containers of 3.4 ounces / 100 ml or less of hand sanitizer in your carry-on luggage, but you will need to place your hand sanitizer along with other toiletries in a quart size bag and remove them at the security checkpoint for additional screening.
Keep reading to know more about the rules about traveling with hand sanitizer within the US and other international routes.
Let’s dive right in.
The TSA Hand Sanitizer Rules
Does hand sanitizer need to be in a quart bag?
Hand sanitizer is considered a liquid that needs to follow the TSA 3-1-1 rule.
You can bring only containers or bottles of 3.4 ounces / 100 ml through the security checkpoint for personal use, ( germ x or any other brand ) you will need to place your hand sanitizer in a quart size bag as it needs to be screened separately.
Here is what the TSA stated on its website:
You will need to comply with the rules when traveling with sensitive items like alcohol-containing hand sanitizer otherwise the security officer will confiscate your item.
And as always the TSA stated the final decision to allow or deny taking an item through the security checkpoint rests for the officer at the airport.
Hand Sanitizer In Checked Luggage
Hand sanitizer will help you anytime when you can’t find a way to wash your hands or if water is not available, so it’s best to always take an extra bottle in your checked baggage.
There are some rules on taking liquid toiletries and chemical products in checked luggage.
The FAA (Federation Aviation Administration) are those guys that regulates the aviation in the US and works with the TSA and the airlines for the safety of the passengers and aircraft.
They limited the amount of toiletries, including aerosols, in checked baggage to 2 kg (70 ounces) or 2 L (68 fluid ounces) as the maximum.
Each container can take only 0.5 kg (18 ounces) or 500 ml (17 fluid ounces), you can check more about these limits on the FAA website here.
I do think that 2 L (68 fluid ounces) of toiletries is more than enough, most of the time you won’t need a large amount of toiletries, as you can find them anywhere you go.
I did check Twitter to see what are some of the TSA answers about traveling with hand sanitizer or any other types of disinfectant and here is what we have found.
This passenger wondered how much sanitizer is allowed to have in carry-on luggage and the TSA customer service replied that for medical exceptions the TSA has allowed to take 12 ounce / 355 ml and it needs to be screened separately.
This passenger asked the TSA if this foam hand sanitizer needed to be in a quart sized bag.
If the hand sanitizer is less than 3.4 oz / 100ml it must be placed in a quart sized bag along with other toiletries.
Ben wanted to bring a six pack hand sanitizer in carry-on luggage, all of them are 3.4 oz / 100 ml. The AskTSA didn’t quite answer the question.
3.4 oz containers must be transported in a quart sized bag, only 12 oz containers can be transported separately in carry-on luggage.
How Much Sanitizer Is Allowed In International Flight?
When taking hand sanitizer on an international flight, you will need to check the rules of your destination country.
However, the rules of traveling with liquids are almost the same on any airport, no more than 3.4 oz / 100 ml for a single container.
We have checked most of the major airline rules and aviation authorities.
| Destination | Regulations |
|---|---|
| Flights in the USA (the TSA and FAA rules) | The TSA allows hand sanitizer to be more than 12 ounces / 355 ml in carry-on luggage and no more than 2L / 68 fluid ounces in checked luggage, 500 ml 17 fluid ounces for each container. (until further notice) |
| Flights in Canada ( the CATSA rule) | Almost the same rules as the TSA, you can bring in flights to Canada sanitizer in containers up to 12 ounces / 355 ml and it Will be subject to a separate screening. You can bring in checked luggage also up to 500 ml or 500 g in a single container, with a total of 2 L or 68 fluid ounces per one passenger. |
| Flights in Europe (the IATA and EASA rules) | The EASA allows only 100 ml of hand sanitizer or less, however you will need to check your airline’s requirement, or you can just place any amount exceeding 100ml inside your checked bag. |
| Flights in the United Kingdom ( the CAA rules) | Hand sanitizer is allowed on flights and in carry-on luggage as long as it is under 100 ml , you can place any large bottles inside your checked luggage. |
Final Thoughts
Hand sanitizer is generally allowed on planes, but they have certain restrictions because it is a liquid with alcohol component.
At the pandemic time most airlines and airport securities do allow more than the standard quality (3.4 oz / 100ml).
But after the pandemic the TSA allows again (3.4 oz / 100ml) inside a transparent quart sized bag.
You can pack larger containers in your checked bag.
We hope this help.
Stay safe.
