As a frequent traveler, I acknowledge the importance of knowing of what is allowed and what is not in a carry-on bag.
And one of the keys to have a stress-free flight is making sure you take the right items in your carry-on bag. However, it’s not just about what to pack but it is also about how much you pack.
In this post, I will cover all that you need to know about carry on luggage and a list of the items that you should avoid to carry on your bag to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey.
Let’s dive right in.
What Is Not Allowed On A Plane In Carry-on Bags?
Just to clarify, the items that you can’t bring on the plane with you in your carry-on bag are more strict than the things you can’t bring compared to checked bags.
To know the full list of the items that are not allowed in checked baggage check this detailed guide.
Here is a list of the items that are not allowed in carry-on baggage you can jump below for more detailed information.
Food and Liquids
- Liquids over 3.4 ounces / 100 ml ( excluding medication and baby formula)
- Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof
Medical items
- Medical-Clinical Thermometer (Mercury)
Electronics
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Tools
- Axes and Hatchets
- Hammers
- Cattle Prods
- Cooking spray
- Heating Pad (Gel)
- Crowbars
- Cutting Boards
- Magic 8 Ball
- Drills and Drill Bits
- Mallets
- Nail Guns
- Engine-powered Equipment Completely Purged of Fuel
- Engine-powered Equipment with Residual Fuel
- Turpentine and Paint Thinner
- Screwdriver (longer than 7 inches)
- Spillable Batteries
- Spray Starch
Sport equipment
- Baseball Bats
- Bear Bangers
- Bowling Pins
- Tent Spikes
- Walking Sticks
- Bows and Arrows
- Canoe/Kayak Paddles
- Cast Iron Cookware
- Cricket Bats
- Golf Clubs
- Hiking Poles
- Hockey Sticks
- Kubatons
- Lacrosse Sticks
- Martial Arts Weapons
- Nunchucks
- Pool Cues
- Shoe/Snow Spikes
- Ski Poles
- Snow Cleats
- Small Compressed Gas Cartridges
- Spear Guns
- Aerosol Insecticide
Sharp Objects
- Box Cutters
- Corkscrews (with blade)
- Darts
- Ice Axes/Ice Picks
- Kirpans
- Knives
- Meat Cleavers
- Pocket Knife
- Razor-Type Blades
- Sabers
- Safety Razor With Blades (allowed without blade)
- Saws
- Swiss Army Knife
- Swords
- Throwing Stars
- Utility Knives/Knife
Self defense Items
- Ammunition
- BB Guns
- Bear spray
- Cap Guns
- Compressed Air Guns
- Firearms
- Flare Guns
- Flares
- Gun Lighters
- Gun Powder
- Parts of Guns and Firearms
- Pellet Guns
- Realistic Replicas of Firearms
- Rifles
- Rocket Launcher
- Starter Pistols
Explosives and flammable items
- Bang Snaps
- Self-Defense Sprays
- Blasting Caps
- Butane
- Chlorine for Pools and Spas
- CO2 Cartridge
- Dynamite
- English Christmas Crackers
- Fire Extinguishers and Other Compressed Gas Cylinders
- Firecracker
- Fireworks
- Flammable Liquid, Gel, or Aerosol Paint
- Flammable Paints
- Fuels
- Gas Torches
- Gasoline
- Gel-Type Candles
- Hand Grenades
- Lighter Fluid
- Liquid Bleach
- Party Poppers
- Pepper Spray
- Propane
- Rainbow Flame Crystals
- Realistic Replicas of Explosives
- Realistic Replicas of Incendiaries
- Recreational Oxygen
- Sparklers
- Spray Paint
- Strike-anywhere Matches
- Tear Gas
- Torch Lighters
- Vehicle Airbags
Different items:
- Tactical Pen
- Battery powered wheelchairs and mobility devices
- Billy Clubs
- Black Jacks (Self-Defense Weapons)
- Brass Knuckles
- Fertilizer
- Foam Toy Sword
- Night Sticks
- Permeation devices for calibrating air quality
- Slingshots
- Stun Guns/Shocking Devices
Now Let’s Look On What Is Not Allowed In Carry On Baggage On More Details
Liquids And Toiletries
The TSA liquid rules are pretty straightforward, you can only bring 3.4 ounces / 100ml or less for each container inside a quart sized bag in carry-on baggage.
And anything that you can pump, squeeze, spread, smear, or spray will be subject to the TSA 3-1-1 liquid rule.
These items should be placed in a clear, plastic, resealable bag for easy access and inspection.
Remember that the TSA focused more about the container itself, so you can’t take a 12 oz container and fill it with 3.4 oz of liquid.
Medical necessary liquids and baby formula are excepted from this rule.
Shampoo
Yes, you can bring shampoo in carry-on luggage, but for liquids shampoo it needs to be 3.4oz/ 100ml or less.
Even if you wanted to bring dry or solid shampoo you can bring as much as you want and you don’t need to worry about the TSA liquid rule.
I prefer solid shampoo, as I save the space inside of my toiletry bag for other items. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about it leaking inside your bag.
Toothpaste
toothpastes are confusing right!!
But as we mentioned above anything that you can pump, squeeze, spread, smear, or spray will be subject to the TSA liquid rule.
Yes, it is considered a liquid, and you can only bring 3.4 oz / 100 ml containers, otherwise you can place large tubes in your checked baggage.
Perfumes
The good thing is most of the perfumes come in 3.4 oz / 100 ml bottles, so you can just toss it inside your toiletry bag and Voila!
But it is better to avoid using any perfume on board the airplane, some of the following travelers may be asthmatic or allergic to these things.
So use your perfume after you leave the airport or at the hotel room.
Disinfectant Wipes
You can bring disinfectant wipes on carry-on baggage without any issues, even though some passengers may consider them as part of the liquid rules , but the TSA stated that disinfectant wipes do not count as a liquid.
Hand sanitizer is also allowed on planes, but it needs to follow the TSA liquid rule.
Soap
Liquid soap needs to follow the TSA liquid rules, but you cantering any amount of solid soap in hand luggage with any issues.
Eyeshadow Palettes
Yes solid eyeshadow palettes are good to go in carry-on bags, cream eyeshadow needs to follow the TSA liquid rules, 3/4 oz / 100 ml or less placed inside a quart sized bag.
Nail Polish
Nail polish need to be inside your toiletry bag, and you can bring as much as you can fit inside your baggie.
Hairspray
You can bring aerosol hairspray in carry-on baggage but in kilted quantities of 3.4 oz / 100 ml or less.
You can bring a large container of hair spray in a checked bag, but each container must not exceed 18 oz / 500 ml.
Lotion
Lotion is considered a liquid so it needs to flow the TSA liquid rule, no more than 3.4 oz when transported in checked baggage, larger containers need to be transported in checked bags.
Deodorant
Deodorant is a liquid and it needs to follow the TSA liquid rule when placed in carry-on baggage.
But there are several types of deodorant, you can check out the rule here : Can I Bring Deodorant On A Plane?
Food
If you wanted to bringing meat, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products in carry on bags, you can do it, but liquid foods such as soups, sauces need to follow the TSA rule, however it is better if avoided in a carry-on bag, as they have the potential to spill.
If you are traveling on international flights, you need to follow the regulations of your destination country.
Powders
Whether it is spices, protein powder or makeup powder, they are all allowed in carry-on bags.
Larger amounts of powders more than ( 12 oz / 350 ml ) will be subject for additional screening at the airport, you will need to remove them for your bags.
The TSA claimed that to avoid any inconvenience it is better to place any type of powder larger than 12 oz / 350 ml in checked baggage.
batteries
Batteries are good to carry in hand luggage, but there are a lot of types of batteries, you can find more detailed rules in this post: Can you take batteries on a plane?
Phones and chargers
Phones and chargers are allowed on carry-on baggage, you will need to remove any electronics larger than a cell phone from the carry on bag and place it in a separate bin for further screening.
Hair Dryers
Yes, hair dryers are good to go in carry-on bags, learn more about traveling with hairdryers on planes.
Scissors
Scissors are allowed in carry-on bags but they need to be less than 4 inches from the pivot point.
Even though most of these items will primarily depend on the mood of the TSA security officer you encounter at the Airport.
Meaning he has the final decision to allow your scissors or not.
Knives
Obviously knives will not be allowed in carry-on bags, as they are the most common weapon.
Plastic knives or rounded butter knives are allowed in carry-on bags, other types of knives should be packed in checked bags.
Razors
Even though razors are sharp and can best be used as a self defense tool, some of the razors are allowed in carry-on baggage, especially disposable razors.
Knitting Needles
Knitting needles are good to go in carry-on baggage, however ensure that you don’t bring some type of long metal knitting needles.
I would recommend bringing wooden knitting needles if you wanted to pass time on your flight, as they are less suspected at the sect checkpoint.
Glass Items
Even though glass can be used as a weapon when it is broken, but the TSA and most airlines do allow glass onboard the airplane.
For example the TSA won’t ban a beautiful vase because they assume that a passenger will break it and use it as a self defense item, the chance of that happening is rare.
Just ensure that your items are within your airline carry on size limits.
Sporting Equipment
Sporting equipment, this includes, baseball bats ,golf clubs, skis, and other sporting equipment they can be difficult to fit in a carry-on bag.
They can also be used as a weapon, so you can’t bring these things in carry-on bags.
But other sport equipment like balls for example is okay to bring in carry on, just ensure that it is deflated.
Pepper Spray
No, pepper spray is not allowed in carry-on bags, as they are considered dangerous weapons.
Anything that can be used as a weapon is not permitted in carry-on baggage.
If you wanted to bring pepper spray you can bring it in checked baggage but in a limited quantity.
Make sure to contact your Airline as they may have different rules for transporting these types of items in checked baggage, also if you are traveling internationally, check the rules on the country of your destination.
Guns
Firearms are not allowed in hand luggage.
If you want to bring a firearm contact your airline for further regulations, and if they allow them in checked baggage.
Ensure that you also check the laws of your state or country of destination.
Tools
If you are using your hammer for carpentry, some bad guys out there are ready to use it to knock someone in the head.
So it is better to place these tools ( a hammer or a drill ) in a checked bag, if you bring these items through the equity checkpoint, it will be confiscated, especially if you don’t have a checked bag.
Some small tools may depend on the security officer you encounter at the security checkpoint, but to avoid any inconvenience it is better to send them in your checked bag or leave them at home if possible.
Camp Stoves
Camping is a lot of fun, but taking a camp stove that has fuel trace is not allowed on a plane.
The TSA stated that passengers can bring a camp stove in both carry on and checked baggage if the stove is fully cleaned, but I think they mean a brand camp stove .
In my opinion the TSA and most airlines are more strict about flammable items in general, which is the right thing to do.
Lighters and Matches
You can bring one disposable or zippo lighter , and one book of safety matches in carry on luggage for personal use.
E-cigarettes and Vaping Devices
Electronic cigarettes, like Juul and Puff Bars are good to go in carry-on bags, but you can’t send them in checked baggage.
If you want to bring their liquids separately, they need to follow the 3.4 oz /100 ml liquid rule.
Toys
Oh i don’t forget about your lovely ones.
Most of the toys and games are permitted on board, stuffed animals, Playdoh or any other toys.
The only thing you need to remember is that the toy do not replicate a weapon, like toy guns , these types of toys won’t be allowed in carry-on bags.
But overall toys a re good to go on planes.
Final Thoughts
Packing smart and light but taking only what you need is essential for a hassle-free flight.
And avoiding items that are prohibited by the TSA and the airlines, like dangerous and hazardous items or even those that replicate weapon shapes will help you avoid any inconvenience at the airport.
Consider packing bulky items such as sport equipment and larger tools in your checked luggage.
You can also checked the item that you and can and can’t tae in checked baggage in this detailed guide.
We hope this helps
Happy travels!
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