TSA Liquid Limit: Items Over 3.4 Oz. That Can Go in a Carry-On

Nov 01, 2024

By Danielle Braff

Updated on Oct. 29, 2024

Finally, some good aviation news! Find out about these little-known loopholes in the TSA liquid limit rule.

By now, you’ve probably got the whole TSA liquid limit down to a science. After all, it’s been more than 15 years since these Transportation Security Administration carry-on rules were instated to limit how much liquid you can bring through security. But did you know there are certain exceptions to this rule? You should. We asked TSA Uniformed Advisor Eri Jenkins, who previously worked as a transportation security officer at a TSA checkpoint, to enlighten us about what liquids are allowed. Some exceptions are meant to make it easier for people with medications or children, but others are literal loopholes (think: frozen liquids counting as a solid!).

Just in case you haven’t flown in a while, here’s the lowdown on the TSA’s infamous 3-1-1 rule for going through airport security: All liquids (including gels like toothpaste) must each be in a container that holds no more than 3.4 ounces. All of your containers must fit into one quart-size bag. And each passenger is allowed one bag. If you have things you shouldn’t, you can toss them or go back to the gate to check them; otherwise, your friendly TSA agent will confiscate them.

Is there a chance the liquid rule may go away soon? Possibly! We got a TSA spokesperson to give us the exclusive news. Read on to get the inside scoop and learn about the current exceptions to the TSA liquid rules so you can bring those items through security and on board with you.

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The TSA won’t take away your medication—even if you take a lot of it. Pills and other solid medications are allowed in “unlimited amounts,” as long as they’re screened. They don’t even need to be in their original container, although it’s helpful if they’re labeled. When it comes to liquid, gel and aerosol medications, “these items are considered essential and are allowed to exceed 3.4 ounces,” Jenkins says. “There is no set amount, but [it] should be a reasonable quantity.”

“Reasonable quantity” is very nonspecific, but as long as it’s what you need for your trip, you won’t be stopped by security. But you should notify the TSA official as well as take your liquid medicine, along with accompanying supplies like ice packs, syringes or IV bags, out of your carry-on and place them in a bin. These liquids may go through additional screenings to check for explosives, and you may be asked to open them for a vapor analysis. If you prefer that your liquid medication not go through the X-ray machine or be opened, you can ask for alternative screening.

So how much liquid can you take on a plane when it comes to over-the-counter medications? It’s not just prescription meds that have the all-clear; nonprescription liquid medication over 3.4 ounces is also permitted in your carry-on. Again, make sure it’s a reasonable amount—you don’t want your entire carry-on to be chock-full of over-the-counter liquids. And don’t simply go marching through security with a bottle of the good stuff: Let your security official know you have an item that’s over the TSA liquid limit, and be prepared if they want to do some additional screening.

Also, if you’re traveling internationally, check the rules for the country you’re visiting to make sure it doesn’t have any restrictions on the ingredients in your OTC liquids.

Depending on how long your trip is, you might need more saline than the tiny bottle normally required for liquids. But don’t worry about fitting your contact lens solution into a 3.4-ounce container, because it’s classified as an over-the-counter medication. “Medically necessary saline solutions will be exempt from 3-1-1,” Jenkins says. “However, it will undergo additional screening.” Simply tell your TSA officer that you have it, take it out of your carry-on and be prepared to have the officer open it for a possible vapor analysis.

This one is surprising but true. Need to get your gravy home and don’t feel like checking the bag? Or did Mom make you some chicken soup that you’re worried will leak in your luggage? Simply freeze it. According to the TSA, frozen liquid items are allowed through as long as they’re frozen solid at the security checkpoint. (It’s OK if they melt post-checkpoint.) “Frozen liquids are allowed because they do not pose the same potential threat as items in a liquid state pose,” Jenkins says.

If they’re partially melted, slushy or have any liquid, they must meet the 3-1-1 liquid requirements or you’ll have to eat them immediately, toss them or check them. So make sure you go from freezer to TSA, stat.

Need some gel ice packs to keep your medication cool? Pack as many as you need, as long as it’s—yep—a “reasonable quantity.” Remember, ice is allowed because frozen items don’t carry the same security risk as liquids. But here’s where things differ for medication-cooling ice packs: Unlike ice packs you’re using to keep food cool (which must be frozen solid when you go through security), those you’re using with medications can be in a “frozen, partially frozen or melted state to keep medically necessary items cool,” the TSA says. Either way, let the TSA official know you’re carrying the ice packs before your bags are X-rayed.

The pandemic highlighted the need for disinfecting wipes on planes to clean off your tray table (one of the dirtiest parts of an airplane) and anything else you touch that might be harboring germs. Not to mention, parents need baby wipes for diaper changes, sticky toddler hands and other messes. Thankfully, the TSA allows you to pack in your carry-on bag as many premoistened wipes as you want. That goes for disinfecting wipes, baby wipes, makeup wipes and any other kind of wet wipes. Because they contain liquid but are themselves solid, wipes get around the 3-1-1 rule and don’t need to be in your quart-sized bag.

These days, disinfecting hand wipes may be a better choice than hand sanitizer, as the latter is no longer an exception to the liquids rule. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, hand sanitizers were exempt from the 3-1-1 rule,” Jenkins says. “That has since changed, and hand sanitizer now falls under the 3-1-1 rule.”

Never heard of STEB? Short for “secure, tamper-evident bags,” these one-time-use bags allow you to pack liquid items you’ve purchased at the airport in your carry-on. “Large duty-free liquids bought at the airport can be brought through the security checkpoint, so long as the duty-free seal remains in place,” Jenkins says. So go wild at the duty-free shop and buy full-size bottles of liquor, perfume and anything else your heart desires. After you pay, the cashier will put everything in a STEB and seal it shut. As long as you don’t open the bag, you can bring those full-size liquids on board. (And nope, you can’t open it once you’re on the plane.)

One important note: The TSA says you must have the receipt handy to prove you bought the items within the past 48 hours. Security won’t allow less-recent purchases through. Also, the items must be screened, and if they set off the alarms, they can’t go through—so when possible, stash the big bottles (even in a STEB) in your checked baggage.

You can wear gel-filled bra helpers or breast forms, also known as silicone inserts, through security and onto the plane, even if they’re larger than 3.4 ounces. This may be of particular concern to breast cancer survivors who wear a mastectomy prosthesis (in which case the prosthesis is considered a medical device) and transgender passengers.

If the breast forms are in your carry-on, discreetly let the TSA official know. They may do an additional screening, which you can request to have done in private. (If you’re wearing a breast form, let the official know before you go through the body scanner. You will not be asked to remove or lift clothing.)

This has long been a concern for moms of little ones, and chances are, you’ve heard a few airport horror stories about passengers having their baby items confiscated or being forced to dump them at the security checkpoint. The key to avoiding a similar hassle? Knowing the TSA’s actual rules. “Baby formula, breast milk and baby food are considered essential items for the health and well-being of babies, infants and toddlers,” Jenkins says. Regardless of size, they are exempt from the TSA liquid limit rule and are allowed in your carry-on.

However, “these items undergo additional screening to ensure their security and safety,” he says. Remove the items from your carry-on, and an official will likely inspect the container to check for explosives. The TSA says this might be easier if the liquids are in bottles rather than bags or pouches so that they can go through the Bottle Liquid Scanner, which differentiates liquid explosives from common, benign liquids. (If liquids are in bags or pouches, there are alternative screening methods.) And don’t worry—the screening won’t actually touch the contents.

One final note: Your child does not have to be traveling with you for you to bring these liquids through security, which should ease the minds of those pumping breast milk while away from their baby.

Well, technically, you can’t bring bottled water through airport security, but your young child can, according to the TSA. For children, water is allowed in “reasonable quantities” so you can mix formula while en route to your destination, as well as for hydration. Nonspecific “toddler drinks” are also allowed for children who drink milk or juice. So feel free to bring whatever liquid items your child needs in your carry-on, using a store-bought or reusable water bottle—but let the TSA official know. Explain that it’s for your child, and remove it from your carry-on. As long as it’s for a little one, it’s totally OK.

Pro tip for adults flying solo: If you want to bring water, freeze a bottle, as anyone can bring frozen-solid items through the TSA checkpoint.

Can’t bear to leave Goldie at home? This is a strange one, but yep, you can bring fish on board a flight, and they’ll likely need more than 3.4 ounces of water to stay alive. The fish and water just need to be in a clear container for inspection. (Obviously, don’t hide it in your carry-on.) When we asked Jenkins about this, he said “the rule is based on a scientific standard that the international community adopted through the United Nations,” meaning scientists decided live fish didn’t pose a significant threat. The same goes for live coral in water.

The TSA says to check with your airline about live lobsters, though. Some will allow you to bring them on, but others require you to check them.

Got a teething baby? Don’t want to hear said baby scream on the plane for the next few hours? Neither does anyone else! That could be why the TSA decided to pop this one on the list—though, in reality, teething rings are allowed because they are essential for the well-being of babies. If the teethers are frozen, they count as a solid, not a liquid. But even if they’re not, they’ll just be subject to the additional screening. So go ahead and bring all your gel- and liquid-filled teethers, regardless of their size, and let the transportation security officer know. Anyone and everyone who’s ever been on a flight with kids will thank you.

Imagine trying to squash eggs into a quart bag! Luckily, the TSA allows you to carry fresh eggs (liquid yolks and all) in your carry-on without them being subject to the 3-1-1 rule. However, you’ll want to be on the safe side and take the items out of your bag to be screened separately—especially since you don’t want them to break inside your bag.

If you have any other strange things that you’re not sure you can take through security, visit “What Can I Bring?” on TSA.gov for a comprehensive list. You can search by item name or type, and if your item isn’t there, you can contact the AskTSA team via text or several messaging apps 365 days a year.

That’s the name for the TSA liquid limit rule. The TSA permits you to carry liquids, gels and aerosols in containers that hold up to 3.4 ounces. It’s called the 3-1-1 rule because your liquids must be no more than 3.4 ounces (that’s the 3), they have to fit into a one-quart bag (that’s the 1) and you’re only allowed one bag (that’s the final 1).

While the TSA liquid size rule may seem arbitrary, it has a specific purpose. “In the early 2000s, disguised liquid explosives were used in terrorist plots,” Jenkins says. “This [rule] is an international standard that a United Nations body, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), developed with explosives experts.” The 3-1-1 rule was instated in 2006 and “remains an international standard,” he says.

How did explosives experts decide what would be allowed and in what sizes? Jenkins directed us to the ICAO for scientific questions, but the ICAO told us that the info is restricted due to security risks. So although it’s annoying to have to squish tiny shampoo, makeup, moisturizer and toothpaste into a quart-size bag, we just have to trust the experts on this one. Anything that doesn’t fit these specifications either needs to be left at home or packed in your checked luggage.

You’d think the difference between a solid and a liquid would be obvious, but it’s not—there are many variations in of substances that are, well, squashable. So are deodorant, toothpaste and lipstick considered liquids? “Items like solid deodorants and lipsticks do not count as liquids,” Jenkins says. “However, toothpaste does and falls under the 3.4-ounce restriction.”

Here’s a handy trick for determining whether the TSA liquid limit applies to items: If they hold their own shape, they count as a solid. Other questionable items, like toothpaste and peanut butter, count as liquids because they take the form of their container. If it globs, it’s a liquid.

Yes, this rule is still in effect, but the TSA has relaxed its requirements a bit: The bag doesn’t need to be clear plastic. “In 2024, the requirement to have liquids in a clear quart-sized bag is no longer being enforced—however, the liquids should be able to fit into a quart-sized bag,” Jenkins says.

Still, a clear plastic bag will certainly make things easier for your TSA official and will help you get through security faster. If you’ve forgotten to put your items in a bag, it likely won’t be a big deal, and you can simply put them in the bin. The main thing is to respect the TSA liquid limit, but making things easy for the TSA is always a good idea. After all, you don’t want to spend more time than necessary at the security checkpoint.

As for specifics, you can use a resealable plastic bag, like those from Ziploc, or anything that’s about that size. The TSA doesn’t officially approve or disapprove of any particular bags.

Just how many ounces can you take on a plane in total? In 2024, “the amount of containers is still limited,” Jenkins says. You must be able to fit all your 3.4-ounce bottles into a one-quart bag, which is 6 inches by 9 inches. This usually equates to nine bottles, which is 30.6 ounces in total.

Remember, though: The size of each bottle (regardless of how full it is) can’t exceed 3.4 ounces. For example, you wouldn’t be able to take a larger bottle, such as one that fits 4 ounces, with 3.4 ounces of liquid in it.

Maybe—but not just yet, although the U.K. and the European Union have made progress with more advanced computed tomography (CT) machines that don’t require liquids to be as limited in order to verify safety. “On the liquids rule, U.S. and European partners continue to develop common testing methodologies to inform a risk-based decision and to ensure optimal alignment between U.S. and European liquids requirements,” Jenkins says.

We pressed the TSA a bit further, and an agency spokesperson gave us more exclusive details about carrying larger volumes of liquids (although our expert declined to specify an exact amount).

“Through the use of CT, there are opportunities for the aviation-screening community to implement policy changes to permit passengers to carry larger volumes of liquids through security screening checkpoints and on board the aircraft,” the TSA spokesperson told us. “The Transportation Security Administration and international partners are working with CT equipment manufacturers to further enhance CT detection algorithms to detect a wider range of liquid threat volumes within various container types.” For now, “TSA continues to closely collaborate with our international partners on alternative international liquid-relief strategies and how that would impact domestic operations.”

So when might the 3-1-1 rule go away? “TSA needs 2,263 CT machines to reach full operational capability. Currently, Checkpoint Property Screening System procurements are an estimated 40% of full operational capability,” our TSA spokesperson said. “Although CT technology, at current funding levels, is projected to be at full operating capability around 2042, TSA will continue to evaluate interim liquid-relief strategies at domestic airports where CT has already been deployed.”

In other words, the TSA is rolling out the new machines, but at this pace, it won’t have all airports covered until 2042, which is 16 years away. So keep those travel sizes on hand for the foreseeable flying future.

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece on the TSA liquid limit, Danielle Braff tapped her experience as a longtime freelance writer specializing in travel to ensure all information is accurate. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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