Before you go

What You Can (and Can't) Bring Through Security

By the TSA Wait Times team · Updated July 2026 · Published June 2026

Most of what you pack is fine to carry on. The one rule that trips people up is liquids — anything you can pour or spread has to be 3.4 ounces or smaller and fit in a single quart-size bag. Here's exactly what stays in your bag, what comes out, and what to leave home before you go.

The short answer

Solid items fly. Liquids, gels, and aerosols get capped at 3.4 ounces each. Sharp objects, flammables, and anything that reads as a weapon stay home or ride in a checked bag. Pack with that in mind and you'll move through the line without a second look.

The 3-1-1 rule for liquids

Every liquid, gel, cream, paste, or aerosol in your carry-on follows one rule: 3-1-1. It's the size of the container that counts, not how much is left inside.

A few liquids get a pass. Medications, baby formula, breast milk, and baby food are allowed in larger amounts — just take them out and tell the officer. A frozen gel pack to keep them cold is fine too, as long as it's solid when you reach the scanner.

Electronics: what comes out of your bag

Pull out anything larger than your phone. In the standard line, laptops and full-size tablets come out and go in their own bin so the scanner gets a clear look. The rest stays packed.

• Laptops and large tablets — out of the bag, in their own bin.
• Phones, e-readers, cords, headphones — leave them packed.
• Power banks and spare lithium batteries — carry-on only, never in a checked bag.

Spare batteries and power banks are the one thing that has to ride in the cabin with you, not below deck — it's a fire-safety rule.

Food and snacks you can bring

Solid food is welcome. Sandwiches, chips, whole fruit, cookies, a birthday cake — pack as much as you like in your carry-on.

The catch is anything you can pour, spread, or dip. Peanut butter, yogurt, hummus, jam, salsa, soup, and dips all count as liquids, so they follow the 3-1-1 rule. Bringing a big jar? Put it in your checked bag.

What to leave home or check

Some items never make it past the checkpoint in a carry-on. When you're not sure, the safest move is to check the bag or leave it home — an officer can ask you to surrender an item, and you won't get it back.

• Sharp objects — knives, box cutters, and scissors with blades longer than 4 inches.
• Firearms and ammunition — checked bag only, unloaded, in a locked hard case, and declared at the airline counter.
• Self-defense sprays— pepper spray is checked-bag only; bear spray isn't allowed at all.
• Flammables and tools — lighter fluid, fireworks, and any tool longer than 7 inches, like a wrench or pliers.

PreCheck changes what you unpack

With TSA PreCheck, you keep almost everything in your bag. Members leave their laptop, their quart-size liquids bag, their belt, and a light jacket right where they are — and walk a shorter, faster line.

One change helps everyone: as of July 2025, you no longer take your shoes off in the standard line either. PreCheck's edge now is keeping your laptop and liquids packed — and the shorter wait.

• TSA PreCheck — about $77 to $85 for five years; keeps your laptop and liquids in your bag at U.S. checkpoints.
• Global Entry — $120 for five years; includes PreCheck plus a faster path back into the country.
• CLEAR Plus — $209 a year; verifies your ID to move you to the front, then you still go through normal screening.

Not sure which one fits your travel? Our guide on TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR breaks down who actually saves time. And if you're timing your morning, see how early you really need to arrive. Packing toiletries? Our carry-on liquids 3-1-1 guide covers every gel, cream, and aerosol.

Lines move differently at every airport. Check today's live waits at Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), or Chicago O'Hare (ORD) before you pack.

Common questions