US Trends

what liquids can you take on a plane

You can take many types of liquids on a plane, but how much and where you pack them is tightly controlled.

Core rule: what liquids can you take on a plane?

For most countries (like the US/EU and many others), your carry-on is governed by the “3-1-1” or “100 ml” rule:

  • Each liquid container: up to 3.4 oz (100 ml) only.
  • All your small containers must fit in 1 clear, resealable quart-size (≈1 liter) bag.
  • You get 1 such bag per person in your carry-on.

“Liquids” here means anything pourable, squeezable, spreadable, or sprayable, including:

  • Drinks: water, soda, juice, coffee, alcohol, etc.
  • Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, lotion, perfume, sunscreen, liquid makeup.
  • Gels/creams/pastes: toothpaste, hair gel, moisturiser, peanut butter, jam, hummus.
  • Aerosols: deodorant spray, hairspray, shaving foam.

In checked baggage , quantities are much more relaxed:

  • Regular liquids and toiletries: usually no specific volume limit , only your airline’s weight/size limits.
  • Alcohol:
    • Under 24% ABV (beer, wine): generally no specific limit except baggage allowance.
* 24–70% ABV (spirits): up to **5 L per passenger** , unopened retail containers.

* Over 70% ABV: **not allowed at all** , neither checked nor carry-on.

Story-style example:
Imagine you’re packing for a weekend city break. Your full-size shampoo, big perfume bottle, and jar of peanut butter all go in your checked suitcase. In your backpack carry-on, you only pack tiny 100 ml travel bottles in one clear bag—so at security, you just pull the bag out, place it in the tray, and walk through without anyone binning your favourite products.

Special exceptions: when bigger liquids are allowed

Some liquids can exceed 100 ml in your carry-on if they’re declared and screened separately :

  • Medications (liquid, gel, or aerosol), prescription or essential over-the-counter, in “reasonable quantities” for your trip.
  • Baby/infant items like formula, breast milk, baby food, and sterilised water for mixing—allowed above 100 ml if needed for the journey.
  • Special dietary liquids (for medical needs), such as liquid nutrition or some allergy-friendly foods.
  • Duty-free liquids (alcohol, perfume) bought after security :
    • Can be over 100 ml.
    • Must be sealed in a tamper-evident bag with the receipt until you reach your final destination.

Many travellers lose these items simply because they forget to:

  • Keep them separate from the 100 ml bag.
  • Tell the officer they are medical/infant/dietary liquids and may exceed 100 ml.

New trends: airports relaxing the 100 ml rule

Recently, some airports have started installing new CT scanners that allow more relaxed liquid rules:

  • At several major UK airports (e.g., Heathrow, Edinburgh, Birmingham), the old 100 ml rule has been scrapped at the checkpoint with the new scanners.
  • Passengers at those airports can now carry up to 2 litres of liquids through security in their hand luggage, without removing them from bags.
  • However, some airports (like Luton, Manchester and others still upgrading) still enforce the 100 ml rule , even though they sometimes let liquids stay inside your bag.

This means that rules can differ by airport , even within the same country, especially in 2026 while tech is being rolled out.

Mini table: common liquid scenarios (carry-on vs checked)

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Item Carry-on (standard 100 ml airports) Checked baggage
Water / soft drink Max 100 ml in liquids bag; larger bottles only if bought after security. Allowed, seal well to avoid leaks.
Shampoo / conditioner 100 ml or less each, inside clear bag. Full-size bottles allowed.
Toothpaste / creams Treated as liquids/gels; 100 ml or less in liquids bag. Allowed in any size.
Perfume 100 ml or less; duty-free can exceed 100 ml if sealed. Any size, pack securely.
Alcohol (beer/wine <24% ABV) Limited to 100 ml containers unless duty-free and sealed. No special volume limit beyond airline rules.
Spirits (24–70% ABV) Same 100 ml limit unless duty-free sealed. Up to 5 L per passenger, in original retail packaging.
Highly flammable spirits (>70% ABV) Not allowed. Not allowed.
Liquid medication Can exceed 100 ml if declared and screened separately. Allowed; pack in original packaging if possible.
Baby formula / breast milk Can exceed 100 ml; declare at security. Allowed; pack carefully.
Peanut butter / spreads Treated as liquids; 100 ml container max. Allowed in jars or tubs.

Forum-style angle & “latest news” context

On travel forums and social sites, this topic is still a trending discussion , especially in 2026, because:

  • People see headlines about “100 ml rule scrapped” at certain airports and assume it’s global , then get caught out at airports still using the strict 100 ml limit.
  • Travellers argue over edge cases:
    • “Is peanut butter a liquid?” (Security treats it as one.)
* “Can I bring my huge bottle of shampoo if it’s half empty?” (No, container size—not content—matters.)
  • There’s also talk about new scanners eventually making liquid restrictions less strict worldwide, but the rollout is uneven and takes years.

A typical forum comment thread in 2026:

“Just flew from Heathrow and kept my 1L water bottle full in my bag—no problem at all.”
“Flew out of Manchester the same week and they still made me bin my drink; 100 ml rule was fully in force.”
“Moral: read your departure airport’s current rules, not just the headline.”

Quick checklist before you fly

To avoid having your liquids thrown away:

  1. Check the departure airport’s website a day or two before flying to see if they still use the 100 ml rule or have switched to new scanner rules (like the 2-litre allowance at some UK airports).
  1. Pack normal liquids in 100 ml containers and put them in a single clear quart-size bag if your airport still follows the classic rule.
  1. Keep medications, baby items, and special dietary liquids separate and be ready to declare them.
  1. Buy large drinks or alcohol after security if you want more than 100 ml in the cabin.
  1. For anything unusual (soups, sauces, sports gels), assume it counts as a liquid unless clearly solid.

TL;DR

You can take most liquids on a plane, but in your carry-on they usually must be in containers of 100 ml or less, all together in one quart-size clear bag , with exceptions for medications, baby food, and properly sealed duty-free purchases. Some airports with new scanners now let you carry up to 2 litres of liquids in your hand luggage, but many still enforce the old rule, so always check your specific airport’s latest guidance before packing.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.