Air Travel Regulations for Liquid

Air Travel Regulations for Liquid
On June 1, 2007, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration instituted new guidelines for all liquid items packed as carry-on luggage. Though this policy changes how travelers pack, the guidelines are easy to remember.
"Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200LR, Cimber Air, over PoznaƄ (Poland) 14.09.09" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: eisenbahner under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

Size

Under the guidelines, liquids packed as carry-on items for air travel must be 3.4 ounces in volume or less. Liquid items of any size may be packed in checked baggage.

Features

Liquids must fit in one quart-sized, zip-top, clear plastic bag no larger than 8 inches by 8 inches. Keep the bag handy to ease the security clearance process.

Limit

Each passenger may carry one plastic bag containing liquid items aboard a plane.

Prevention/Solution

To help prevent liquid items from being confiscated, the Transportation Security Administration instituted a "3-1-1" catchphrase to help passengers remember the policy: "3" stands for the 3.4 ounce container; "1," for one bag; and the second "1," for one passenger.

Exceptions

Passengers can bring medications, baby formula, baby food and breast milk on flights in quantities larger than 3.4 ounces. It's not necessary to carry these items in a plastic bag, but you must declare them at security checkpoints.

Article Written By Marguerite Lance

Marguerite Lance has been a professional writer for seven years and has written for museums, hospitals, non-profit agencies, governmental agencies and telecommunication companies. Her specialties include nutrition, dietetics and women's and children's health issues. Lance received a Bachelor of Arts in biological anthropology from Idaho State University.

Write for Trails.com
  • Editor's Pick

    5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

    5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

    Springtime brings a sense of new beginnings and new life as flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Luckily we can see wildflowers all summer long, since spring hits at different times throughout North America. See flowering cactu...

    More National Parks...
  • Popular Article

    National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

    National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

    Coping with crowds at national parks can get tiresome, especially during the peak tourist season. If you want to escape from the herd, or just take a breather from the bustle of bigger attractions, the United States has plenty of less-visited but still worthwhile spots t...

    More National Parks...
  • Featured Destination

    Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

    Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

    When you're hiking you're going to want to make sure you stay found. What I mean by that is that you've put an itinerary in the car, you know the area that you're hiking to, you know the route and the trail you plan on being on, you know what the trail markers are going ...

    More Camping Basics...

Hotel Finder

Destination
Check-in
Check-out
Adults (18+ yrs)
Children (2-17 yrs)
Get Rates and Availability

Outdoor Gear & Equipment

ALL NEW Trails Gear Store powered by:

Trail Finder

US Map

Search by Keyword