What Medications Can You Carry When Traveling by Air?

What Medications Can You Carry When Traveling by Air?

Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Juhan Sonin

Acceptable carry-on items are limited for security reasons by the Transportation Safety Authority (TSA) when traveling internationally to or from the United States, or when traveling domestically within the United States. Those needing to travel with prescription or over-the-counter medication need to follow certain guidelines to ensure they are able to travel with their medicine.

3 Oz. Containers

TSA regulations allow for liquids and gels to be carried-on to a plane only in quantities of 3 oz. or less. If you have medication in larger quantities, you may move 3 oz. of it to a smaller plastic container for travel.

Checked Baggage

All legal medication is allowed in any quantity when part of a checked bag, so those needing to pack large quantities of liquid or gel medication can simply check their baggage. All major airlines keep their cargo holds pressurized to maintain a moderate room temperature, so even heat- and cold-sensitive medication can safely be stowed.

Prescription Medication

All prescription medication can be carried on, although liquid and gels are subject to the 3 oz. maximum rule. Pills, capsules and other dry forms may be brought on freely in larger quantities.

Original Prescription

When traveling with any prescription medication it is highly recommended to have a copy of the original prescription or a doctor's note on hand. This is especially true if traveling with prescription medication in a pill-a-day container or another travel-sized container, rather than the original prescription bottle.

Matching Names

When traveling with prescriptions, ensure that the name on the prescription matches the name on your passport. If for some reason this is not possible, contact your doctor for a signed note explaining your special circumstances.

Article Written By Brendan McGuigan

Situated on the beautiful Mendocino Coast in Northern California, Brendan McGuigan has been writing professionally since 2003. His articles have appeared in "Pology," "San Francisco Restaurant Review," 1001 Beautiful Sights and Visual Travel Tours. He studied linguistics and phonology at Goddard College.

Write for Trails.com
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