15 years after an onboard bombing attempt led to restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags, limitations reman in effect in the United States and much of the world. But how many 3.4 ounce (100mL) bottles can you actually take onboard an airplane? The answer is surprising: quite a few, as it turns out.
How Many 3.4 Ounce Bottles Can I Take On My Flight?
According to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, liquids in your carry-on bags are limited to:
- 3.4 oz (100ML) containers, inside
- 1 quart-sized bag
Restrictions go beyond pure liquids to include:
- liquids
- aerosols
- gels
- creams
- pastes
3.4 ounces is 100mL. Generally, I find that products in the USA are sold in 3 ounce containers, though do watch out – not all “travel sized” items are under 3.4 oz.
You can fit about 5-6 bottles inside a quart-sized bag along with other items like a comb, toothbrush, and razor. Depending upon how much you use and your hair length, 3.4 ounces of shampoo should last you for 3-4 hair washings. It’s another reason why I regret that hotels are abandoning individual-sized toiletries.
I travel at least 100,000 miles per year (often more than double that) and over the years I can count on one hand the number of times this has been closely enforced. In reality, I’ve never seen the TSA measure the dimensions of toiletry bags.
Tip: Use clear ziplock bags, which are less likely to draw scrutiny than opaque bags.
My point is simple: if you are traveling with carry-on luggage only, don’t worry if your toiletry bag is slightly larger. While it is a good idea to respect the maximum size limits for liquids, I’ve found the TSA has allowed slightly larger items (my deodorant, for example, is 3.5oz [103 mL] and technically over the limit, but always permitted) as well as slightly larger bags.
Furthermore, while you risk additional screening if you bring too many liquids onboard, the most important requirement is that the bottles are not too big.
Tip: If you choose to travel with extra liquids items, divide them into two quart-sized bags and place only one in each security screening bin. They will be less likely to be detected this way.
Exceptions To TSA Liquid Restrictions
Medications and infant/child “nourishments” (like formula) are excluded from the liquid ban. That includes bottled water if necessary to mix the formula.
Furthermore, duty free liquids purchased in the USA or aboard are permitted in carry-on bags if the following three conditions are met:
- The duty free liquids were purchased internationally and you are traveling to the United States with a connecting flight.
- The liquids are packed in a transparent, secure, tamper-evident bag by the retailer and do not show signs of tampering when presented to TSA for screening.
- The original receipt for the liquids is present and the purchase was made within 48 hours.
Do note that in my experience not every TSA agent seems well-versed in this rule, so if you do intend to transport duty free liquid, keep a copy of this page bookmarked or printed.
All other larger or excess liquids must be placed in checked baggage.
CONCLUSION
In my experience, 3.4 ounces (100mL) containers are more closely enforced than the size of the bag they are placed in. That said, even if you limit yourself to one quart-sized bag, that should be more than enough for your liquid needs.
It was actually the 2006 Transatlantic Liquid Bomb Plot of 2006, not the 2001 attempted bombing of AA63 in 2001 by Richard Reid that spurred the 311 rule.
I clarified that. Thanks Chris.
Ridiculous rule…
“You can fit about 5-6 bottles inside a quart-sized bag along with other items like a comb, toothbrush, and razor. ”
Not sure why you wouldn’t separate out the non-liquid items. They just take up space that you could use for liquids. My Ziploc bag is usually full, because it’s filled with a dozen or more items. I very rarely need 100ml of a single item, so I repack them into 15-50ml bottles/containers.
As for the bag size, I’ve seen some ridiculously oversized “TSA Compliant” liquid/cosmetics bags for sale that are 1.5-3x the permitted volume. IME, those might get by in the US, but I’ve seen them rejected elsewhere (especially if they’re full), “But look! It has the airplane on it! It’s ok!”
Of course, it’d be nice if they eliminated the liquids rule…
I just cleared security in TGU about 10 minutes ago. They seemed to be very judicious about liquids, so I just put my toothpaste and insect repellent in my pockets. No metal. No problem.
Neanderthal rule.
About two years ago, I forgot to take my Dopp kit out while connecting in LHR. My punishment was to have a 3.75 oz. tube confiscated. Boots saved the day, but really.
I got berated by a agent in FRA once because my liquids were in my Tumi Dopp kit, which opens in half with clear windows. She proceeded to scream at me and emptied the entire thing into a bin to be rescreened. Then she proceeded to take my liquids and put them in a zip lock bag. When I made a joke about how much safer that must be, she waved over a man with a large rifle. I shook my head and went on my way.
The only places I ever see this enforced is at Frankfurt and LHR. Frankfurt takes everything out of my bag and then requires the min shaving cream can (which is in a separate 1qt bar in a separate carryon) to go in a single bag. LHR is similarly difficult. Picking the right line to avoid the retentive checkers is more art than science.
At SFO I bring full water bottles through the precheck line and nobody bags an eyelash. However BUR is one of the worst, they confiscated my 10yr olds skin cream because it was >100ml. Idiots…
I’ve had 110g toothpaste confiscated. Now I try to buy 90g , but it’s not so common. European size deodorant is commonly 75g, and 50g perfume is a decent size for a month or less. So those plus hand sanitizer, disinfectant, isopropyl alcohol ( all of which I carried pre-COVID) pretty much fill one of those bags ( and some airports, eg, LCY insist that they’re sealed, although most don’t seem to care.
Agree with Arthur and Boraxo about LHR. They are inconsistently strict about the size of the bag and how much bottles were in it. They tested each bottle but let me go with all bottles once the tests came back negative.
Being a guy with minimum needs I often put most of my toiletries in the 1 quart bag just to make things easy for me.
tooth paste, shaving gel, antibiotic and anti-itch meds for cuts/bites, toothbrush, floss, razor, and maybe some hand sanitizer.
People can laugh at me for this mishap. A few years ago on an Europe trip I reached down for the white tube and put toothpaste on my toothbrush and started brushing although it tasted strange. Turned out the white tube was the Cortizone anti-itch cream. Fortunately hydrocortisone isn’t dangerous in small amounts. I did do a lot of brushing/rinsing afterwards to get the taste out of my mouth.
I bring 10oz bottles through all the time. Just put them on the bottom of tour toiletries bag and put 3oz bottles on top. The big bottles shouldn’t stick out on the scanner. I’ve never been stopped by TSA. But upon returning from other countries… I’ve had a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff thrown out in a single screening
@Aaron
Thailand is the worst: plus the confiscated items have turned up for sale on EBay ( as corruption, not to benefit charities). Not to mention the duty free complicity.
Can someone aware me when it comes to alcohol mini bottles (50ml) or a 3 oz whisky flask in a carry on quart bag?
I got some mini bottles I refill from my large bottle and put it in my checked luggage but I feel like one day they will disappear TSA sticky fingers. So carry on seems a safer alternative.
As many as can fit in the bag.
The rule is long outdated especially with the advent of CT scanners and trace detection machines. In Australia, we’ve never had the liquids restriction on domestic and it’s only applied on international because other countries force them to, so it’s always funny seeing people finish their drinks before screening, or leaving behind unopened bottles of water that are yours for the taking. I took a 1.8 litre sake bottle once and the guy smirked at me.