What Can You Bring on a Plane? (TSA-Approved List)

So you are packing tonight and you want a fast yes/no on the items in front of you.

The TSA’s “What Can I Bring?” tool has the answers, but it is 700 items sorted alphabetically.

Generic explainers only cover the top 20 items people ask about.

Neither helps at 10pm when the question is gel deodorant, a drone, or your grandma’s ashes.

This is the practical version.

Categories most travelers actually ask about, sorted by how surprising the answer is.

The rules below apply to U.S. airports under TSA. Most international airports follow similar logic with small regional twists.

After years of using the same 22-liter personal-item bag through customs and security at airports across the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia, I have learned that the rules vary at the margins.

The user mistakes do not.

Here’s the thing.

The TSA agent on duty has the final call, but you can pre-empt 90 percent of the friction by surfacing borderline items yourself before the scanner.

Clothing and textiles

Essentially all clothing is allowed in both carry-on and checked.

Wedding dresses, suits, heavy coats, hats.

The only twist: very valuable items (leather jackets, designer handbags) should go in carry-on, not checked, because checked-bag theft is the rarer but real risk.

Electronics

Phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers, headphones, cameras, drones, smartwatches: all allowed in carry-on.

The category that trips people up is batteries.

Loose lithium cells, spare camera batteries, and external battery packs over 100 Wh need special handling.

Per the FAA’s lithium-battery guidance, batteries must go in carry-on (not checked), terminals taped or in original packaging, with a 100 Wh limit per battery and 2 spares per traveler.

Liquids, gels, and aerosols

The 3-1-1 rule still runs the U.S. show: containers under 3.4 ounces (100ml), all in one quart-sized clear bag, one bag per traveler.

Stick deodorant is not a liquid; gel deodorant is.

This is the single most-asked question in the category.

Peanut butter and yogurt count as liquids under the rule.

Pack either in checked, or buy at the destination.

The TSA’s official 3-1-1 guidance is the definitive reference.

Food

Solid food is generally allowed in both carry-on and checked.

Sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, bread, cheese, chocolate, coffee beans.

Liquid foods (soup, yogurt, salsa, honey, jams, liquid sauces) fall under 3-1-1 and are effectively not allowed in carry-on in useful quantities.

International travel adds customs rules on top.

Most countries restrict fresh fruit, meat, dairy, and seeds on entry, per CDC travel food guidance.

Medications and medical supplies

Prescription medications are allowed in both carry-on and checked, in quantities appropriate for the trip.

Keep meds in original labeled containers, ideally in carry-on.

CPAP machines, mobility aids, breast pumps, and insulin pumps are explicitly exempt from carry-on size limits.

Liquid medications over 100ml are allowed under a medical exemption but must be declared at the security lane.

Sharp tools and “weapons”

Knives, scissors over 4 inches, multitools with blades, razors with replaceable blades loose: checked only, not carry-on.

Small scissors under 4 inches and safety razors are carry-on OK.

Nail clippers and tweezers are always fine.

Firearms require declaration at check-in, a locked hard case, and go in checked only.

International firearm rules are stricter and country-specific.

Most tourist destinations flatly prohibit civilian import.

What about international flights?

The 3-1-1 rule, battery limits, and sharp-tool rules exist in similar form at most major international airports.

Europe under EU rules is close to the U.S. TSA standard, with a growing number of airports now allowing liquids to stay in the bag thanks to CT scanners.

Asia varies more.

Singapore Changi screens liquids in the bag, while Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong still use the pull-out quart-bag process.

Some Chinese domestic airports are stricter on electronics and add a power-on check at the gate.

Duty-free liquids over 100ml bought airside are usually allowed in sealed STEB bags, but connecting through a non-sealed country can invalidate them.

Always check the final leg.

Food across international borders brings customs into the mix.

Fresh fruit, meat, and dairy get inspected or rejected on entry to most countries.

The surprising stuff

Cremated remains: allowed in carry-on in a crematory-issued container that X-rays clearly.

Avoid metal or dense ceramic, as those block the scanner image.

Live fish: allowed in carry-on in a clear plastic bag with water, subject to the agent on duty waving you through.

Plan for a longer ID-check.

Musical instruments including guitars: usually allowed in carry-on if they fit the sizer, larger instruments require a purchased seat or checked.

Marijuana: federally illegal regardless of state laws, not allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.

Final rule: the agent has the last word

The published rules are the default.

The TSA agent on duty can still direct an item to secondary screening or confiscation at their discretion.

Being polite and having your items accessible makes a difference. Arguing does not.

If an item is borderline, surface it yourself before the scanner.

A quick “I have an X in this pocket, should it come out?” prevents the whole-bag pull-aside.

The agent is much more likely to wave a declared item through than one that shows up unexpectedly on the X-ray.

This holds internationally as well as in the U.S.