Items restricted to checked bags
Before you fly
Before you head to the airport, you should take the time to get familiar with common security rules such as what kinds of identification you may need, and basic baggage rules such as what valuable or critical personal items should always be in your carry-on bag and not in your checked luggage.
Going through airport security without any extra delays will be a lot easier if you avoid taking banned or restricted items through the security checkpoint. While the following descriptions of banned or restricted items are based on TSA rules and guidelines, most countries have similar restrictions.
Banned items
The following items are completely banned from aircraft, and should not be brought to the airport:
- Explosive and incendiary materials
- Flammable items
- Gasses and pressure containers
- Matches
- Oxidizers and organic peroxides
- Poisons
- Infectious materials
- Corrosives
- Organics
- Radioactive materials
- Magnetic materials
- Marijuana (cannabis)
Note: For more information, including details on other dangerous items, visit the banned items page. Also, if you are in any doubt about whether your item may be hazardous, you should bring it to the attention of either your airline or the security screener.
Related resources
While explosives are banned, passengers can follow specific procedures to carry firearms and some kinds of ammunition in checked baggage.
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Items restricted to checked bags
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has prohibited the following items from airplane cabins and carry-on baggage but may (with some exceptions) be carried only in checked baggage:
- Stick or club type sporting goods
- Firearms (including firearm replicas and firearm parts) and ammunition
- Knives and cutting instruments
- Paintball guns
- Power tools and larger hand tools
- Dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide)
Note: For more information, including a more detailed list of items that can only be in a checked bag, visit the checked bag only page for additional details.
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Items allowed in your carry-on bags
There are a number of items that could be considered hazardous or dangerous that are actually allowed in the passenger cabin, including your carry-on baggage:
- Non-rechargeable batteries
- Spare rechargeable batteries (there are additional restrictions based on the capacity of the battery)
- Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices (unpowered)
- Small hand tools (less than seven inches or 18 cm in length) that don't have sharp cutting edges
- Matches (other than strike anywhere matches) and common cigarette lighters
- Scissors with a cutting edge less than four inches (10 cm)
If you have any doubts or questions about your carry-on item, contact your airline for advice.
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Don't put these items in checked luggage
There are many other kinds of items that you should only have in your carry-on bag, or on your person, especially if it is hard to replace, very expensive, or necessary for your health and well being. Examples include:
- Money related items
- Computers and personal electronic devices
- Passports and other identification
- Jewelry, expensive watches, precious metals, and valuables
- Medications and medical devices.
- Difficult to replace items like keys; eyeglasses; mail, documents, and devices with electronic data.