Liquids check
Carry-on liquids checker
List your liquids, gels, creams and aerosols. Each container is checked against the size limit, and the lot against one clear bag.
1 container over the 100 ml limit
- FitsShampoo100 ml · 3.38 fl ozGoes in your clear bag.
- FitsToothpaste75 ml · 2.54 fl ozGoes in your clear bag.
- FitsFace cream50 ml · 1.69 fl ozGoes in your clear bag.
- Check the labelPerfume100.6 ml · 3.4 fl ozA hair over 100 ml. Bottles sold as 3.4 fl oz are usually also marked 100 ml, which is what counts.
- Too bigSunscreen200 ml · 6.76 fl ozPack it in checked luggage, or buy a travel size.
- ExemptLiquid medicine150 ml · 5.07 fl ozKeep it separate and show it at security; you may be asked for proof it is needed.
326 ml of containers in one clear resealable bag of about 1 litre (about 1,000 ml), 33% full by capacity. Bottle shapes matter too: the bag must close without forcing.
What the check looks at
Container size. The limit is the capacity printed on the container, not what is left inside: GOV.UK says a part-full larger bottle still counts. TSA writes the limit as 3.4 ounces (100 ml); the UK and EU say 100 ml. They are a hair apart, since 3.4 US fl oz is about 100.55 ml, so under UK and EU rules a bottle typed in as 3.4 fl oz is marked "check the label": travel bottles are usually printed with both, and 100 ml is what counts.
The bag. TSA allows a quart-sized bag (a US quart is about 946 ml). GOV.UK describes one transparent, resealable bag holding no more than a litre, about 20 × 20 cm, sealed rather than tied, one per person; the EU rule is one transparent one-litre bag. The fill figure adds up container capacities, so treat it as a rough guide: the bag still has to close.
Exemptions. Medicines, baby food and milk, and (in the UK and EU) special dietary needs are exempt from the 100 ml limit; GOV.UK allows these in containers up to 2 litres. Pack them separately, and expect to show them and possibly proof that you need them.
Sources
- Transportation Security Administration, Liquids, Aerosols, and Gels Rule (3-1-1): 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers in a quart-sized bag; medications and infant and child nourishments exempt.
- GOV.UK, Hand luggage restrictions at UK airports: Liquids: 100 ml at most airports, rules depend on the airport, bag of about 20 × 20 cm holding no more than a litre.
- European Commission, Liquids, aerosols and gels: containers of up to 100 ml in one transparent one-litre resealable bag; medical, dietary and baby food exemptions.
- NIST, Special Publication 811, Appendix B: US fluid ounce (29.57 ml) and US liquid quart (0.9464 l).
Questions
Does a half-empty 200 ml bottle count as 100 ml?
No. The limit is the size of the container, not what is left in it. Decant into a travel bottle instead.
Is 3.4 oz exactly 100 ml?
Not quite: 3.4 US fluid ounces is about 100.55 ml, and 100 ml is about 3.38 fl oz. TSA treats them as one limit. Bottles labelled with both are fine either side of the Atlantic.
Can I take bigger containers at airports with new scanners?
At some airports, yes; at others, no. Check the website of every airport on your route, then choose "My airport's own limits" above and type in what it allows.