Key takeaways
- Allowed in carry-on: Travel bottles 3.4oz or less in your quart bag, contact lens solution, wet wipes, solid deodorant, solid lip balm, powder makeup.
- Flagged and confiscated: Full-size shampoo (12oz), large sunscreen (6oz), water bottles with water still inside, snow globes with more than 3.4oz of liquid.
- Exception but declared: Medications, breast milk, baby formula, and infant food in reasonable quantities over 3.4oz. Tell the TSA officer at the checkpoint and be prepared for additional screening.
In 2026, carry-on luggage rules allow you to bring one cabin bag (typically max 22 x 14 x 9 inches including wheels and handles) plus one personal item, but TSA will flag liquids over 3.4 oz (100ml) per container, FAA limits lithium batteries to 100Wh without airline approval, and airlines will gate-check any bag that exceeds size or weight limits at the boarding door.
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Airline Carry-On Size and Weight Limits in 2026
TSA and FAA set what you can bring through security, but your airline sets whether your bag gets on the plane. Most U.S. airlines do not weigh carry-ons, while many international and budget carriers do. If your bag is even one inch over, expect a forced gate check and a fee of $35 to $99.
| Airline (2026 Policy) | Cabin Bag Max Size (incl. wheels/handles) | Personal Item Max Size | Weight Limit | Gate-Check Fee If Oversized |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm) | 18 x 14 x 8 in | No weight limit (must lift to overhead bin unaided) | $0 if space-related, $35+ if basic economy violation |
| Delta Air Lines | 22 x 14 x 9 in | 18 x 14 x 8 in | No weight limit | $0 (unless basic economy non-compliant) |
| United Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 in | 17 x 10 x 9 in | No weight limit | $0 to $50 depending on fare class |
| Southwest Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 in | 18.5 x 13.5 x 8.5 in | No weight limit | $0 |
| JetBlue | 22 x 14 x 9 in | 17 x 13 x 8 in | No weight limit | $65 if Blue Basic overhead bin restriction |
| Spirit / Frontier (Ultra-Low-Cost) | 22 x 14 x 9 in (paid or status only) | 14 x 18 x 8 in (free) | No weight limit but strictly measured | $67 – $99 at gate |
| Ryanair / easyJet (Europe) | 22 x 15 x 8 in / 22 x 17 x 10 in | 15 x 11 x 8 in / 17 x 13 x 10 in | 22 lbs (10 kg) / 33 lbs (15 kg) | €46 – €58 at gate |
How to avoid the gate check: Measure your bag packed and upright, including wheels. Many 22-inch marketed bags are actually 22.5 to 23 inches tall with wheels, which is why hard-shell rollers get flagged more often than soft duffels. If you fly Spirit, Frontier, or European budget airlines, assume your bag will be placed in the sizer. If it does not slide in easily without forcing, you will pay.
TSA Liquid Rules: The 3-1-1 Rule Still Applies
TSA has not changed the 3-1-1 rule for carry-ons in 2026: Each liquid, aerosol, gel, cream, and paste must be in a container of 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less, all containers must fit in one quart-sized, clear, resealable bag, and you are limited to one bag per passenger.
What Counts as a Liquid
TSA treats anything spreadable, sprayable, or pourable as a liquid. That includes toothpaste, deodorant (gel/spray), hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, mascara, lip gloss, peanut butter, hummus, salsa, and yogurt. If you can squeeze it, smear it, or spill it, it is a liquid.
- Allowed in carry-on: Travel bottles 3.4oz or less in your quart bag, contact lens solution, wet wipes, solid deodorant, solid lip balm, powder makeup.
- Flagged and confiscated: Full-size shampoo (12oz), large sunscreen (6oz), water bottles with water still inside, snow globes with more than 3.4oz of liquid.
- Exception but declared: Medications, breast milk, baby formula, and infant food in reasonable quantities over 3.4oz. Tell the TSA officer at the checkpoint and be prepared for additional screening.
How to Pack Liquids to Pass Screening First Time
Use 3-ounce silicone refillable bottles and squeeze out air before sealing. Place the quart bag at the top of your carry-on or in an outer pocket so you can pull it out quickly. TSA generally asks you to place it separately in the bin. Do not pack liquids in random pockets throughout your bag, that is the most common reason for a bag pull and re-scan.
FAA Battery Rules: The Watt-Hour Calculation That Matters
Lithium batteries are regulated by the FAA, not TSA, because they are a fire risk in checked baggage. Spare batteries and power banks must always be in your carry-on, never checked. The limit is based on watt-hours (Wh), not just milliamp-hours (mAh).
Use this calculation before you fly:
Wh = (mAh x Volts) / 1000
- Example 1: A 20,000mAh power bank at 3.7V = (20,000 x 3.7) / 1000 = 74 Wh – Allowed without approval.
- Example 2: A 27,000mAh power bank at 3.7V = 99.9 Wh – Allowed, but right at the limit.
- Example 3: A 30,000mAh power bank at 3.7V = 111 Wh – Requires airline approval, many airlines will deny it.
| Battery Type | Carry-On Rule | Checked Bag Rule | What Gets Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium-ion spare (power bank, camera battery, laptop spare) | Allowed up to 100Wh, no approval needed. 101-160Wh max 2 spares with airline approval. | Not allowed | Unprotected terminals, loose batteries in junk drawer style pockets, >160Wh |
| Device with battery installed (laptop, phone, tablet) | Allowed | Allowed if powered off and protected | Recalled devices (e.g., certain older 15-inch MacBook Pro) banned entirely |
| Lithium metal (CR123A, AA lithium) | 2g lithium per battery max | Not allowed as spares | Bulk packs of loose lithium metal batteries |
| Smart luggage with non-removable battery | Not allowed if battery cannot be removed | Not allowed | Any bag where you cannot pull the battery out and carry it on |
Protect all spare batteries with original cases, battery cases, or tape over terminals. Loose batteries touching keys or coins in your bag are the reason TSA pulls bags for battery checks.
Sharp Objects, Tools, and Self-Defense Items
The rule is simple: If it can be used to stab or strike, it is not allowed in carry-on.
- Allowed in carry-on: Disposable razors, safety razors (without blade), nail clippers, tweezers, crochet hooks, knitting needles, small scissors with blades shorter than 4 inches measured from the pivot point.
- Must go in checked baggage or be left behind: Box cutters, utility knives, razor blades (loose), corkscrews with blades, knives of any length, scissors with blades longer than 4 inches, multi-tools with knives (like a Leatherman with a blade).
- Never allowed anywhere: Pepper spray/mace over 4oz, bear spray, tactical batons, throwing stars. Small 4oz or less pepper spray is allowed only in checked baggage with a safety lock and only one per passenger, but most airlines prohibit it entirely so do not bring it to the airport.
If you travel with tools for work, measure them. TSA officers measure scissors from the pivot screw to the tip. A 4.5-inch fabric shear will be confiscated even if you argue it is for crafts.
Food: What You Can Bring Through Security
TSA allows solid food in both carry-on and checked bags. The distinction is whether the food is solid or liquid/gel-like.
- Clearly allowed in carry-on: Sandwiches, pizza, whole fruit, granola bars, crackers, chips, cookies, cooked meats, dry snacks, baked goods.
- Treated as liquid (3.4oz rule): Soups, stews, dips, salsas, gravy, jams, honey (over 3.4oz), yogurt, creamy peanut butter, oil and vinegar dressings. A full 16oz jar of salsa will be thrown out even if unopened.
- Allowed but may cause extra screening: Strong-smelling foods, large blocks of cheese, powders over 12oz (protein powder, large spice containers). TSA may pull powders over 12oz for additional testing and may ask you to discard them if they cannot clear the alarm.
International flights add agriculture rules. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats you bought before departure are often confiscated on arrival by customs, not by TSA on departure. Do not pack fresh produce for an international carry-on if you plan to bring it through customs on the other side.
How to Pack to Avoid Fees and Flagged Bags
1. Build a Pre-Security Audit
Empty your carry-on completely before each trip and repack intentionally. Old forgotten items are the biggest cause of confiscations: a water bottle with water, a pocket knife in a laptop sleeve, a full-size lotion from a checked trip that migrated to your carry-on.
2. Choose the Right Bag Type for Your Airline
If you fly mostly U.S. legacy carriers (American, Delta, United), a 21-inch hard-shell 4-wheel spinner or a 35-40L soft duffel fits overhead bins reliably. If you fly budget carriers often, a 40-45L travel backpack without wheels that measures 21 x 13 x 8 inches is far safer, because it compresses into the sizer and never exceeds wheel height. Bags with built-in power banks must have removable batteries or they will be denied at check-in.
3. Keep the Flagged Categories Separate
Use a clear quart bag for liquids, a small padded pouch for spare batteries with terminals covered, and keep scissors/tools in checked luggage. When your bag goes through the X-ray, clutter is what triggers a manual search. A bag with a tangled mass of cables, chargers, and loose liquids looks opaque on the scanner.
4. Weigh and Measure at Home
Place your packed bag on a bathroom scale and measure height from floor to top of handle housing with a tape measure. For international budget airlines with 10kg limits, a hard-shell carry-on alone weighs 7-8 lbs (3.2-3.6 kg) empty, leaving you only 14 lbs for contents. A lightweight nylon duffel (2-3 lbs) gives you far more usable capacity under weight-restricted rules.
FAQ
Can I bring a water bottle through TSA?
Yes, but it must be empty when you go through screening. You can fill it at a water fountain or filling station after security. TSA will ask you to dump any liquid inside or confiscate the bottle if you refuse.
Can I bring medication and need to keep it in original bottles?
Pills, inhalers, and solid medications are allowed in carry-on with no quantity limit. Liquid medications over 3.4oz are allowed in reasonable quantities but you should declare them to the TSA officer. Keeping them in original pharmacy labels helps but is not required by TSA, though it helps with international customs.
What happens if my carry-on is slightly over the size limit?
On U.S. legacy airlines you might get away with it if the flight is not full and the bag still fits in the overhead bin. On Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair, and other ultra-low-cost carriers, agents are incentivized to enforce the sizer and will charge at the gate. The cost is always higher at the gate than if you had paid for a checked bag online in advance.
