Traveling is already a hassle, and it can be even more stressful due to the TSA screening process. Some items tucked away in your luggage can cause you to have additional screenings.
Here are some things you want to avoid packing in your checked luggage if you don’t want any extra scrutiny.
Wrapped Presents
If you are packing gifts for your trip, you may want to wait until after you land to wrap them. Wrapped gifts are not prohibited. However, if the inspectors can’t see what’s in your luggage, they might be unwrapped.
Cordless Curling Irons
Cordless curling irons are powered by butane, which can be explosive. Pack your corded curling iron instead.
Matches and Lighters
You are allowed to pack a lighter or one pack of safety matches in your carry-on bag. In your checked luggage, though, you cannot have any matches at all.
Additionally, lighters must be without fuel or in a Department of Transportation or DOT-approved case.
Lithium Batteries
Lithium batteries have been known to explode mid-flight, so they must be contained inside a device that offers protection. This means your camera and electric toothbrush are fine in checked luggage.
Unprotected batteries, like a spare laptop battery or a power bank for cellphones, must go in your carry-on bag.
High Proof Alcohol
Alcohol is permitted in your checked luggage per TSA rules. However, you may not pack alcohol that is 140 proof or higher.
Alcohol with that high of a proof is highly combustible, so it is not allowed. You are limited to five liters or 1.3 gallons of alcohol per person.
Ammunition
Ammunition for firearms is not prohibited by the TSA, but there are certain restrictions on how it must be packed. To avoid additional scrutiny, it might be easier to pick up some ammunition once you arrive at your destination.
E-cigarettes and Vapes
E-cigarettes and vapes are allowed in your carry-on bag, but they are under no circumstances allowed in your checked bag. This is because they contain lithium-ion batteries, which could spark a fire.
The reason you can have them in your carry-on is that they would be easy to extinguish in the cabin if they were to spark a blaze.
Bug Spray
Any insect repellent that is applied to the skin, like roll-on sticks or wipes, is allowed. You cannot pack any bug spray that is meant to be sprayed. Just grab a can when you land.
Fireworks
This one should be pretty self-explanatory. You don’t want anything explosive in the bottom of the plane. The ban on fireworks includes small ones like sparklers and pop-its.
Ammonia and Bleach
While you may feel the need to clean your hotel room or Airbnb before you can relax, you will need to pick up your cleaning products after you land.
Ammonia is explosive when it is mixed with other chemicals, and bleach can start a fire that spreads quickly. Both are prohibited from checked luggage.
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I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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