Prohibited Items: What You Cannot Bring on a Plane
Complete list of items prohibited by TSA on flights. What's banned from carry-on and checked baggage at airport security.
Always Prohibited (Carry-On and Checked)
Explosives and fireworks
Flammable liquids (gasoline, lighter fluid)
Certain chemicals and toxic substances
Strike-anywhere matches
Realistic replica weapons
Prohibited in Carry-On Only
Sharp objects (knives, box cutters, razors)
Sporting equipment (baseball bats, golf clubs)
Tools longer than 7 inches
A small set of items is banned from the aircraft entirely: explosives, flammable liquids and gases, strike-anywhere matches, and toxic or corrosive chemicals. Most other restricted items — knives, tools over 7 inches, bats, and full-size aerosols — are prohibited only in carry-on and travel fine in checked baggage.
How restricted items are handled at the checkpoint
Know the two categories — Some items are prohibited on the aircraft entirely. Far more are simply carry-on prohibited, meaning a checked bag solves the problem.
Items are flagged on the X-ray — When something restricted appears, your bag is pulled and searched by hand. Standing by and answering questions speeds this up.
You choose what happens next — Options are usually to surrender the item, return it to a vehicle, hand it to someone not flying, mail it to yourself, or check the bag if there is still time.
Surrendered items are gone — TSA does not store or return voluntarily abandoned property. For anything valuable, use an airport mailing kiosk or nearby post office.
Some items bring penalties — Firearms at the checkpoint, undeclared ammunition, and artfully concealed prohibited items can trigger civil fines and law enforcement involvement.
What is prohibited, and where
Banned from the aircraft entirely
Explosives, fireworks, sparklers, and flares
Gasoline, lighter fluid, and other flammable liquids