Printable TSA Carry-On Checklist

A one-page airport security checklist for U.S. domestic flights: what belongs in your quart bag, what must stay in your carry-on, what has to be checked, and what is never allowed in either bag. Print it or save it as a PDF and run through it before you leave for the airport.

Download the PDF checklist

Liquids: your quart bag

Every container 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, all fitting in one quart-sized clear bag, one bag per passenger — the 3-1-1 rule.

• Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in travel sizes
• Toothpaste (a paste, so it counts as a liquid)
• Gel, spray, or roll-on deodorant (solid stick does not count)
• Sunscreen, lotion, and moisturizer
• Liquid makeup, mascara, and nail polish
• Perfume and cologne
• Hand sanitizer up to 3.4 oz for the quart bag
• Contact lens solution (larger sizes allowed — declare it)

Exempt from the quart bag — declare at the checkpoint

These may exceed 3.4 oz in your carry-on. Take them out of your bag and tell the officer before screening.

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications, liquid or pill form
• Breast milk, infant formula, and baby food (child does not need to be present)
• Ice packs and cooling gel for medical or milk storage
• Liquid nutrition or supplements needed in flight
• Contact lens and saline solution in medically necessary amounts

Carry-on only — never in a checked bag

Lithium battery and fire-risk rules push these into the cabin.

• Power banks and spare lithium batteries (under 100 Wh)
• E-cigarettes, vape pens, and vape batteries
• Loose lithium coin cells and camera batteries in a case
• Laptops, tablets, and cameras with lithium batteries (best kept with you)
• Cash, passports, keys, and anything you cannot replace

Checked bag only — not through the checkpoint

Allowed on the aircraft, but not past security.

• Full-size liquids over 3.4 oz
• Pocket knives, multi-tools with blades, and razor blades
• Scissors with blades longer than 4 inches
• Tools longer than 7 inches — wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, drills
• Baseball bats, golf clubs, hiking poles, and tennis rackets
• Alcohol between 24% and 70% ABV, up to 5 liters
• Corkscrews with a blade and large kitchen knives

Never allowed in either bag

• Fireworks, flares, and sparklers
• Gasoline, camp stove fuel, and lighter fluid
• Strike-anywhere matches
• Spray paint and other flammable aerosols
• Bear spray and self-defense sprays over 4 oz
• Realistic replica weapons and replica explosives
• Alcohol above 70% ABV

Checkpoint walk-through

• Quart bag out of your carry-on and into a bin
• Laptop and large electronics out in a separate bin (not required in PreCheck lanes)
• Jacket, belt, and shoes off as directed
• Empty your water bottle before the line — fill it after
• Medications and milk declared to the officer
• Nothing left in your pockets, including receipts and coins

Before you leave the house

• Check the one or two questionable items you are unsure about
• Weigh liquids against the quart bag — if it does not zip, it does not fly
• Move anything sharp or over 7 inches into the checked bag
• Confirm spare batteries are in the bag going in the cabin
• Photograph your packed bag contents in case of a claim

Checklist last reviewed 2026-08-22.