Can You Pack Perfume in Your Carry-on? How to Bring Fragrances on a Plane

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Do's and don'ts for stress-free flying with your favorite scents
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Are you ready to head off on a trip but aren’t sure if you can pack perfume in your carry-on? You don’t want to get to a security checkpoint and have a TSA officer take your favorite fragrance. While you could certainly leave it at home, there are ways to pack it so you don’t have to go without or worry about losing a costly bottle of perfume. Read on to learn how much perfume you can take on a flight and how to properly pack it.

Packing Perfume in Your Carry-on

TSA guidelines allow you to board the plane with perfume in your carry-on as long as the container is 3.4 oz. (100 mL) or smaller. The perfume bottle must be placed inside a clear, quart-sized plastic bag to pass through the airport’s security screening.

Section 1 of 4:

Can you bring perfume on a plane?

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  1. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines state that each liquid, gel, and aerosol must be packed in a 3.4-oz. (100 mL) container (or smaller). All of your liquids must also fit in a single transparent quart-sized bag.
    • The TSA uses “3-1-1” as an easy way to remember what liquids you can take in your carry-on bag: you can use up to a 3 .4 oz (100mL) container size, your liquids must fit in a 1 -quart clear bag, and you only get 1 bag per passenger. [1]
    • The 3-1-1 rule applies even to perfumes that are sealed and unused.
    • Containers larger than 3.4 oz. (100 mL) must be packed in your checked baggage, even if the containers aren’t full.
    • Keep in mind that the TSA officer makes the final decision on whether an item is allowed through a checkpoint.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Pack Perfume in Your Carry-On

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  1. When packing your carry-on, use samples or travel-size perfume atomizers to save space in your clear plastic bag. That way, you have room for other liquids like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. Most fragrances are available as samples or in travel sizes up to around 0.34 oz. (10 mL).
    • Decant your perfume into a travel atomizer. Travel atomizers are widely available and simple to use by removing the spray cap and inserting the bottle’s nozzle into a special opening on the bottom of the atomizer.
    • You can also opt for solid perfume. Many fragrances are available in solid or balm form, but it may be more difficult to find your favorite scent in this form. Check out Lush, Glossier, and Diptyque for high-end solid perfume options.
    • Most standard-sized perfume bottles are 3.4 oz. (100 mL) or smaller, so you may not even have to repack your perfume in a smaller bottle.
  2. All of your liquids must fit in a single quart-sized bag before being packed in your carry-on. The TSA recommends using a clear quart-sized plastic zip-top baggie for all the liquids in your carry-on. [2] However, there are other TSA-approved clear plastic bags available for purchase.
  3. Since your perfume bottle or atomize must be packed inside the 1-quart clear bag, space is limited. Use tape or cling wrap to secure the cap to prevent the spray nozzle from being activated while you’re traveling.
    • Once you go through the security checkpoint, wrap a soft item in your carry-on bag around the clear plastic bag for an added layer of protection.
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Pack Perfume in a Checked Bag

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  1. The TSA allows you to take perfume containers holding up to 18 oz. (500 mL) in your checked luggage. You may take as many bottles as you like as long as the total amount is less than 68 oz. (2 L). [3] That works out to 20 3.4-oz. (100 mL) bottles if you aren’t taking any other liquids.
  2. When packing toiletries and perfume in your luggage, securely tape the caps to the bottles or wrap with cling wrap to prevent spilling during the flight. Wrap a protective layer of clothing or bubble wrap around the bottle to help keep it from breaking.
    • One of the best ways to protect a perfume bottle in your suitcase is to pack it in its original packaging. Most perfumes come in boxes that have some sort of padding or bracing to protect the bottle during shipment.
    • You can also use packing cubes , which are fabric cubes used to help organize your luggage when packing for air travel . They come in many different sizes that you can use to pack your perfume bottle with protective cushioning, like socks or a small towel.
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Section 4 of 4:

FAQs for Traveling with Perfume

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  1. As long as your perfume meets the TSA’s regulations for liquids in a carry-on bag, they won’t throw it away. However, if you have exceeded your liquids limit, your perfume may be confiscated. Also, keep in mind that the TSA officer may have reason to discard your perfume even if it meets the liquids limit. Ultimately, these officers have the final say over what liquids are allowed on the plane.
    • If the airport has rentable airport storage lockers, you may be able to place your perfume there for the duration of your trip. These lockers range from $8 - $12 per bag per day and may have limits on how long you can rent them. [4] Check with the airports you fly through to see if lockers are available.
  2. Yes, as long as it follows the 3-1-1 rule, perfume is permitted on international flights in both carry-on and checked baggage. Rules for liquids are generally the same or less restrictive in other countries. Currently, some countries, like Australia, only restrict liquids on international flights. These restrictions are similar to the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. [5]
    • Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Amsterdam, and Germany, may be removing restrictions on liquids as they install more advanced CT scanners at airport security checkpoints. [6]
  3. Yes, you can bring duty-free perfume on the plane. Because these items are purchased at the airport, the TSA does not restrict the quantity. In many cases, the quantity of duty-free items is regulated by customs or duty rules. [7]
    • The European Union requires that duty-free liquids be carried as hand luggage (or carry-on) with the receipt in a sealed security bag provided at the time of purchase. You can’t open it until you reach your final destination. [8]
  4. Regulations in the UK are very similar to those in the US for taking liquids on a plane. Containers must not hold more than 100 mL (3.4 oz.) and be packed in an approximately 20 cm x 20 cm (7.87 inch x 7.87 inch) clear resealable plastic bag that holds no more than 1 L (33.81 oz.). Each passenger is limited to 1 plastic bag. [9]
    • Containers larger than 100 mL (3.4 oz.) must be packed in hold luggage or checked bags.
    • Liquids regulations for hold luggage are expected to change in the near future due to the installation of more advanced CT scanners in airport security. [10]
  5. Yes. As long as the fragrance meets the TSA’s guidelines for liquids, it can be packed in a carry-on or checked bag. This includes all concentration levels, such as extrait, parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, and eau fraîche.
  6. Yes, as long as it fits into your clear, plastic bag. A 100 mL bottle of fragrance is equal to 3.4 oz., which is the largest bottle of liquid the TSA allows under the 3-1-1 rule.
    • “Hand luggage” is another term for a carry-on bag, often used in the United Kingdom.
  7. Yes. As a liquid, it is subject to the same TSA rules as other types of fragrances. It must be in a container of 3.4 oz. (100 mL) and packed in a clear plastic bag in a carry-on back. Larger bottles must be packed in checked luggage.
    • Cologne is short for eau de cologne and refers to a concentration of fragrance. However, many people use the term to refer to men’s fragrances.
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      Warnings

      • By taking your perfume on a plane, you risk spilling or breaking it during rough handling or turbulence during the flight. This can cause you to not only lose your favorite fragrance but it may also stain your clothing or other possessions.
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      • Heat and light may cause your fragrance to oxidize or degrade chemically. This can cause it to lose its potency or change its scent.
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      • Many people are allergic to different scents, which can cause headaches, skin reactions, or respiratory symptoms. Wearing or taking fragrance on a plane can cause discomfort or health problems for the other passengers.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/what-3-1-1-liquids-rule
      2. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/travel-checklist
      3. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/perfume
      4. ↑ https://thepointsguy.com/guide/store-bags-at-the-airport/
      5. ↑ https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/travelsecure-subsite/files/fact-sheet-travelling-with-powders-liquids-aerosols-gels.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uk-airport-liquids-rule-change
      7. ↑ https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/duty-free-perfume-cologne
      8. ↑ https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/luggage-restrictions/index_en.htm
      9. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/liquids
      1. ↑ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/uk-airport-liquids-rule-change

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