Can You Convey Frozen Liquids By TSA?

You’re heading on a visit to rejoice heat climate while you encounter an issue. You aren’t checking a bag, so it’s important to match all of your toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, face wash, physique wash, fragrance, and so on.) in a single quart-sized bag. You additionally wish to fill your Stanley tumbler up along with your favourite beverage to drink throughout your flight, however it’s important to undergo airport safety. Tens of millions of vacationers face the identical challenge due to the 3-1-1 liquids rule from the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). 

Not too long ago, a intelligent “journey hack” went viral on TikTok. It means that if you happen to want to carry bigger liquids onto your airplane, you may freeze them earlier than reaching the airport and take them via safety. We spoke with the TSA to verify the validity of this technique and perceive any potential restrictions. 

Right here’s every thing you could find out about carrying frozen liquids via airport safety. 

3-1-1 Liquids Rule

In response to the TSA, you will need to comply with the 3-1-1 rule for liquids in your carry-on baggage. This rule states you may carry one “quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, lotions, and pastes in your carry-on bag and thru the checkpoint.” Every merchandise contained in the bag have to be smaller than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters. Any liquids which are bigger than this or don’t match inside your single quart-sized bag allotment have to be packed in your checked bag. 

Remember the fact that stuff you don’t sometimes consider as liquid should still fall beneath this rule. Because it’s spreadable, peanut butter is taken into account a liquid for TSA functions and have to be smaller than 3.4 ounces to undergo the checkpoint. I bumped into this challenge just a few years again when attempting to carry jam house from Italy. In my thoughts, it was stable, and I believed I’d haven’t any downside flying from Italy to the U.S. Nevertheless, after I tried to board my connecting flight to my closing vacation spot, I needed to examine my bag or throw out the jam.

Whereas the 3-1-1 rule is strict, there are two vital exceptions: drugs and toddler and baby nourishment. In response to the TSA web site, “TSA permits bigger quantities of medically obligatory liquids, gels, and aerosols in affordable portions on your flight, however you will need to declare them to TSA officers on the checkpoint for inspection.” Equally, system, breast milk, toddler drinks, and child/toddler meals are thought of medically obligatory liquids, so you may carry bigger portions of those via the checkpoint. Nonetheless, you have to to tell the TSA officer.

You might be additionally capable of carry bigger portions of duty-free liquids in clear, safe, tamper-evident baggage in the event that they have been bought internationally and you might be touring to the USA with a connecting flight. Observe that you could have the unique receipt for the liquids and will need to have made the acquisition inside 48 hours. 

Associated: 25 Issues You Ought to Do Earlier than Boarding a Airplane, In response to a Frequent Flier

Carrying Frozen Liquids By TSA

So, is there reality to the frozen liquids hack? Sure, however with some caveats. Frozen liquids are allowed via safety so long as they’re utterly frozen. If they’re partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid on the backside of the container, they have to meet the usual liquids necessities. Finally, the TSA officer will determine whether or not an merchandise is allowed via the checkpoint.

“Absolutely frozen liquids are acceptable as solids at TSA checkpoints in better portions,” a TSA spokesperson advised Journey + Leisure. “Liquids, gels, and aerosols – which embody these issues you may spray, unfold, spill, pump, or pour – are topic to TSA’s 3-1-1 rule at airport checkpoints.” 

Most of the liquids you wish to get via TSA, like shampoo and toothpaste, can’t be frozen. In these instances, this hack received’t get you very far. Though you may freeze water, it should probably be extra effort than it’s value, particularly contemplating most airports have water fountains you should use to refill your water bottle without cost on the opposite aspect of safety. Plus, if you happen to don’t have TSA PreCheck or Clear and find yourself ready a very long time to get via safety, your frozen drink may begin melting and should be thrown out anyway. 

Backside Line

Sure, you may carry frozen liquids over 3.4 ounces via TSA, however they have to be frozen utterly stable. Is that this a journey hack that I’ll repeatedly use? Most likely not. I’d somewhat refill my water within the airport lounge than carry round ice and await it to soften.