How to pack liquids in hand luggage (2026 UK rules)
The 100ml rule now depends on which airport you fly from. Here's how to check your airport and pack liquids so you sail through security both ways.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Low cost
- Steps
- 6
- Checked
What you’ll need
- Travel-size bottles (100ml or less) Search Amazon for travel bottles 100ml leak proof
- Clear resealable bag (about 20cm x 20cm) Search Amazon for clear toiletry bag airport
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links go to search results, so you can compare what’s available.
Safety first
- Security staff have the final say and can refuse anything they think is dangerous.
- Rules are changing as airports install new scanners – don't rely on a friend's experience from a different airport.
Step by step
-
Step 1: Check your departure airport
Rules vary. Airports with new CT scanners (including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol and the two Belfast airports, as reported by Which? in 2026) allow containers of up to 2 litres. Others, such as Luton and Manchester, still have a 100ml limit per container. Always check your airport's own security page shortly before you fly.
Next: step 2 -
Step 2: Check your return airport too
Many airports abroad still use the 100ml rule with liquids in a clear bag. If you're flying back with hand luggage only, pack for the strictest airport on your trip.
Next: step 3 -
Step 3: Pack for the 100ml rule (if it applies)
Put liquids, gels, pastes, creams and aerosols in containers of 100ml or less, all in one clear resealable bag about 20cm x 20cm, sealed. The container size matters, not how much is left in it.
Next: step 4 -
Step 4: Pack medicines and baby food separately
Essential medicines, baby food and baby milk, and special dietary foods are allowed in larger amounts – carry proof such as a prescription or letter where you can, and be ready to show them.
Next: step 5 -
Step 5: Watch for items people forget
Lip gloss, toothpaste, mascara, sun cream, peanut butter, and drinks all count as liquids. Empty vacuum flasks of liquid – new scanners can't see through them.
Next: step 6 -
Step 6: Remember lighters
You can take one lighter, in a resealable plastic bag, kept on you for the flight – not in your hold bag.
Tips
- Solid toiletries (shampoo bars, solid deodorant) avoid the liquids question altogether.
- If you have a connecting flight, check the liquid rules at the connecting airport too.
Questions people ask
Do I still need to take liquids out of my bag?
At airports with the new scanners you can usually leave them in. Elsewhere follow the airport's instructions.
Is the 100ml rule scrapped everywhere in the UK?
No. It depends on whether your airport has the new scanners. Check before each trip.
Sources
Checked 9 October 2026. We wrote this guide in our own words, using:
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Printed from howtoguides.uk/guides/how-to-pack-liquids-in-hand-luggage/ · Checked 9 October 2026 · General information only. For gas, electrics, structural work, medical, legal or money decisions, use a qualified professional.