You probably think you’ve got airport security figured out by now. Small shampoo bottles, shoes you can slip off quickly, laptop ready to come out of your bag. You’ve done this routine dozens of times. Yet here’s the thing: thousands of travelers are still getting stopped at checkpoints every single month, and honestly, many of them had no idea they were breaking the rules. Some regulations shifted recently, others got stricter enforcement, and a few items people assume are harmless turn out to be instant red flags.
Let’s be real, nobody wants to be that person holding up the security line while a TSA officer rummages through their bag. Even worse is watching an expensive item get tossed into the confiscation bin because you didn’t check the latest guidelines. We’re now in early 2026, and the rules have evolved in ways that might surprise you. From battery restrictions that became absolute to liquid limits that remain stubbornly in place at most airports, this isn’t the time to wing it. So let’s dive in.
That Oversized Liquid Container Is Still the Biggest Culprit
The 3-1-1 liquids rule hasn’t budged: each passenger may carry liquids in containers of 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters, with everything fitting into one quart-size bag. Liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes exceeding this limit remain among the most frequently confiscated items, including everyday products like water bottles, toothpaste, lotions, perfumes, and duty-free alcohol without proper documentation.
Even if your bottle is only half full, the container size is what matters. Officers won’t measure what’s left inside. If you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it or pour it, then it’s a liquid and must be packed in checked baggage if it exceeds 3.4 ounces.
People keep thinking this rule will disappear any day now. TSA leadership has questioned the liquid limits and hinted that changes may come, though no firm timeline has been announced. Until that happens, assume the 3-1-1 rule applies everywhere you fly domestically.
Your Power Bank Must Stay in Your Carry-On, Period
Portable chargers or power banks containing lithium ion batteries must be packed in carry-on bags, and spare lithium batteries, which include both power banks and phone chargers, are prohibited in checked luggage. As of March 1, 2025, new TSA rules prohibit passengers from packing portable chargers, power banks, and cellphone battery charging cases that contain lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage.
This isn’t a suggestion. All power banks and spare lithium batteries must travel in your carry-on bag, you should never pack power banks in checked luggage due to fire safety inside the aircraft, and TSA is applying zero exceptions to this rule. If your bag gets gate-checked at the last minute, you need to pull out every battery-powered device before it goes below.
The reason is simple. Fires would be difficult to extinguish if they were to happen in the cargo hold, but flight crews are trained to respond to lithium battery fires in the cabin. Nobody wants a battery fire at 35,000 feet where crew can’t reach it.
CT Scanners Are Rolling Out, But Don’t Assume They’re Everywhere
Several airports have installed Computed Tomography units which significantly improve scanning and threat detection capabilities for carry-on bags, and in airports with these CT units, you do not need to remove your 3-1-1 liquids or laptops. This update is currently limited to major airports with the right CT scanning equipment, including Atlanta, New York JFK, and Los Angeles, and most other U.S. airports will continue to enforce the 3-1-1 rule until the necessary technology is fully rolled out.
Here’s where travelers get tripped up. You fly out of a big hub like ATL and keep your liquids in your bag without any issue. Then you connect through a smaller airport and suddenly you’re unpacking everything again. At airports with new CT scanners, you might not need to remove liquids from your bag because TSA officers can see through bags clearly with the new machines, but you should always check your specific airport’s rules before you travel.
The technology is fantastic when it’s available. CT units improve the traveler’s experience because passengers using these machines are permitted to leave their laptops and other electronic devices in their carry-on bags, and passengers screened in security lanes with CT units do not need to remove their travel-sized 3-1-1 liquids. Until every checkpoint gets upgraded, though, you can’t count on it.
Spreadable Foods Fall Under Liquid Rules
Solid snacks are fine. You can pack sandwiches, chips, granola bars, and fresh fruit without worrying. The problem starts when your snack can spread. The TSA applies the 3-1-1 rule to anything you can spill, spray, spread, pump or pour, meaning it’s a liquid that must be packed in checked bags if it exceeds 3.4 ounces.
That jar of peanut butter you grabbed for the hotel room? It counts as a liquid. Hummus, yogurt, salsa, jam, Nutella. All of them get flagged if they’re over the size limit. I know it sounds crazy, but the rule doesn’t care whether something is technically a gel or a cream.
If you’re traveling with kids and packing snacks, stick to dry foods or buy spreads after you clear security. Trust me, watching a TSA officer confiscate your expensive artisan honey isn’t worth the hassle.
Sharp Objects Are Still Strictly Off-Limits
All knives except blunt butter knives and sharp tools like box cutters, ice picks, and dart tips are banned from carry-on and can only go in checked luggage, properly sheathed or wrapped. Knives, scissors, corkscrews, box cutters, and other sharp tools are commonly seized at security checkpoints, and items like kitchen cleavers, machetes, throwing stars, and swords occasionally appear as well.
People forget about the little things. That multi-tool on your keychain probably has a blade. The tiny scissors in your travel sewing kit might be too long. Even nail clippers with a fold-out file can raise questions, though they’re usually allowed.
In 2025, TSA officers found actual throwing stars at Newark airport, and agents described finding metal blades with multiple points as “very odd,” requiring them to take a double or triple look. If it can cut, stab, or puncture, leave it at home or put it in checked baggage.
The Shoe Rule Relaxed, But Not Completely
One of the biggest TSA changes in 2025 was ending the shoe removal rule, as TSA announced in July 2025 that passengers can now keep their shoes on during screening. As of July 8, the Department of Homeland Security officially ended the long-standing shoes-off policy at airport security checkpoints, so now all travelers, not just TSA PreCheck members, can keep their shoes on during screening.
This is great news if you hate dealing with laces or worry about gross airport floors. However, TSA officers might still ask some travelers to remove shoes if extra screening is needed, as the new regulations give officers flexibility based on security needs.
Don’t assume this means you’ll never take off your shoes again. If the scanner picks up something unusual or you’re selected for additional screening, you might still have to remove them. Wearing slip-ons just makes life easier either way.
Partially Empty Containers Still Get Confiscated
One of the most frustrating experiences at security is having an officer take your nearly empty bottle of expensive face serum. You plead that there’s barely anything left, but it doesn’t matter. The container itself is too large.
TSA advises packing liquids, gels, and aerosols larger than 3.4 ounces in checked bags to avoid having the carry-on bag pulled aside, opened by a TSA officer, and then potentially having to voluntarily abandon the item because it exceeds 3.4 ounces. Even if you can see through the bottle and there’s just a tiny amount at the bottom, the size printed on the label is what counts.
The solution is either transferring products into travel-sized containers or buying items after security. Airport shops and hotel stores exist for exactly this reason. It’s annoying to repurchase things, but less annoying than losing products you already paid for.
Smart Luggage Can Be a Nightmare
Any suitcase with a non-removable battery is not allowed on any U.S. airline, this ban has been in place since 2018 under FAA guidelines for fire safety and is now being enforced with zero exceptions, and it includes both carry-on and checked bags. There have been cases where travelers had to leave behind expensive smart suitcases at the airport because the battery needed a screwdriver to come out, and TSA officers would not make an exception.
The bag might have GPS tracking, built-in scales, USB charging ports, and a sleek design. None of that matters if you can’t remove the battery by hand. Smart luggage batteries must be removable by hand. If you need tools to take it out, the entire bag gets rejected.
Before you invest in high-tech luggage, verify that the battery pops out easily. Otherwise, you’re looking at abandoning a very expensive suitcase at the checkpoint with no recourse.
Confiscated Items Add Up to Serious Weight
The sheer volume of items TSA collects daily is staggering. Prohibited items brought to checkpoints add up to hundreds of pounds a year at smaller airports to as much as 2,000 pounds or a ton per month at the largest airports. According to TSA, an astounding 90,000 to 100,000 items are left behind at checkpoints every month.
Some of these finds are wild. In 2025, a traveler attempted to check a bag containing more than a dozen inert RPGs, with TSA noting on Instagram that even if they’re fake or inert, realistic weapons like these can cause very real delays. Officers at San Francisco International Airport uncovered crystal meth hidden in wax candles, prompting TSA to joke that while they aren’t looking for illegal substances, they are required to notify law enforcement for the discovery of them.
Most confiscations are mundane things like water bottles and pocket knives. Occasionally, though, officers find something so bizarre it makes headlines. Either way, the lesson is clear: know the rules, pack accordingly, and you won’t become another statistic.
Conclusion
Airport security doesn’t have to be a source of stress if you stay informed about what’s actually allowed in your carry-on. The 3-1-1 liquids rule remains firmly in place at most airports, lithium batteries belong exclusively in the cabin, and certain everyday items can still trigger confiscation if you’re not careful. Some rules have relaxed, like keeping your shoes on, while others have become stricter, like the absolute ban on power banks in checked luggage.
The key is planning ahead. Check your airport’s specific technology setup, know which foods count as liquids, and make sure any smart luggage has a removable battery. A few minutes of preparation can save you from delays, confiscations, and the frustration of losing items you need.
Did you know about all these rules before reading this? What surprised you the most?
<p>The post Never Carry This in Your Carry-On: The New TSA Rule Catching Thousands Off Guard first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>