Can You Bring Dry Shampoo on a Plane?
QUICK ANSWER
Yes, you can bring dry shampoo on a plane. Aerosol dry shampoo follows the 3-1-1 rule in your carry-on, so the can must be 3.4 ounces or less and fit in your quart bag. Full-size cans go in checked luggage, up to 18 ounces each. Powder dry shampoo follows the powder rule.
Dry shampoo is a travel favorite, and it follows the same rules as other aerosols and powders. Whether yours is a spray can or a loose powder changes which rule applies, but both are allowed. Here is how much dry shampoo you can bring and where to pack it so it clears the checkpoint.
Can you bring dry shampoo on a plane?
Yes, dry shampoo is allowed in both carry-on and checked bags. Most dry shampoo is an aerosol, so the TSA liquids and aerosols rule applies in the cabin: the can must be 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and fit in your quart-size bag. Full-size cans go in your checked luggage, where personal-care aerosols are allowed with some quantity limits. Powder dry shampoo is treated differently, as a powder rather than an aerosol, and follows the powder screening rule instead. Either form is fine to bring; you just match the size and type to the right bag. Travel-size aerosol dry shampoos are widely available for carry-on use.
How much dry shampoo can you bring in your carry-on?
For aerosol dry shampoo, travel-size only: the can must be 3.4 ounces or less and fit in your single quart-size bag with your other liquids and gels. Many brands sell mini dry shampoo cans made for exactly this, and one small can easily covers a trip. A full-size can will not pass the checkpoint, even mostly empty, since officers go by the labeled size. Keep the cap on so the nozzle does not discharge in your bag. If your dry shampoo is a loose powder, it is not a liquid, so it is not limited to 3.4 ounces, though very large powder containers can draw extra screening as covered below.
Can you pack full-size dry shampoo in checked luggage?
Yes, and that is the home for your regular can. The FAA allows personal-care aerosols in checked bags with limits: each container up to 18 ounces (500 milliliters) and a total of 70 ounces (about 2 kilograms) per passenger, with the release nozzle protected by a cap. A standard can of dry shampoo falls well within the 18-ounce limit, so a full-size can is fine to check. Pack it upright among soft items so pressure changes in the hold do not stress the nozzle, and keep the cap on. Non-aerosol powder or liquid dry shampoos in checked bags have no aerosol limit, though liquids still cannot leak, so seal them.
Does aerosol versus powder dry shampoo matter?
Yes, they follow different rules. Aerosol dry shampoo is a liquid-and-aerosol product, so it is limited to 3.4 ounces in your carry-on and to 18 ounces per can in checked bags. Powder dry shampoo is not a liquid, so it has no 3.4-ounce limit, but it falls under the TSA powder rule: powder-like substances of 12 ounces (350 milliliters) or more in your carry-on may require additional screening, and could be denied at the checkpoint if they cannot be resolved. Most dry shampoo powders are far smaller than 12 ounces, so this rarely comes up. Choosing a small aerosol can or a small powder both keep you well within the limits.
Yes, you can bring dry shampoo on a plane. Aerosol dry shampoo follows the 3-1-1 rule in your carry-on and is allowed up to 18 ounces per can in checked luggage. Powder dry shampoo has no 3.4-ounce limit but follows the powder rule above 12 ounces. Travel-size cans are the easy carry-on choice.
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