Can You Bring Sunscreen on a Plane?
QUICK ANSWER
Yes, you can bring sunscreen on a plane. As a lotion or spray it follows the 3-1-1 rule in your carry-on, so containers must be 3.4 ounces or less and fit in your quart bag. Full-size sunscreen goes in checked luggage, and stick or powder sunscreen has no size limit.
Sunscreen is a beach-trip essential and a classic security question, since a big bottle rarely fits the carry-on rules. It follows the same 3-1-1 limit as other lotions and sprays, with a couple of handy solid alternatives. Here is how to get your sunscreen to the beach without leaving it in a bin at the airport.
Can you bring sunscreen on a plane?
Yes, sunscreen is allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage. Because lotion and spray sunscreens are liquids and aerosols, the TSA liquids rule applies in the cabin: each container in your carry-on must be 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and fit in your quart-size bag. TSA has specifically noted that sunscreen over 3.4 ounces has to be packed in a checked bag. So a big beach-size bottle will not clear the checkpoint and belongs in checked luggage, where there is no size limit. If you want sunscreen with you in the cabin without using quart-bag space, a stick or powder sunscreen is not a liquid and can be any size.
How much sunscreen can you bring in your carry-on?
The 3.4-ounce limit applies per container, and all your liquids, sunscreen included, must fit in a single quart-size bag. Travel-size sunscreens in the 3-ounce range are made for exactly this and are easy to find before summer trips. As always, the labeled size is what matters, so a large bottle with a little sunscreen left will still be stopped. If you need more than a travel-size bottle for a long beach vacation, carry a small bottle for the trip and pack the big one in your checked bag, or plan to buy sunscreen at your destination. Spray sunscreens follow the same carry-on limit as lotions, since they are aerosols.
Can you pack full-size sunscreen in checked luggage?
Yes, and that is the best home for your big beach bottle. Lotion sunscreen has no size limit in checked bags, so you can pack as much as your weight allowance permits. Spray and aerosol sunscreens are also allowed in checked luggage under the FAA aerosol limits: up to 18 ounces per container and 70 ounces total, with the cap protected. To prevent a mess, seal sunscreen bottles in a zip-top bag, since heat in the cargo hold can thin the lotion and pressure changes can force it past a cap. Pump bottles should be locked or taped shut. Packed among soft clothes in the center of your bag, sunscreen travels safely in checked luggage.
What about stick and powder sunscreen?
These are the easiest sunscreens to carry on, because they are not liquids. A sunscreen stick, solid sunscreen balm, or powder sunscreen is exempt from the 3-1-1 rule, so it can be any size and does not count against your quart bag; that makes it ideal for carry-on-only trips or for topping up during travel. Powder sunscreen brushes on and is convenient for reapplying over makeup, though very large powder containers over 12 ounces could draw extra screening under the powder rule. Sunscreen sticks are especially travel-friendly for faces and kids. Between sticks, balms, and powders, you can bring sun protection in your carry-on without touching the liquids limit at all.
Yes, you can bring sunscreen on a plane. Lotion and spray sunscreen follow the 3-1-1 rule, so carry-on containers must be 3.4 ounces or less in your quart bag; pack full-size beach bottles in checked luggage. Stick and powder sunscreens are not liquids, so they can be any size in your carry-on.
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