Passenger reports changed toiletries rules

A May 21 X post from user BorahaeArts described passengers encountering different toiletries screening rules at airports after new scanners were installed. The post said travelers on recent flights were told to remove larger liquid containers at some checkpoints while smaller permitted volumes were accepted at others. The account matches a wider patchwork of airport screening practices tied to newer computed tomography, or CT, scanners in some regions. In the United States, however, the Transportation Security Administration still publishes the standard 3-1-1 liquids rule for carry-on bags. ### Are U.S. toiletries rules actually changing? The TSA says passengers may bring liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in carry-on bags only if each container is 3.4 ounces, or 100 milliliters, or less and packed in a quart-sized bag. The agency also says larger containers should go in checked baggage unless they fall under listed exceptions such as some medications or infant nourishment. (tsa.gov) TSA’s CT scanner page says the machines create 3D images of carry-on bags and can automatically detect explosives, including liquids. The agency says the long-term goal is to let passengers keep laptops and 3-1-1 liquids inside their bags during screening, but its current public guidance still refers to 3-1-1 liquids under present procedures. ### If the rule is still 3.4 ounces, why are travelers seeing different procedures? (tsa.gov) CT scanners can change how checkpoints operate even when the underlying liquid limit does not change. TSA says laptops are allowed to remain inside bags under current CT screening procedures, while the liquids rule page says separating liquids from other baggage helps screening. That means lane instructions can differ depending on the equipment in use and whether officers want certain items removed for inspection. (tsa.gov) The result is that a traveler may face one set of handling instructions at one checkpoint and another set at a different checkpoint, even on the same trip. TSA’s public pages do not say the nationwide U.S. size limit for ordinary carry-on toiletries has been lifted. ### Is this where the confusion is coming from in Europe and the UK? The United Kingdom has already moved further at some airports. (tsa.gov) Which? reported in January that Heathrow, Edinburgh and Birmingham were among airports where the 100 milliliter rule had been scrapped, allowing up to 2 liters of liquids through security, while airports including Luton and Manchester still kept the 100 milliliter rule. (tsa.gov) The European Commission’s July 2025 decision also restored larger-liquid screening at some airports using certain recertified scanners, Politico reported, but Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said airports would have to tell passengers which rules applied and that the change did not mean “all passengers everywhere in the EU can take bigger containers.” Politico said rules could differ by airport and even by terminal. (which.co.uk) ### So what should a traveler do before packing toiletries? The safest U.S. approach is still to follow TSA’s 3-1-1 rule unless checkpoint staff instruct otherwise. TSA says containers over 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters should be packed in checked baggage, and any liquid that triggers an alarm will need additional screening. For flights from the UK or parts of Europe, airport-specific guidance matters more because the rollout is uneven. (politico.eu) Which? said some UK airports now allow up to 2 liters, while Politico reported that some EU airports and terminals still apply the older 100 milliliter rule. TSA’s liquids rules page and airport security notices remain the clearest next stop for travelers checking a departure on May 22, 2026 or later. (tsa.gov) Heathrow, Birmingham, Edinburgh and some EU airports publish their own checkpoint guidance, while TSA maintains the U.S. baseline rule. (which.co.uk)