12 surprising carry-on items you're not allowed to take through airport security (2024)

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Leave the snow globes at home — they often contain more than the permitted amount of liquid for carrying on a plane.

According to the TSA, snow globes are allowed through if they are approximately tennis-ball size or less, and appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces of liquid. However, if you're bringing back a travel memento from a trip, it's usually a safe idea to pack it in your checked bag.

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Toys like the Magic 8 Ball that contain liquid are also not allowed in carry-on bags.

When it comes to Magic 8 Balls, the future is clear: Leave them at home, or put them in your checked bag.

"For carry-on bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us… Outlook not so good," TSA wrote on its official website. "For checked bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us… It is certain!"

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Christmas crackers are not allowed on planes because they could create a loud popping sound, disturbing the flight.

If you're traveling to or from the UK around the holidays, you might want to make sure you're not packing this traditional British Christmas item. According to TSA guidelines, "English Christmas crackers" are not allowed in carry-on or checked bags.

Made from a cardboard tube wrapped in brightly colored paper, crackers contain small gifts that come out when pulled on either end. When both ends of the cracker are pulled, there is a bang.

That's because, inside, there are two strips of card, attached to each end of the cracker. The two pieces of card have a slight overlap that is treated with gunpowder. When each end of the cracker is pulled, friction is generated where the card overlaps, creating a small explosion on the part containing gunpowder.

According to Airport Parking and Hotels, a US Transportation Security Administration spokesman said, "These items are prohibited from flying in checked or carry-on bags. They are flammable and should not be brought on airplanes. They fall in the same category as sparklers and fireworks."

You can bring snacks on a plane, but a large quantity of soup is prohibited in carry-on luggage.

Soup is allowed on flights if you are carrying less than or equal to 3.4 fluid ounces, but any amount larger than that is prohibited in carry-on bags, according to the TSA.

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If you plan on cooking at your destination, cast-iron cookware should be packed in your checked luggage.

Cast-iron cookware, such as skillets and pans, are not allowed in carry-on luggage. While the TSA website does not expand on why these items are prohibited, heavy cast-iron items could cause serious injuries or damage if used as a weapon.

Other types of pots and pans are allowed in carry-on and checked bags.

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You're not allowed to pack alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol in carry-on bags or checked luggage.

Alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol, or over 140 proof, are also prohibited from both carry-on and checked bags.

Some high-percentage alcohols that would be affected by this ban include Hapsburg Absinthe XC, Sunset Very Strong Rum, Devil's Springs Vodka 160, and Golden Grain 190, which contains a whopping 95% alcohol by volume.

Alcoholic beverages that contain more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol are limited in checked bags to no more than 5 liters, and no more than 3.4 liquid ounces in carry-on bags.

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They might not be lethal, but foam toy swords can't come in your carry-on.

The TSA prohibits foam toy swords from being brought on planes in carry-on bags, but they can be packed in checked bags.

That being said, lightsabers are allowed to be brought on board, per TSA guidelines.

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Similarly, squirt guns, Nerf guns, or other items that resemble realistic firearms or weapons are prohibited in carry-on bags.

The TSA recommends that you pack these items in your checked bags, instead. The agency also notes that "replicas of explosives, such as hand grenades, are prohibited in checked and carry-on baggage."

Water guns packed in a carry-on should be emptied of all liquid, or contain less than the 3.4 ounces allowed through security.

TSA officers also have the option to prohibit or confiscate any item that goes through the security screening checkpoint "if they believe it poses a security threat," according to TSA guidelines.

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Nail scissors are allowed, but regular scissors need to be checked in a bag.

Anything that could be used as a weapon is usually banned from carry-on bags, and full-sized scissors are no exception.

According to the TSA's website, scissors are allowed in your carry-on, but must be less than 4 inches in length from the pivot point and wrapped or sheathed securely "to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors."

This could come as a surprise, but you can't travel with fertilizer.

According to TSA guidelines, fertilizer is not allowed in carry-on or checked bags. The Street reports that this is because fertilizer is deemed a hazardous material, as it can be flammable and could possibly be a risk for explosion.

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Gel-filled heating pads are also not allowed in carry-on luggage, since the gel in heating pads is liquid.

TSA guidelines state that gel-filled heating pads are not permitted in carry-on bags, but can be checked. Electric heating pads that do not contain gel or liquid are not restricted in any way.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is prohibited from being brought on a plane in a carry-on or in a checked bag.

After a series of dangerous incidents in which the phones overheated, Samsung recalled the devices on September 15, 2016, and again on October 13, 2016. The Department of Transportation issued a 2016 statement banning both recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones and refurbished versions.

"We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority," then-Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in 2016. "We are taking this additional step because even one fire incident inflight poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many lives at risk."

"The fire hazard with the original Note 7 and with the replacement Note 7 is simply too great for anyone to risk it and not respond to this official recall," said US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chairman Elliot F. Kaye. "I would like to remind consumers once again to take advantage of the remedies offered, including a full refund. It's the right thing to do and the safest thing to do."

In a December 2016 statement, Samsung said 93 percent of recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones had been returned, but that the company was rolling out a software update that month that would render the phones unusable.

"Consumer safety remains our highest priority," it said in the statement.