Can You Bring Aerosol on a Plane?

What’s the Best Advice for Travelling on a Plane with Aerosol?

Generally cosmetic or toiletry products that use aerosols are fine to fly with. That includes things like hairspray, shaving cream and aerosol sunscreen. It’s usually fine to carry these products in either your cabin or hold luggage, but if you do carry them in your hand luggage, remember that they will be subject to liquid quantity restrictions – so, no individual containers above 100ml/3.4oz. It’s also important to ensure that any aerosols you have are secured against accidental discharge – so make sure the cap is on the can!

Non-cosmetic and non-flammable aerosols – such as edible aerosol whipped cream and certain electronic cleaning sprays – are also fine to carry, though they’ll also be subject to liquid quantity restrictions if you plan to carry them in your hand luggage and for certain products that simply aren’t available in these relatively small packaging sizes, this might make them impossible to carry in hand luggage. 

Non-cosmetic, flammable aerosols – that includes things like spray paint and WD-40 spray – are generally not permitted on aircraft at all.

What Happens If Your Aerosol Is Flagged by Airport Security?

It’s generally fine to carry cosmetic or toiletry aerosols in your luggage, however there are none the less various reasons why security may flag your aerosols. First of all, they may want to double check that an aerosol is the type permitted for travel. They may also want to physically inspect the can for damage or to see if its cap is present – both of these are grounds for security to confiscate an aerosol.

Airport security has the final say on whether an item is allowed to travel, and they have a legal right to confiscate items they consider unsafe.  If they do flag an aerosol in your luggage, it can lead to extra security checks and delays not just for you but also for other passengers too so it’s always best to ensure you are as compliant as you can be with regulations before you travel.

How to Pack Aerosol in Your Luggage

First of all, check the types of aerosols you are planning to carry. Anything that isn’t a cosmetic or toiletry product and is also marked with a flammable warning is not permitted on aircraft – so don’t pack it! Ensure that your aerosol cans are not damaged and have their caps on to prevent the spray form being activated if they get knocked in transit.  It’s also worth placing aerosols in a plastic bag or similar, to contain any spillage should they leak or get activated during travel.

Packing Aerosol in Carry-On Luggage

Aerosols carried in hand luggage are subject to liquid quantity restrictions.  This means that no individual aerosol can exceed 100ml/3.4oz. As you can’t really decant aerosols into smaller containers, that means you’ll be limited to carrying travel-sized miniatures. Be sure that any aerosols you carry are undamaged – no dents or deep scratches in the cans and that the nozzles are intact – and that they all have their caps on. Any aerosols you carry in hand luggage must fit alongside any other liquids in a single clear plastic, resealable bag. 

Packing Aerosol in Hold Luggage

Checked hold luggage can be knocked and bashed around during handing, so it’s wise to pack aerosols in the center of your luggage, surrounded by clothing to provide padding – this will help prevent the cans from getting damaged should your bag receive a sharp knock. It’s wise to ensure that any aerosol cans have their caps fitted to prevent the spray from being accidentally triggered and it’s also a smart move to place aerosol cans in a knotted plastic bag to contain any leaks that might occur. 

What Are the Different Types of Aerosols?

Aerosols are a convenient way of dispensing products that use high pressure gas to turn a liquid into a directional mist (as is the case with hairspray or spray paint) or to produce a foam (such as with shaving cream or aerosol edible whipped cream). They are widely used in many different types of products. Most aerosols make use of highly flammable gas – like butane – though some – notably edible products – use non-flammable gas like nitrogen or carbon dioxide. 

From the point of view of the traveler and airport security, the key types of aerosol are cosmetic and non-cosmetic and flammable and non-flammable.  The only flammable aerosols you are generally allowed to carry by air are those that can be considered cosmetic or toiletry products and the only non-cosmetic aerosols you can carry are generally those that are non-flammable.

There are some special exceptions to this: For example, aerosol bug spray or insect repellant could reasonably be considered a toiletry item, but it can sometimes contain other hazardous substances that mean certain brands cannot be carried on a plane or are limited to checked hold baggage.

Conclusion

Aerosols are used in a wide range of products and as such, there are often more than one set of restrictions that dictate whether they can be taken on a plane. For most travelers, though, the question is whether they can bring cosmetic or toiletry aerosols with them – that might include things like hair spray or mousse, shaving cream and aerosol sunscreen. 

The good news is that these products are absolutely fine to fly with, though, if you choose to carry them in your hand luggage, they will be subject to liquid quantity restrictions – which basically means you’ll need to use specific travel-sized products as decanting an aerosol into a smaller container is not a realistic option.

One potential grey area is with aerosol insect repellants or bug sprays. These can reasonably be classed as toiletry products, but it’s worth bearing in mind that they can also contain hazardous substances that are restricted for air travel. The restrictions can vary from product to product, so it’s worth researching the specific product if you wish to carry them.