Is the TSA Really Ending the 3-ounce Liquid Rule?

The nightmare of traveling with liquids could soon be a thing of the past. 

From making sure liquids are in the proper container and size to pulling them out of a bag when necessary, liquids can cause harrowing delays or even additional screenings. However, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem recently indicated the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) liquid rules may soon go the way of its shoes-off policy, which the agency ended earlier this month.

“But I will tell you, I mean the liquids, I’m questioning. So that may be the next big announcement is what size your liquids need to be,” Noem said during an interview at a summit with News Nation and The Hill. She added: “Well, hopefully the future of an airport where I’m looking to go is that you walk in the door with your carry-on suitcase, you walk through a scanner and go right to your flight.”

When asked by Travel + Leisure to comment on Noem’s remarks, the TSA left the door open to change.

“Secretary Noem and TSA are constantly looking for ways to enhance security, and improve the travel experience for the public,” a spokesperson for the TSA told T+L. “Any announcements on policy changes will be made through official channels.”

Currently, the TSA requires travelers flying with carry-on luggage to limit liquids, gels, creams, pastes, and aerosols to 3.4 ounces or less and ensure they fit in a quart-sized resealable bag (with some exemptions for medically-necessary liquids, including breast milk and baby formula). Travelers may then need to take their liquids out and place them separately in a bin during screening. 

Travelers who are part of the agency’s expedited security screening program TSA PreCheck are still limited to the 3.4-ounce liquid rule, but do not need to remove them from their luggage during screening.

The TSA, however, has started rolling out new technology at airports across the United States, computed tomography, or CT scanners. These machines create a more detailed 3-D image during the screening process with the goal of allowing all travelers to keep laptops and liquids in their bags. The technology is also being explored across the globe in international airports, like the United Kingdom’s London Gatwick Airport (LGW), according to TravelPulse Canada. 

But despite Noem’s comments, it may be years before travelers can take large liquids in their carry-on bags—as in potentially not until 2040 when the TSA anticipates having CT units fully deployed across the country.

The absolute easiest way to travel with liquids is to put them in checked luggage where there are no size limits.