Can I Take Perfume on a Plane?

It's always a good idea to keep your perfume usage to a minimum while you're in the confined space of an airplane cabin. Your fellow passengers will thank you. But if you want to bring perfume or cologne in your carry-on bag, you'll have to follow the rules. Here's the scoop for taking perfume on a plane.

Perfume and cologne, like most toiletries, fall under the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 3-1-1 rule, which means that these items are allowed in your carry-on luggage or personal items as long as they follow the airport security guidelines for hand luggage.If you're planning to bring large bottles of perfume, you'll have to check them, because the TSA is very strict about the amount you can pack in your carry-on.

The 3-1-1 rule essentially states that all carry-on liquids, gels, creams and aerosols must be in containers not larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). You can bring as many 3.4-ounce containers as will fit comfortably in one quart-sized bag, generally a clear zip-close plastic bag. Each passenger is limited to one such bag. Any liquid greater than 3.4 ounces that isn't medically necessary must go in your checked luggage. TSA officers will check to make sure you’re following these rules at the security checkpoint, and will check the amount of liquids and fluid ounces and to make sure you aren’t taking any items that are not allowed. It’s a hassle to have to remove items from your bag, so make sure you’re following these TSA rules before you get to the airport!

You can pack perfume in an original container with a capacity of less than 3.4 ounces. Transferring it to your own smaller travel-size container is also acceptable if the original bottle is too big. To get the most out of your carry-on, pack liquid toiletries such as perfume, toothpaste, and lotions in a resealable quart bag separate from a solid toiletry bag, for bars of soap and solid deodorants.

If the perfume is in a glass bottle, also consider packing it in bubble wrap or wrapping it in soft clothing, especially if it’s in your checked baggage and might get jostled around.

When it comes to perfume, the only way around the 3-1-1 rule is to purchase it at a duty-free shop located within the airport. Duty-free liquids greater than 3.4 ounces are allowed in your carry-on, or on your person, as long as they are packaged by the retailer in secure, tamper–evident bags. You must also have the receipt to show that you made the purchase within the last 48 hours before air travel.