What Can Women Carry in Their Purses on an Airplane?

For most women, their pursues hold daily essentials, including their wallets and cell phones, as well as their makeup and toiletries. When traveling, women often take their purses as their carry-ons onto the plane. However, since 9/11, security in airports has become more strict regarding what you are allowed to carry onto the plane. As the Transportation Security Administration prohibits sharp objects and limits the amount of nonflammable liquids a passenger can bring onto the plane, women should make sure that the items in their purses follow TSA's regulations. This way, they can avoid the inconvenience of having to repack items from their purses into their check-in luggage at the airport.

At the airport, you will need to take our your passport or another form of valid identification at various times to show officials, as well as to check in. For convenience, place your passport, wallet and, if needed, visa into a zipped compartment of your purse so that none of these essential items falls out of the bag. Make sure your wallet is hidden from sight to avoid easy thefts.

TSA allows you to carry liquids, lotions and toothpaste into the plane, as long as they are placed in containers that hold 3.4 fluid ounces or less. This means that a travel-size container cannot be capable of holding more than 3.4 fluid ounces. Make sure to save yourself the inconvenience of having to repack larger bottles when you get to the airport. Travel-size squeeze bottles can be purchased at most local and chain pharmacies, as well as at chain grocery stores.

Some women like to pack makeup items into their purses when they travel, such as compacts, lip gloss and blush. The same rules apply here: No item should be in a container that holds more than 3.4 fluid ounces. If you have an expensive bottle of foundation that is capable of holding more than 3.4 fluid ounces, make sure you pack the bottle into your check-in luggage. Contrary to what many people assume, you can carry nail clippers and tweezers onto the plane. For ease and convenience, stock these smaller items into a compact makeup bag.

If you have a long flight ahead of you and room in your purse, tuck a book, magazine, iPod or iPad into it. If you own an iPod or iPad, download music and movies onto one or both of these devices ahead of time. This way you can avoid paying an extra fee to rent earphones or watch an in-flight movie.