What You Can't Take onto an Airline Flight

Traveling by plane can be stressful. This stress is only magnified when you take packing for the trip into account. In addition to possibly needing to pay baggage fees and trying to fit enough belongings into your luggage, you also need to make sure the items you pack are not prohibited on flights. Some items can be packed into luggage but are not allowed in your carry-on baggage. Other items are always prohibited.

You never are permitted to carry on sharp objects such as box cutters, ice picks, knives, meat cleavers or utility knives, but you can pack each of these objects into your checked luggage. You can bring metal, pointed-tip scissors inside your carry-on luggage as long as the blade is shorter than 4 inches. Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed to reduce the risk of injury to baggage handlers.

For the most part, any sporting equipment that you might consider bringing on board is not permitted. This includes baseball bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs, pool cues and bows and arrows. You can pack each of these items into your checked luggage. Because of the size and length of some of these items, you might need to pick them up after your flight from a special baggage area set aside for items that are not the typical, expected shape and size.

You can't carry on any kind of gun or firearm-related item. The Transportation Safety Administration restricts fliers from carrying on ammunition, BB guns, air guns, firearms, flare guns or realistic replicas of guns, though these items can be checked. Gunpowder and flares are not permitted in carry-on or checked luggage.

Do not attempt to bring prods, hammers, drills, crowbars or other large tools with you in your carry-on luggage. You may bring with you small tools, such as hammers, wrenches and screwdrivers as long as they are 7 inches long or less. These items are permitted in your checked luggage.

You can't go through a TSA checkpoint with a bottle that includes more than 3 oz. of a liquid, but you may enter an airplane with a liquid you purchased in the airport after going through the security checkpoint. For example, if you buy a 12-ounce bottle of water at an airport gift shop after going through the TSA checkpoint, you may bring the bottle with you on the plane.