Baggage & Airline Rules

Carry-On Luggage Checklist: What to Pack and What TSA Stops

A carry-on luggage checklist built around 2026 TSA rules, covering ID, the 3-1-1 liquids bag, power banks, medication and what to keep out of the hold.

Kiwitours EditorialUpdated September 24, 2026 · 10 min read

Carry-on luggage checklist: a packed carry-on suitcase and travel bag ready at the foot of a bed

The short answer

A good carry-on luggage checklist starts with acceptable ID, a REAL ID, passport or passport card, then a quart-size liquids bag of 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers. Add every spare battery and power bank, since none may go in checked bags, plus medication, valuables and documents. Leave out blades, full-size liquids and anything over 160 Wh.

Most carry-on packing lists are written around comfort: neck pillow, snacks, a spare pair of socks. Those are fine, but they are not what gets a bag pulled aside at the checkpoint or a traveler turned away at the ID podium.

This checklist is built the other way round. It starts with what TSA and the airlines actually check in 2026, then fills in what is worth carrying because it cannot safely travel in the hold. Each item links to the rule behind it.

What you need before you start packing

Your airline’s carry-on size. Most large US carriers allow 22 x 14 x 9 inches, but it varies. Carry-on size by airline lists the limits carrier by carrier.
Your fare type. Some Basic Economy fares, United’s domestic ones in particular, include a personal item only.
A clear quart-size zip-top bag for liquids.
Your ID, checked for REAL ID compliance before the day you fly, not at the podium.

Bag size, fare type, the quart bag and a compliant ID are worth checking before anything goes in the bag.

The carry-on luggage checklist, in five layers

Pack in this order. The top layers are the ones that stop a trip; the bottom ones only make it less comfortable.

Identity documents: acceptable ID, boarding pass, and a passport for any international leg.
The 3-1-1 bag: liquids, gels, creams and aerosols of 3.4 oz or less, all in one quart bag.
Batteries: every power bank, spare battery and charging case you are bringing.
Things you cannot replace quickly: medication, glasses, keys, jewelry, cash and work laptops.
Comfort items: headphones, a layer for a cold cabin, an empty water bottle, solid snacks.

The top layers can stop a trip at the checkpoint; the bottom ones only make it less comfortable.

Which ID goes at the top of the list?

Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts a state license or ID card that is not REAL ID compliant. A REAL ID card carries a star in the top corner.

Other accepted documents include a US passport, a passport card, a state Enhanced Driver’s License, and DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry and NEXUS. How to know if you have a REAL ID walks through reading the card.

Note: if you arrive without acceptable ID, TSA ConfirmID has been the fallback since February 1, 2026. It costs $45, covers a 10-day travel period, and TSA states there is no guarantee it can verify your identity. Budget up to 30 minutes for the process.

What goes in the 3-1-1 liquids bag?

TSA’s rule is in the name: containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less, inside 1 quart-size bag, 1 bag per passenger. Anything that spreads, pours or sprays counts, including toothpaste, mascara, peanut butter and hand sanitizer.

The container size is what matters, not how full it is. A half-empty 6 oz bottle of shampoo is still a 6 oz bottle. Does deodorant count as a liquid? goes through the borderline items one by one.

TSA's liquids rule: 3.4 oz containers, one quart bag, one bag per passenger.

Items exempt from the liquids limit

Two categories can travel in larger amounts, outside the quart bag, as long as you tell the officer at the start of screening.

Item	Limit	What to do
Liquid medication	Reasonable quantity for the trip	Declare it; it may be opened for testing
Formula and breast milk	Over 3.4 oz allowed	Declare it and take it out for separate screening
Baby food pouches, toddler drinks	Over 3.4 oz allowed	Same as formula
Ice and gel packs	Allowed, with or without milk	Present them with the items they cool

TSA does not require pills to stay in prescription bottles, but some state laws on labeling still apply. Keeping the original label is the simpler option when you cross state lines.

Why every battery goes in the cabin

Spare lithium batteries, power banks and phone charging cases are banned from checked bags, including gate-checked ones. The FAA’s reasoning is fire risk: a battery fire in the cabin can be seen and fought, one in the hold cannot.

The limits scale with capacity. Under 100 watt-hours, which covers almost every phone power bank, needs no approval. Between 101 and 160 Wh, you need the airline’s approval and may carry two spares at most. Above 160 Wh, the battery cannot fly as a spare at all.

Spare lithium batteries must travel in the cabin; capacity decides whether they need approval or cannot fly at all.

The 2026 power bank change on international flights

From March 27, 2026, ICAO, the UN aviation body, limited power banks to two per passenger on international flights and banned recharging them during the flight. The member states are expected to apply it through their own rules.

US airlines also set their own policies, and several are stricter than the federal baseline. Check your carrier’s battery page before packing a third charger, and keep power banks where you can reach them rather than deep inside the overhead bag.

What gets stopped at the checkpoint

These are the carry-on items TSA’s own lists name most often. Most can simply move to a checked bag instead.

Item	Carry-on	Checked bag
Scissors	Blades under 4 in from the pivot	Yes
Knives	Plastic or butter knives only	Yes, sheathed
Common lighter	Yes	Only without fuel, or in a DOT case
Safety matches	One book	No
Torch lighter	No	No

Razors have their own rules by type, covered in Can you pack razors in a carry-on?, and TSA’s full list sits behind its “What Can I Bring?” search tool.

Short scissors, a common lighter and one book of safety matches pass; knives and torch lighters do not.

What changed at the checkpoint itself

Two things now move faster than older checklists suggest. Since July 2025, TSA no longer requires shoes off in standard lanes, although an officer can still ask for them after an alarm.

Laptops are the other. In a standard lane, electronics larger than a phone still come out into a bin. At lanes with CT scanners, officers usually let laptops and the liquids bag stay in the bag, so follow the signs at your lane. What happens at airport security covers the full sequence.

What happens if you get the checklist wrong?

No acceptable ID: $45 for ConfirmID, extra time, and no guarantee of boarding.
An oversized liquid: surrendered at the checkpoint, or you leave the line to check it.
A power bank in a checked or gate-checked bag: it has to come out, and the bag may be pulled back for it.
An oversized bag at the gate: checked at the standard fee, with a gate charge on some fares. Gate-check rules sets out when that is free.

Missing ID is the costliest carry-on mistake; the others cost an item, time or a checked-bag fee.

Your bag was flagged. What now?

Stay with the bag and let the officer open it; do not reach in yourself.
Name the item before they find it, especially medication, formula or medical devices.
Ask for the options if something is refused: checking it, handing it to someone outside security, or surrendering it.
Repack the 3-1-1 bag so it comes out first next time.
For a disputed decision, ask for a supervisor at the checkpoint, or contact TSA Cares before a future trip if you travel with medical items.

Frequently asked questions

What should be on a carry-on luggage checklist?

ID first, then the quart liquids bag, every spare battery and power bank, medication, valuables and travel documents. Comfort items come last. Anything with a blade over 4 inches, fueled torch lighters and full-size liquids stay out.

What is on the REAL ID checklist in Massachusetts (MA)?

The RMV asks for one document proving lawful presence and one showing your full Social Security number. It also wants two proving Massachusetts residency. Documents must be originals and not laminated, and the visit is in person at an RMV Service Center or an AAA branch for members.

What is on the REAL ID checklist in North Carolina (NC)?

NCDMV asks for one proof of identity and date of birth and one showing your full Social Security number. It also wants two proofs of North Carolina residency. A driver license also needs proof of liability insurance. The state’s online REAL ID wizard builds the list for you.

What is on the REAL ID checklist in New Jersey (NJ)?

New Jersey uses its 6 Points of ID system for identity documents. For REAL ID it adds two proofs of residential address, against one for a standard license, plus your Social Security number. The MVC’s online document selector checks your set before the visit.

What is on the REAL ID checklist in New York (NY)?

The NY DMV asks for proof of identity and lawful status plus two proofs of residency, such as bank statements, pay stubs or utility bills issued within the past year. Its interactive pre-screening tool lists the documents that apply to you.

What is on the REAL ID checklist in Pennsylvania (PA)?

PennDOT asks for one document proving identity and lawful status and one showing all nine digits of your Social Security number. It also wants two proofs of Pennsylvania residency. Originals or certified copies only. REAL ID by state covers the other states.

In short

We set out a carry-on luggage checklist that puts the checkpoint first. That meant ID that TSA accepts, one quart bag of small liquids, every spare battery, and what you cannot lose in the hold. Comfort items came last because they never stop a trip.

Rules change without much notice. If something here no longer matches what you were told at the checkpoint, tell us and we will correct it.