Key Takeaways
• TSA now lets you bring 11 full-size exempt items in carry-ons at airports with computed tomography scanners starting April 2025.
• Airports like ATL, JFK, and LAX already allow larger medications, baby formula, duty-free liquids, and more in any size.
• Standard 3-1-1 liquid limits still apply for most other liquids unless departing from a CT scanner-equipped checkpoint.
Travelers flying within the United States 🇺🇸 have received welcome news: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now permits 11 new items in any size in your carry-on bags, as long as you start your journey from an airport equipped with the latest computed tomography (CT) scanners. This is a big shift from the old “3-1-1” rule, which allowed liquids only in small containers. The policy is already in place at some of the country’s largest airports, such as Atlanta, JFK in New York, and LAX in Los Angeles. More airports are expected to offer these relaxed rules as CT scanners become more common.
Let’s explain what this change means, what items are now allowed, why TSA has made this move, and what it could mean for people with special needs, parents, international travelers, and the future of airport security.
TSA’s Major Carry-On Rule Change
For years, if you wanted to bring liquids, gels, or aerosols on a plane, TSA rules said you could only bring small bottles—nothing bigger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters)—and you had to stuff everything into a single quart-sized, clear, plastic bag. This was to stop people from sneaking dangerous substances through security. But new technology is changing this rule.
In airports with the newest computed tomography scanners, TSA officers can now see what you’re carrying with much more detail. These machines give them a 3D image of your bags, making it easy to spot anything suspicious but without the need to limit all liquids to small bottles.
That’s why TSA now says you can bring 11 specific items in any size—no matter if it’s a full-size medicine bottle, a large bottle of lotion for medical needs, or even a container of baby formula. You don’t have to squeeze them into a tiny bag anymore. This makes packing for your trip and getting through security much less stressful, especially for people who need to travel with medical supplies, parents traveling with children, and even researchers carrying unusual items.
The List: TSA’s 11 New Items Allowed in Full Size
The list of approved full-size items is meant to cover medical needs, infant care, and a few other situations where the old rules really didn’t make sense. As of the latest TSA guideline update, you can now have these 11 items in any amount in your carry-on, as long as your departure airport uses the new CT scanners:
- Prescription medications: Any medication prescribed by a doctor—liquid, gel, or aerosol—can be in your bag in as big a bottle as you need.
- Over-the-counter medications: Other medicines you don’t need a prescription for, again in any size, liquid or gel.
- Breast milk and baby formula: Bring as much as you need. Your baby doesn’t even have to be with you when you travel.
- Baby or toddler food and drinks: This includes water for your child. You can bring as much as you think you’ll need for your trip.
- Ice packs or gel packs: These are for keeping medical items cool, like insulin or special food.
- Wet batteries: The kind that don’t spill, often used in medical devices, are now okay in any size.
- Live fish transported in water: If you need to travel with live fish, you can bring them as long as they are in a safe, sealed container.
- Biological specimens: Researchers can carry samples for their work if they pack them as TSA requires.
- Liquid-filled teethers: These soft toys for babies that have liquid inside are now permitted in full size.
- Duty-free liquids: Alcohol or perfumes bought in the airport’s duty-free shop, as long as they’re in a tamper-evident bag and you have the receipt.
- Fresh eggs: Yes, raw eggs can be brought in your carry-on now.
This list responds to real needs and makes traveling easier for families, people managing chronic health conditions, and a few others with special needs or jobs.
Why the Change? The Role of Computed Tomography Scanners
This new list is possible mainly because of computed tomography (CT) scanners. Unlike older X-ray machines, these scanners take a series of pictures of your bag from many angles and create a clear 3D image. TSA officers can turn, zoom, and look closely at anything they see inside, making it much easier to spot dangerous items.
The introduction of CT scanners is a big step forward for airport security. It means TSA officers don’t need to make rules that affect everyone just to catch the few who might try to break the law. Now, if you have a large bottle of baby formula or a medicine you need for your health, officers can check it without causing you trouble or delay.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, the main reason for this change is the better image and improved threat detection that the computed tomography scanners provide compared to old machines. This makes security lines safer and faster while giving you more freedom with your carry-on items.
Which Airports Have the New Rules?
The TSA has started using the new rules at some of the country’s busiest airports. As of April 2025, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), John F. Kennedy in New York (JFK), and Los Angeles International (LAX) are among the first to allow full-size exempt items for people going through checkpoints with computed tomography scanners.
But here’s something to remember: not every airport is ready yet. Some airports, or even some checkpoints at big airports, might still use older screening machines. Before you fly, check if your airport is using the new scanners and new rules. You can look up this information on the official TSA website to be sure. If the airport doesn’t have the new technology, the old “3-1-1” rule still applies.
What About International Flights?
If you’re leaving the United States 🇺🇸 or connecting in another country, you need to be careful. Other countries 🇨🇦 🇲🇽 🇬🇧 might not have the same rules, even if your items are allowed by TSA in the United States 🇺🇸. You could end up having to throw away something at another country’s security checkpoint or on the way home. Always check the rules for your destination—including any layover countries—before packing.
It’s also good to remember that airlines sometimes have their own rules, so check with your carrier as well.
Careful! The Change Doesn’t Apply to All Liquids
While these 11 new items are now allowed in any size with the help of computed tomography scanners, most liquids—like shampoo, conditioner, lotions, and drinks for adults—are not included. Until TSA changes its general rules, these other liquids are still bound by the 3.4-ounce (100 ml) limit and must fit in one small, clear bag.
Here’s what you still can’t bring in big sizes:
– Large bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, or other bath products
– Large containers of sunscreen or lotion
– Beverages for adults (water, juice, soda) brought from home
If you try to bring these in your carry-on, TSA officers will likely make you throw them away, unless they’re bought at the airport inside the secured area (like sealed duty-free drinks).
How Should You Declare These Items?
When you pack any of the 11 full-size exempt items, TSA asks that you still declare them at the security checkpoint. This means you should tell the officer at the start of screening that you have these items and place them in a separate bin if asked. This helps speed up your security check and avoids confusion or delays.
In most cases, officers will not open or test these items unless they see something out of the ordinary on the computed tomography scanner. Still, being open about what you’re carrying helps everyone move through security more quickly and keeps stress levels low.
Who Benefits Most from the New Rules?
Let’s look at who will find it easier to fly under these new TSA guidelines:
- Parents and caregivers: No more splitting up bottles of breast milk, formula, or baby food into tiny portions.
- People with medical needs: Easier to travel with necessary medicines and medical equipment (like ice packs) in whatever size or shape works best.
- Researchers and students: Allowed to carry needed biological specimens for studies with fewer restrictions.
- Travelers with fresh food needs: More flexibility for those needing to bring items like eggs.
- International shoppers: It’s simpler to bring back large duty-free liquid items if you transfer through qualified airports.
What’s the Big Picture?
TSA’s update is about more than just making life easier for a few groups. This change is evidence of how better technology, like computed tomography scanners, can shape smarter—rather than harsher—security measures. Instead of covering everyone with one rule, TSA can now allow for common sense: parents, people with health challenges, and others with valid needs don’t have to jump through hoops.
It’s important for the travel community to realize that this shift is part of a bigger global trend. As other countries 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 look to new screening tools, we can expect some future changes in airport security worldwide. But for now, rules are different country by country. For U.S. airports, it’s a move toward making travel easier, safer, and more user-friendly.
What Should You Do Next?
If you’re planning to fly soon, here are some easy steps:
- Check your airport: Before you go, see if your airport uses computed tomography scanners at your terminal or checkpoint.
- Review TSA’s current rules: Visit the TSA What Can I Bring? page for the latest.
- Declare your large exempt items: Place them where officers can see and check them quickly.
- Prepare for international travel: Pack so you can adjust for different rules in each country.
- Stay informed: Policy changes could roll out to more airports or cover more liquid items with time.
What Does This Mean for Immigration and Global Travelers?
For those moving to or from the United States 🇺🇸, these rule changes may make family reunification flights, student moves, and medical trips smoother and less stressful. Immigrants often travel with medicines, special foods, or care items for children and elderly relatives, so these relaxed TSA regulations are a welcome relief.
International students bringing research samples, workers relocating with medical gear, or parents reuniting with small children stand to benefit most. The ability to pack what you need, without strict bottle limits, means fewer risks to personal health and less chance of accidental disposal of essential items.
For global travelers flying through the United States 🇺🇸, it’s still key to double-check all transfer and destination rules. When airports in other countries bring in similar computed tomography scanners, it’s possible these relaxed rules could spread.
Looking Ahead
The TSA’s move to allow these 11 full-size items in carry-on bags marks an important step. It is a response to new security technology—specifically computed tomography scanners—that allows for detailed, fast bag screening. The policy makes traveling much easier for those who already have enough on their plate: parents with kids, people with health conditions, students, and researchers.
But, because not all airports have switched to the computed tomography scanners yet, and because rules are still different in other countries, always double-check the latest information before packing or flying. For now, this change signals a trend: airport security may soon be less about forcing us all to follow the same strict rules and more about using smart tech to keep us safe.
For more details, check the TSA’s travel tips page before your next flight.
In summary, TSA’s new rules around these 11 exempt items, powered by computed tomography scanners, are a big win for travelers. They balance safety with common sense and make flying—especially for those with medical or family needs—a lot less stressful. As airports add more advanced scanners and rules continue to adapt, America’s approach to airport security is becoming both safer and more flexible for everyone.
Learn Today
Computed Tomography (CT) scanners → Advanced security devices creating 3D images of luggage, allowing detailed inspection and safer, faster airport screening.
3-1-1 rule → TSA policy limiting liquids to 3.4 ounces in a quart-sized bag for carry-ons, now relaxed in some locations.
Duty-free liquids → Alcohol or perfumes purchased after security, allowed in carry-on bags if sealed and accompanied by proof of purchase.
Biological specimens → Samples transported for research or medical purposes, permitted in carry-on if properly packed under new TSA rules.
Wet batteries → Non-spillable batteries, often used in medical devices, now allowed in any size in carry-ons with proper conditions.
This Article in a Nutshell
The TSA’s rule change means flexible packing for U.S. flyers: 11 essential items in any size now allowed at CT scanner-equipped airports. This tech-driven update benefits medical travelers, families, and researchers. Most liquids are still restricted, so always confirm your airport’s scanner status and international rules before you travel.
— By VisaVerge.com
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