Liquids in hand luggage: UK airport rules and limits 2026

The United Kingdom no longer has one liquids rule. At Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and a growing list of others, you can carry containers of up to two litres and leave them in your bag. Everywhere else, the old 100ml limit and the clear plastic bag still apply. Knowing which airport you are flying from, and which one you are flying back through, is now the whole game.

What the rules are right now at UK airports

The rule depends entirely on the screening equipment at your departure airport. Where next-generation CT scanners have been installed across every lane and the Department for Transport has signed off the change, the limit rises to two litres per container and electronics stay inside your bag. Where they have not, hand luggage containers must hold no more than 100ml and fit inside a single transparent resealable bag of about one litre.

Airlines have no say in this. British Airways, easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair all follow whatever the airport applies, so the airport decides the rule, never the airline.

UK airports where the 100ml limit has gone

Heathrow completed its rollout across all terminals, and Gatwick, London City, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and Teesside now allow up to two litres. At these airports there is no requirement to use a clear bag, to decant products, or to take laptops and tablets out of your case at the checkpoint.

Does that mean any bottle size is fine?

Not quite. Two litres is the ceiling for a single container, and the total still has to be reasonable for cabin baggage. Security officers keep the right to ask for a manual check on anything the scanner flags, so a very full bag can still slow you down even under the relaxed rule.

Where the 100ml rule still applies

Manchester, Stansted, Luton, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford and many regional airports have not switched over, or have upgraded only part of their lanes. On those routes the familiar drill stands: containers of 100ml or less, one clear resealable bag per passenger, taken out and placed in the tray on its own.

The most expensive mistake is the return leg. A full-size shampoo bought after security at Heathrow will be confiscated on the way home if the return airport still runs the old rule. Pack for the stricter of your two airports and nothing gets binned.

What counts as a liquid at security

The official category is liquids, aerosols and gels, and it is broader than most travellers expect. Toothpaste, mascara, lip gloss, shower gel, shaving foam, deodorant sprays, perfume, nail polish, sun cream and hand sanitiser all count. So do soft foods such as honey, yoghurt, soup, jam and runny cheese.

What does not count as a liquid?

Solid formats are exempt and travel freely in hand luggage, outside the clear bag: bar soap, shampoo bars, stick deodorant, solid perfume, pressed powder and cleansing balms in solid form. Swapping two or three products to solid versions is the quickest way to empty a 100ml bag entirely.

Medicines, baby food and duty free

Three categories sit outside the limit at every UK airport, relaxed rule or not. Essential liquid medicines are allowed in quantities appropriate to the trip, presented separately at the checkpoint; a prescription or pharmacy label speeds up the check. Baby milk, sterilised water and baby food are permitted in reasonable amounts when a child is travelling, and staff may ask you to open a container.

Duty free purchases travel in the sealed security tamper-evident bag issued at the till, with the receipt visible inside. Open that bag before your final destination and the contents fall back under the 100ml limit at the next checkpoint, which is where most connecting passengers lose their purchases.

Packing your washbag so security is quick

Even under the relaxed rule, tidy hand luggage clears the scanner faster. Keep liquids together in one place rather than scattered through the case, so that a manual check takes seconds rather than a full unpack. Dry items, brushes, solid cosmetics and small accessories belong in a separate toiletry bag that stays closed.

For a weekend, a small fabric clutch is enough to separate dry goods from bottles. For a larger cabin load, the choice of bag matters as much as what goes inside. If you are flying from an airport that still uses the old rule, keep the clear bag at the top of your case where you can reach it without lifting everything out.

What happens if you get it wrong

Non-compliant hand luggage containers are removed and destroyed at the checkpoint, with no storage and no refund. There is no negotiation at the lane and no discretion for the officer to make an exception. The only fallback is to leave security, return to the check-in desk and put the item in hold baggage, which only works if check-in is still open.

Allow twenty minutes of slack at security, because a random secondary search happens even to perfectly packed hand luggage.

Frequently asked questions

How much liquid can I take in hand luggage in the UK?

It depends on your departure airport. At Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and Teesside you may carry containers of up to two litres with no clear bag required. At every other UK airport the limit is 100ml per container, all fitting inside one transparent resealable bag of roughly one litre.

Which UK airports allow 2 litres of liquid?

Heathrow across all terminals, Gatwick, London City, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and Teesside currently allow containers of up to two litres, because every security lane there uses CT scanners approved for the relaxed rule. The list keeps growing, so check your specific airport before you pack rather than relying on a previous trip.

Is toothpaste classed as a liquid in hand luggage?

Yes, toothpaste is treated as a gel and falls under the liquids rule wherever the 100ml limit applies. The same goes for mascara, lip gloss, shower gel, sun cream and aerosol deodorant. Bar soap, shampoo bars and stick deodorant are solids and are never restricted.

Can I take prescription medicine over 100ml?

Yes, essential liquid medicines are allowed above 100ml in quantities suited to your journey, at every UK airport. Present them separately from your other belongings at the checkpoint and keep them in original packaging where possible. A prescription or dispensing label is not legally required but makes the check faster.

Do duty free liquids survive a connecting flight?

They do if the sealed tamper-evident bag stays closed and the receipt remains visible inside, dated the same day. Once the bag is opened, the contents are screened as ordinary liquids at the next checkpoint and anything over 100ml is confiscated, which is the usual outcome on connections outside the UK and EU.

Do I still need a clear plastic bag at Heathrow?

No, Heathrow no longer requires a clear plastic bag for liquids in hand luggage, and laptops and tablets can stay inside your case. Bring one anyway if your return airport still uses the older equipment, since you will need it for the journey home.

Sources: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998 laying down measures for the implementation of common basic standards on aviation security; UK Government guidance on hand luggage restrictions; published security pages of Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Bristol airports on the rollout of next-generation cabin baggage screening.

Mode Tendance, accessories and travel desk. Published 18 July 2026.