Alcohol wipes are generally allowed on planes in both carry-on and checked baggage. They provide a simple way for travelers to maintain personal hygiene and disinfect high-touch surfaces like tray tables, armrests, and seatbelt buckles during a trip. Understanding the specific rules for these items helps ensure a smooth experience when passing through airport security checkpoints.
Why Alcohol Wipes Are Exempt from Liquid Rules
The primary reason alcohol wipes are permitted without restriction is their classification as a saturated towelette, not a liquid, gel, or aerosol. Transportation security guidelines, such as those from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), define liquids as items that can pour, spread, or ooze. Alcohol wipes are considered a solid item because the liquid solution is fully absorbed into the cloth material.
This distinction means that alcohol wipes are exempt from the standard 3-1-1 rule, which limits carry-on liquids to containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less. The alcohol content, typically between 60% and 75% for effective disinfection, is bound within the fabric. Because the alcohol is contained in this manner, the item does not pose the same security risk as a free-flowing liquid.
Quantity Limits and Where to Pack Them
Travelers face virtually no specific limit on the number of standard-sized packages of alcohol wipes they can bring in their luggage. Both carry-on and checked baggage are acceptable places to pack these items. Standard consumer packages, including individually wrapped wipes or canisters of disinfecting towelettes, are routinely allowed through security checkpoints.
While there is no official limit on the number of packages, security officers may question extremely large, industrial-sized containers or wipes that appear excessively saturated with free-flowing liquid. To avoid potential delays, it is advisable to keep the wipes in their original, sealed packaging. Travelers often keep them in their carry-on for easy access and convenient use to clean personal space during the flight.
Rules for Hand Sanitizer and Other Cleaning Products
Unlike alcohol wipes, liquid or gel hand sanitizer is subject to the standard liquid rules for carry-on baggage. Containers of liquid hand sanitizer must be 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and must fit comfortably within a single, clear, quart-sized bag along with all other carry-on liquids. This rule applies to the container size, regardless of the amount of product inside.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary exemption allowed one container of liquid hand sanitizer up to 12 ounces per passenger in carry-on bags. This temporary allowance has since been removed, and the standard 3.4-ounce limit is now back in effect.
For checked baggage, the total quantity of restricted medicinal and toiletry articles, including hand sanitizer, is limited to 2 liters (68 fluid ounces) per person. Each container must not exceed 0.5 liters (17 fluid ounces).
Other common cleaning wipes, such as baby wipes, makeup remover wipes, and general disinfecting wipes like Clorox or Lysol, follow the same rules as alcohol wipes. Because the cleaning solution is absorbed into the cloth, these items are also considered saturated towelettes. They are therefore exempt from the liquid limits.