Last Updated : Jul 20, 2026  |   Author : Tia   |   View Count : 190   |   Read Time : 6 min

How Much Liquid Can You Take on a Plane? Know All UK Airport Rules.

If you’re planning a trip overseas or domestically, then one thing we all know we have to keep in mind is the airport liquid limits. This is one thing that most people mess up while traveling, but we’re here to prevent that. The rules for the liquid limits that apply to the UK have shifted recently, so even if you’re a frequent flyer, this will be a quick refresher. This guide will walk you through the relevant changes, how they work, and apply in real-time settings.

Are there any exceptions to the liquid limit?

Yes, there are for certain medicinal or even dietary purposes; there are exceptions to the airport liquid limit rule. We will discuss the same in the blog below.

UK Rules? How Much Liquid Can You Take on a Plane

What’s unique to the UK right now is that the airport liquid limit completely depends on which airport you’re flying out from. Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Belfast airports have finished their CT scanner rollouts, meaning containers up to 2 litres are now allowed in hand luggage. Meanwhile, Manchester, Luton, Stansted, Liverpool, and Glasgow still apply the old 100ml limit. So the same trip could have completely different rules depending on where you take off and land.

Under the standard rules, and regulations aerosols, gels and liquids in the hand baggage are permitted to about 100ml and no more than that unless your airport has upgraded to a CT scanner, so it’s always useful to check your specific departure airport’s rules as well as the return airport’s rules because let’s say you’re traveling with a container more than 100ml from Gatwick to a local airport that still stands by the 100ml rule, then your items can be confiscated for not adhering to thats specific airport rule. So it’s always good to double-check and stay on the safer side. 
 

The 3-1-1 Rule and What It Actually Means

If you’ve traveled before, then you’ve definitely come across this rule before or at least heard of the 3-1-1 rule. This basically means the liquids in containers of 100ml or less all fit inside one clear bag, which is no larger than 20 x 20 cm wide and long, and has a capacity that doesn’t exceed a litre. Airports that are still using this rule, it’s more about the size of the container rather than how much the contents of the container measure up. So if you’re carrying, let’s say baby food and the container for the baby food is over a litre tall, but it only has 100ml of baby food left, it still wouldn’t be permitted because this rule doesn’t care about contents; it focuses on capacity. 

However, if you’re traveling at the airports with the upgraded scanners, the need for plastic bags is gone, and you can leave them inside your regular cabin bag during screening. This is because the new scanners allow security to see the contents of the bag without it having been pulled apart when you scan it with the new CT scanners.
 

Liquids That Don't Count Toward the Limit

As we mentioned earlier, there are a few exceptions that are worth noting to these rules. Firstly, anything that’s like an empty water bottle can easily be taken through security in hand luggage, regardless of the airport, though you will need to fill them up after you’ve passed through the security scan. 

Now coming to the exceptions, you can bring essential medicine in your hand luggage, even if the liquid exceeds 100ml, as long as you bring it along with the attached prescription which coincides with the medicine bottle, with your name on it or a letter signed from a medical professional which confirms that you need to have this medicine on hand when you need it. If you are traveling with larger items, then it’s also worth contacting the airport beforehand and notifying them of the same before getting on the plane, just so that there’s no confusion at the airport itself. 

Another one is dietary liquids; this usually just refers to baby food or breast milk. These have often been exempt from the scans and security checks, but you might be asked to taste test the food at the airport to make sure there’s validity of the contents that have been put inside. 

Duty-free purchases are another exception. You can buy duty-free liquids, gels or creams over 100ml at the airport or on board when you have a connecting flight, as long as they are sealed at the point of purchase in a security tamper-evident bag with the receipt inside. Just remember that opening that bag before your next security check can cause problems, so leave it sealed until you are safely on your way home.
 

Packing Toiletries Without Breaking the Rules

If your departure airport still enforces the 100ml rule, the safest approach is to buy travel-sized versions of your everyday toiletries rather than trying to decant your usual products into smaller bottles at the last minute. Toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and any creams or gels all count toward this limit, so it helps to lay everything out before you pack and measure what you actually need for the length of your trip.

Solid alternatives are also worth considering. Solid shampoo bars, solid deodorant, and solid perfume all skip the liquid restriction entirely since they are not liquids, gels, or aerosols in the traditional sense. This can free up space in your liquids bag for things you cannot easily find in solid form.

If you are flying out of one of the airports with the newer 2 litre rule, you have a lot more breathing room. Full-size sun cream, a full 1 litre water bottle, or larger toiletries are generally fine when flying from an airport with the upgraded scanners. Just remember the return leg of your trip. If you are coming home through an airport that still uses the 100ml rule, those larger bottles will need to either be used up, left behind, or packed into checked luggage before you fly back.

One detail that catches a lot of travelers off guard involves metal or vacuum insulated bottles. Vacuum flasks and metal bottles must still be emptied even at airports using the 2-litre rule, since the new scanners cannot see through the double layer of insulation. So even with more generous limits in place, plan to empty your metal water bottle before you reach the security line and refill it once you are through.
 

What Happens If You Exceed the Liquid Limit

If a container is found to be over the allowed size for that specific airport, security staff will not let you carry it through in your hand luggage. In most cases, you have a few options at this point. You can head back to check in, if you have not already dropped off your checked bag, and add the item to your hold luggage instead. If that is not possible, the item typically gets confiscated at the checkpoint and is not returned.

This is why it genuinely pays to check your specific departure airport's rules before you even start packing, rather than assuming every UK airport works the same way. The rollout of new scanners is ongoing, so an airport currently on the 100ml list could shift to the 2 litre rule at short notice, which makes it worth checking the airport's official page shortly before you travel rather than relying on an old blog post or a friend's experience from a previous trip.
 

Checked Bags vs. Carry-On Liquid Rules

The good news is that none of these restrictions apply to your checked luggage. Larger containers that would not be allowed through the passenger security point can be placed in hold baggage instead, as long as they comply with dangerous goods limits. This means full size bottles of shampoo, sunscreen, or any other liquid toiletry are completely fine as long as they go into the bag that gets checked in rather than the one you carry onto the plane. 

This makes checked luggage a good backup plan if you are unsure about your airport's specific carry-on rules, or if you simply prefer to bring your regular full size products rather than buying travel sized versions. Just keep in mind that some liquids, like certain aerosols, still have quantity limits even in checked bags due to general aviation safety rules, so it is worth a quick check if you are packing anything unusual like a large can of hairspray or a pressurized product.

Knowing your specific airport's rules ahead of time really is the easiest way to avoid a stressful moment at security. A few minutes checking your departure and return airport's official guidance before you pack can save you from losing a favorite product or getting held up in a queue right before your flight.
 

FAQs

1. Do all UK airports still use the 100ml liquid rule?

No, several major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham have moved to a 2-litre limit thanks to new scanning technology,
 

2. Can I bring baby food or milk through security without following the liquid limit?

Yes, baby food and milk are generally exempt from the standard restrictions.
 

3. What should I do if my liquid item is too large for my departure airport's rules?

If you have not checked in your luggage yet, you can move the item to your checked bag.