Can you bring alcohol on a plane? A quick rule check

Yes, subject to strength, packaging, screening and destination restrictions. There is no blanket ban on alcohol in cabin baggage, but a small bottle does not bypass the strength limit. Use the table below for FAA rules on US travel, then check the cabin-liquid conditions. Elsewhere, verify the relevant authority and airline.

Alcohol strength: the FAA rule for US travel

The FAA distinguishes alcohol by volume (ABV). These are US dangerous-goods conditions, not a worldwide customs allowance. Check your operating airline and every country on the itinerary.

Cabin screening: check the container

For EU departures, ordinary cabin liquids use containers of no more than 100 ml inside a transparent bag of up to 1 litre. TSA screening in the US also limits ordinary containers to 100 ml, but uses a quart-sized bag. A partly empty 750 ml bottle is still a 750 ml container. Small bottles must also meet the alcohol-strength rules.

Three bottle examples

• 50 ml at 40% ABV: within the ordinary container-size threshold, but still needs compliant liquids-bag space, unopened retail packaging under the FAA rule and destination permission.
• 50 ml at 80% ABV: prohibited under FAA rules despite its small size.
• 750 ml of wine from home: too large for the ordinary cabin-liquid rule. An eligible sealed duty-free purchase follows separate conditions; otherwise consider permitted checked carriage. The total bag weight still matters.

Related guides

• Alcohol in cabin baggage: security, airline and customs rules
• Flying with wine: choose a bag and protect the bottles
• Duty-free and cabin baggage: plan the purchase and connection
• Duty-free liquids in transit: keep the seal and prove the purchase
• Does a duty-free bag count as cabin baggage? Check the airline
• Check your packed bag

Official sources

FAA PackSafe · FAA PackSafe PDF · TSA · Your Europe — Cabin screening: check the container · Your Europe — Customs and the airline are separate checks.