No matter how often you fly, it can be tough to remember all the specific rules set out by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), especially as they constantly change. For example, in December 2025, the TSA announced travelers who don’t have a REAL ID will be fined $45 and asked to step out of line for secondary screening. And just a few months earlier, the TSA stated you no longer need to remove your shoes at security. In 2025, the agency hinted it may update the liquid rules, too, which currently allow people to fly with up to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item in their carry-on. There is, however, one way to get around this last one, and that’s by freezing all your liquids before heading to the airport. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the TSA’s current liquids rule?
As the TSA explains on its website, you are allowed to bring “a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint.” These liquids, in all their forms, are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. “Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Pack items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in checked baggage.”
So, can I freeze my goods?
Funnily enough, yes. A TSA spokesperson shared with Travel + Leisure, “Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening.” But if frozen liquid items are “partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 liquids requirements.”
What about freezing other things?
T+L previously reported you can freeze makeup products, including your favorite creams, to get through the screening. But, as Dr. Hannah Kopelman, who completed two clinical fellowships in dermatology at Columbia University and skin cancer from Boston University, told T+L, “From my perspective as a dermatologist, freezing most skin care products is generally a bad idea. The active ingredients in skin care—things like retinol, vitamin C, peptides, and even sunscreens—are highly sensitive to temperature changes.” So, maybe save this hack for emergencies only.
Are there any other TSA screening hacks?
Are you heading home from a tropical vacation? It turns out, you can bring an entire coconut through the security to enjoy on your flight—so long as it’s entirely closed when it goes through the X-ray.
“Yes, travelers are allowed to bring whole, unopened coconuts through security screening as well as their checked bag,” Daniel Velez, a regional TSA spokesperson, told T+L. And that applies if they have more than 3.4 ounces of liquid, too. But note you will likely get flagged if you’re traveling with a bushel of coconuts. Velez added, “Be aware that if you are traveling with an abundance of coconuts through security screening, TSA officers may pull the bag aside for further inspection.”
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