You may have read our Thanksgiving Travel Tips last month. Well, this is the holiday travel version. If you didn’t read all of our travel tips last month, no worries… Here’s the link: Good Gravy, Let’s Talk Turkey!: TSA Holiday Travel Tips
Here are a few tips that focus on the upcoming holiday travel.
Wrapped gifts are allowed, but not encouraged: Nothing new this year. Wrapped gifts are allowed, but we recommend waiting until you land. If there’s something in the gift that needs to be inspected, we may have to open it. Our officers try their best not to mangle the gift wrap, but it’s not a guarantee and it also slows down the line for everybody else when we have to do this. We’d rather unwrap the gifts that are under our trees.
Eggnog can be an alternate to fuel depending on who’s mixing it. Sometimes there’s a fine line between a beverage and hazmat. Just sayin’…Remember the 3-1-1 liquids rule at the checkpoint. Unless it’s in small container (3.4 oz or less), this tasty liquid treat is not allowed.
Snow Globes: Call us what you will (Grinch, Scrooge, Heat Miser), but snow globes are still not permitted in your carry-on luggage. They are sealed containers full of liquid that would have to be opened to test. We’re not in the business of busting snow globes, so we suggest you place them in your checked baggage or mail them ahead of time.
Photo Courtesy of Brent Fruitcakes get a bad rap. I personally love fruitcakes and my holiday wouldn’t be the same without them. As I said in last year’s post, contrary to popular belief, fruitcake is a delicious edible and permitted cake, not a WMD.
Christmas Sweaters: If you have one of those Christmas sweaters with blinking lights, you might get a little more attention. However, we won’t hold it against you if you’re simply wearing an ugly sweater. As I said in last year’s post, While some Christmas sweaters can have a nauseating effect on passengers, they are currently permitted through TSA checkpoints.
Family Lanes are designed to let families take their time and ask questions without feeling rushed by the experienced frequent flyers who can zip through a checkpoint in no time. Also anybody carrying medically necessary liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of 3.4 oz may be directed to a Family Lane.
Message To Mom: I know I’ve complained in the past, but t-shirts and socks would be an awesome gift this year!
Kids 12 & Under can keep their shoes on now!
Legend: Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings? But what I’d like to know is if they’re spicy or mild? Buffalo or BBQ?
Christmas Crackers: Not the kind you eat, but the kind that “cracks” when you pull it apart. They’re really cool and a part of a lot of people’s Christmas traditions, but they’re prohibited on aircraft.
The MyTSA App: Our MyTSA App (available as an iPhone or mobile web app) amongst other great features has a “Can I Bring My…” tool. You can type in the name of the item you’re curious about and it tells you if the item is permitted or not.
Santa Claus: No prohibited items in your beard this year.
Foods: Cakes, pies, bread, donuts, turkeys, etc. are all permitted. Here is a list of items that should be placed in your checked bags or shipped: cranberry sauce, creamy dips and spreads (cheeses, peanut butter, etc.), gift baskets with liquid or gel food items (salsa, jams and salad dressings), gravy (mmm gravy), jams, jellies, maple syrup, oils and vinegars, sauces, soups, wine, liquor and beer.
Yule Logs should be placed in your checked baggage. Preferably unlit…
Follow us on Twitter @tsablogteam for travel tips, blog post announcements, and other useful information. Printout this handy dandy checklist (PDF) so you don’t forget anything and don’t forget to check out TSA.gov for a wealth of information on traveling through TSA checkpoints.
If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.
