Vacationers who plan to fly to their destinations must leave certain items at home.
And it's not just weapons, flammable and hazardous items and liquids greater than 3.4 ounces.
Travelers may be surprised to learn that some seemingly harmless items can't fly, or that some items can fly in a carry-on but not in a checked bag. For instance, rules concerning power banks and cordless curling irons changed in 2025 because of fire risks from overheating devices.
The Transportation Security Administration maintains a guide on what flyers can and can't take with them on a plane, compiled on its What Can I Bring? website. They include some obvious rules, like flammable items banned in carry-on and checked bags, plus some surprising items that aren't allowed.
What is not allowed in a carry-on bag TSA?
Sports equipment that can be used as a bludgeon is not allowed in carry-on bags, but can fly in checked bags. These include baseball bats, golf clubs, bowling balls and bowling pins.
For similar reasons, cast-iron cookware is banned from carry-on luggage, though other types of pots and pans are allowed. Cast-iron cookware can only fly in checked luggage.
Corkscrews with blades and screwdrivers longer than seven inches can't fly in carry-on luggage.
English Christmas crackers, cardboard tubes that are snapped open and contain a paper crown, a motto or joke and a small trinket, are not allowed in carry-ons or checked luggage. That's because the snap contains gunpowder.
While solid wax candles are allowed in both carry-ons and checked luggage, gel-type candles are not allowed in carry-ons because TSA considers the gel a liquid under its 3-1-1 rule restricting liquids above 3.4 ounces.
Similarly, snow globes can't fly in carry-ons unless the liquid inside is below 3.4 ounces.
Magic 8 Balls can fly in checked luggage, but not carry-ons, because the liquid filling inside it exceeds TSA liquid size limits.
On its What Can I Bring? website, TSA playfully makes the distinction by referencing common Magic 8 Ball responses: "For Carry-on bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us…Outlook not so good! For checked bags: We asked the Magic 8 Ball and it told us…It is certain!"
What 3 new items did TSA ban?
In August 2025, TSA changed its rules on flying with cordless curling irons. The agency updated guidance on three types of items:
- Cordless curling irons powered by a gas cartridge are allowed in carry-ons, but not checked luggage.
- Cordless curling irons powered by butane are allowed in carry-ons, but not checked luggage.
- Gas refill cartridges for curling irons or flat irons are not allowed in carry-ons or checked luggage.
Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibit gasoline and butane in checked luggage, regardless of the product they power.
In 2025, FAA and TSA rules on power banks and portable chargers were changed to ban them in checked luggage. Airlines enacted limits on how many power banks each passenger can carry; earlier this year, Southwest Airlines began limiting power banks to one per passenger.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cast-iron pans and Magic 8 Balls? Surprising items banned by TSA
