Traveling with Presents? Here's What the TSA Wants You to Know
Maybe don't wrap those holiday gifts just yet.
Santa isn’t the only one who travels with presents. As millions plan on flying for the holidays, many of us might also be toting gifts along in our bags. The sweet sentiment, though, isn’t quite as magical as Santa’s sleigh. For those traveling with presents, the TSA is reminding passengers to pack smart, with tips on how to make traveling through security as smooth and easy as possible. And one of their primary suggestions? Don’t wrap those presents!
“We know that passengers will be traveling with gifts, and that’s okay,” says Christopher Murgia, federal security director at U.S. Department of Homeland Security/TSA. But the TSA requests that any gifts going through an airport security checkpoint (or in a checked bag) must be able to be unwrapped and inspected. “We strongly recommend that instead of wrapping gifts with paper and tape that the gifts be placed in gift bags or gift boxes with tissue paper. That way, if the item triggers an alarm, our officers can easily resolve the alarm without needing to unwrap the gift.”
Or, to avoid the hassle completely, Kristina Peterson, president of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, suggests either checking your presents in stowed luggage, or waiting until you arrive at your final destination to wrap them.
If you’re traveling with a snow globe specifically, you should know that the TSA probably won’t find them as adorable as your great aunt. It gives special advice for these festive beauties, by reminding travelers that larger snow globes must be in checked baggage, or adhere to liquid restrictions of 3.4 ounces or less. Snow globes that contain less than 3.4 ounces of liquid (about the size of a tennis ball) can go in carry-on bags, but only if the whole thing can fit into a quart-sized resealable bag. In general, as the TSA puts it, “if you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it, or pour it,” put it in your checked bag.
Which leads us to other potables and spreadables. Eggnog and maple syrup are no-nos, but solid food items, from fruitcake to cookies, are cleared for takeoff. In addition to sharing a few of its favorite holiday cookie recipes, the TSA also has tips for how to transport them. Much like gifts, you’ll want to have them unwrapped, so they’re easily accessible in case of additional security screening. Amy Hatfield, an assistant federal security director at Pittsburgh International Airport, suggests stacking them in a particularly safe place: “Stack your cookies and wrap the stack with plastic wrap. Then slide the stack of cookies into an empty Pringles can.” Using a gift bag, or a cookie tin with tissue paper, are also good moves.
No matter what gifts or treats you’re traveling with, it’s crucial to arrive extra early to the airport during the holidays. 2024 was the busiest holiday travel season ever recorded, with TSA screening about 18.3 million people between November 26 and December 2 alone. This year doesn’t look any calmer. Despite downturns in spending on things like gifts, travel should be just as busy as last year, according to the PwC Holiday Outlook for 2025. That could mean long lines to begin with, and if the government shutdown lingers, way too many passengers for an understaffed TSA. Peterson recommends arriving at least two hours early for a domestic flight, and three hours ahead for international, especially if you’re checking bags. Oh, and if you don’t already have TSA PreCheck or Clear, now would be a good time to change that.