Can you bring a hair dryer on a plane? What about a hair straightener, curling iron, or other hair styling tools? These are questions you’ll need to ask yourself before you pack for an upcoming flight.
Even on vacation, you may want your hair to look its best. So, that’s why many people consider bringing hair styling tools on a plane. Let’s take a look at what the rules are for these products and how you can safely pack them.
Can You Bring Hair Styling Tools on a Plane?
Yes, you can bring hair styling tools on a plane, but some may have regulations you need to follow. Keep reading to find out the rules for bringing a hair dryer, hair straightener, and curling iron on a plane. The rules may vary slightly depending on which country you’re traveling to and from.
Can You Bring a Hair Dryer on a Plane?
If you’ve ever wondered, “can you bring a blow dryer on a plane?,” the answer is yes! You can bring a hair dryer safely in both carry-on and checked bags on a plane without additional restrictions, according to TSA. You can bring any brand, size, and model you choose, and you can even pack more than one if needed.
Even though TSA has restrictions on items that could ignite, hair dryers aren’t included because they’re only dangerous when plugged in. They can’t start a fire if they’re unplugged and safely secure in your bag.
However, like any product, the TSA officer at security gets the final say on what you can and can’t bring onto the plane. So, if they believe your hair dryer may pose a threat, they can take it. For that reason, it’s best not to pack an expensive hair dryer, or if you do, pack it in your checked bag.
Can You Bring a Hair Straightener on a Plane?
Yes, you can bring hair straighteners with cords on a plane. If the item has a cord, you can pack it in your checked bag or carry-on bag with no restrictions. Like hair dryers, a hair straightener carry on isn’t dangerous unless it’s plugged in. However, if your hair straightener includes batters or gas/fuel cartridges, the restrictions are different even if there’s also a cord.
If you have a cordless hair straightener, it’s only allowed in a carry-on bag. They cannot be in checked bags for safety reasons. In a carry-on bag, a safety cover must be over the part that heats up. These hair straighteners usually contain lithium metal, lithium ion batteries, or fuel like gas or butane. Thus, they can be turned on without being plugged in, making them more dangerous than straighteners with cords.
You cannot bring any cartridges to refill the gas in the product. Each passenger can only bring one tool that’s powered by gas or butane onto the flight.
Can You Take a Curling Iron on a Plane?
Yes, you can take a curling iron on a plane, but it follows the same rules as a hair straightener. Electric curling irons with cords don’t have any restrictions since they’re not dangerous unless they’re plugged in. However, cordless curling irons are only allowed in carry-on bags, not checked bags. Even then, the carry on curling iron should be packed with a safety cover.
Keep in mind that you can only bring one gas or butane powered tool in the cabin, so if you have a cordless hair straightener, you can’t bring a cordless curling iron.
What About Other Styling Tools?
Styling tools that don’t need to be plugged in or use batteries, such as brushes or bobby pins, can be brought on the plane in a carry-on or checked bag with no restrictions. However, liquid products like hair gel need to follow TSA’s 3-1-1 liquids rule. Liquids in the cabin cannot exceed 3.4 oz/100 ml, but you can bring larger liquid containers in checked bags.
How to Pack Hair Styling Tools
Hair styling tools that are allowed on planes don’t have specific packing instructions. However, if you recently used your hair dryer, hair straightener, or curling iron, it may still be hot, which could pose a threat when packed. So, make sure your tools have cooled off before shoving them in your luggage. If you’re worried about an item harming other objects in the bag, wrap it in a towel when packing it.
Can You Use Hair Styling Tools on a Plane?
No, you can’t use hair dryers, hair straighteners, or curling irons on a plane, even if there’s a spot to plug them in. They could pose a safety risk while also disturbing the passengers around you. So, save the hair styling for before or after your plane ride. The flight attendants will take your tool away if you try using it.
Do You Need to Bring Hair Styling Tools on Vacation?
No, you never have bring hair styling tools on vacation, but if you use them every day, it’s worth considering. Most hotels have hair dryers that are free to use, so if you’re not picky about the brand of hair dryer, you can use the one at the hotel instead of packing one. However, if hotel hair dryers aren’t usually strong enough to dry your hair, you may want to pack your own.
As for hair straighteners and curling irons, only bring them if you plan to style your hair during the trip. Some hotels may have these tools available, but it’s not as common, so you’ll need to call the hotel in advance to find out. It’s safest to travel with hair styling tools that have cords, but you can pack a cordless one instead if it has a safety cover.
Using Hair Styling Tools in Other Countries
If you’re traveling to another country, you may not be able to use your plug-in hair tools there. The voltage of the sockets in your country may differ from the voltage of sockets in a different country. For example, plugging a 110V device into a 220V socket could destroy the hair styling tool. If you purchase dual-voltage devices, you don’t have to worry about this issue. However, if your tool isn’t the right voltage, you should either leave it behind or buy a voltage adapter.
Also, you should check to see if the sockets are the same at your destination as they are in your country. Common socket types vary in different countries, so you may want to buy an adapter if that’s the case. Otherwise, you may not be able to style your hair with your favorite tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions to help make your travels less stressful.
Do Hotels Always Have Hair Styling Tools?
No, hair styling tools aren’t a guarantee in every hotel room. Offering free hair dryers is standard at most hotels, but it’s still a good idea to check their website or call the business to make sure. Many hotels also have other hair styling tools upon request, but that’s less common.
Can You Bring Hairspray on a Plane?
Yes, you can bring hairspray on a plane, but the amount is limited. It’s considered a dangerous liquid. You can’t bring more than 3.4 oz (100 ml) in a carry-on bag, and the total per person in checked bags cannot exceed 68 fluid oz (2 L), with individual containers not exceeding 17 fluid oz (500 ml).
Can You Bring Shampoo and Conditioner on a Plane?
Yes, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are allowed on the plane. However, they follow TSA’s standard 3-1-1 liquids rule, meaning containers in the cabin cannot exceed 3.4 oz (100 ml), but there are no restrictions for checked bags. This rule is the same for other toiletry items, such as toothpaste.
Pack Your Suitcase Early
A hair dryer in carry on bags might have never crossed your mind as something to be cautious of when packing for a flight. So, it’s good that you now know the answer to, “can you bring a hair dryer on a plane?”
It’s always a good idea to research airplane regulations before packing all your items in a suitcase. The further in advance you pack, the more time you’ll have to ensure that everything in your bag is safe to bring on the plane.
Hair styling tools have some regulations on airlines, but in most instances, there’s a way to safely bring them. So, keep these rules in mind when choosing if you’d like to bring a hair dryer, hair straightener, and/or a curling iron on vacation. How you pack these items may differ depending on the suitcase sizes you plan on bringing.
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