TSA allows bringing chocolate on planes in hand and checked baggage. But depending on its consistency, they may have additional restrictions.
Solid chocolates don’t have any packing or quantity restrictions neither in hand nor checked baggage. Chocolate bars, chocolate cakes, chocolate biscuits, brownies, chocolate fudge, and chocolate candies containing only a bit of liquid are all considered solids. Regardless of the type of chocolate, if you can’t easily spread it and it doesn’t move by itself, it’s considered a solid item.
Liquid chocolates don’t have any packing restrictions in checked bags. But in hand baggage, they’re limited by the 3-1-1 rule for liquids. It states that you have to store all liquids in 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers or smaller and that you have to put them in a single 1-quart bag. This means that in hand baggage, you have to pack liquid chocolate together with all your liquid toiletries.
To determine if chocolate is liquid or not, perform a simple test. If you can easily spread it with a knife on another surface, it’s a liquid. Liquid chocolates include Nutella, chocolate creams, chocolate puddings, chocolate sauces, chocolate pastes, and other liquid chocolate snacks.
Powdered chocolate is allowed, but if it’s in a container above 12 oz (350 ml), TSA recommends packing it in checked baggage. Examples of powdered chocolate include cocoa powder, Nesquik, and similar substances.
There aren’t any quantity restrictions for bringing any kind of chocolate in checked baggage. You can bring as much chocolate as you want. It also doesn’t matter if it’s opened, commercially packaged, or handmade.
Traveling With Chocolate Internationally
Chocolate is allowed on planes all across the world. The customs and border agencies in other countries also don’t have any other restrictions.
The rules for solid toiletries are the same all across the world.
For liquid chocolate, the rules are generally the same, except that on domestic Australian and New Zealand flights, it isn’t limited to 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers in hand baggage. This is because the airports there are equipped with more modern 3D scanners.
Powdered chocolate isn’t allowed in containers over 12 oz (350 ml) in hand baggage in most countries. Instead, they ask that you pack it inside checked baggage.
Packing Chocolate in Your Luggage
You don’t need to remove chocolate from your bag when packed in checked baggage. So we advise packing it somewhere in the middle of the bag, wrapped in soft clothing to protect it from crumbling. You should also put liquid and powdered chocolate inside a Ziploc bag to prevent any spills.
Chocolate Won’t Melt When Packed In Checked Baggage
Solid chocolate starts melting at 35-50 C (95-120 F). The cargo holds of airplanes never get this warm. If anything, chocolate will harden up when packed in checked baggage. That’s because the cargo hold of most airplanes is kept between 7-15 C (45-60 F).
You Can Eat Chocolate During the Flight
Chocolate is ideal to snack on during the flight. It contains a lot of calories, it doesn’t produce strong scents, it doesn’t spoil, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space. So feel free to eat chocolate snacks during the flight.
Summing Up – Traveling With Chocolate
When traveling with chocolates, there aren’t any important packing restrictions for them, except for the liquid restriction in hand baggage. So don’t stress about it, and pack chocolates in your luggage.
But sometimes, it’s hard to understand whether specific chocolate is considered a liquid or not. As a general rule of thumb, if you can spread it, it’s a liquid. If not, it’s solid. Most solid chocolates that contain liquid inside are treated as liquids, but it depends on each security officer.