Traveling with deodorants can be a bit tricky because there are many different types – solid, roll-on, aerosol, powdered, or deodorant wipes. If you’d bring a deodorant that’s too large or isn’t packed correctly, it may be confiscated at the airport security checkpoint. So you should learn the basic rules for bringing deodorants on planes.
TSA Rules for Flying With Deodorants
TSA’s (Transport Security Agencies) exact rules for traveling with deodorants depend on what kind of deodorant it is. They count some deodorants as liquids, some aerosols, some powders, and some solids. And each type has different rules.
Stick Deodorants
Stick deodorants are considered solids. They’re allowed in hand and checked baggage without any restrictions. You don’t have to put them in your toiletry bag and you don’t need to remove them when going through security.
Liquid Deodorants (Roll-On)
Roll-on deodorants are considered liquids because they contain free-flowing liquid, paste, or gel inside.
There aren’t any restrictions for roll-on deodorants in checked baggage.
But when packed in hand luggage, they must follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids. They must be in 3.4 oz (100 ml) containers or smaller, and you must pack them inside a single 1-quart-sized bag together with your other liquid toiletries. Most deodorants are under this limit, so there shouldn’t be any issues with that.
Aerosol Spray Deodorants
Aerosol deodorants have the same rules as roll-on deodorants. They must follow the 3-1-1 rule in hand baggage but you can pack them in larger quantities in checked bags.
But because spray deodorants are flammable, additional rules apply. In checked baggage, each passenger can have a maximum of 70 oz (2 kg) of hazardous toiletries, including aerosols, perfume, nail polish, inhalers, etc. Each container is limited to 18 oz (0.5 kg) but most spray deodorants are under this limit anyway.
Tip: Aerosol deodorants won’t explode on a plane in checked baggage. The cargo hold is pressurized. And modern aerosols are built to withstand slight pressure changes. It’s true that a few decades ago, aerosols did sometimes explode and make a mess in checked baggage, but not anymore.
Powdered Deodorants
You’re free to pack powdered deodorants in checked and hand baggage. Only powders over 12 oz (350g) are restricted, but deodorants are almost always under this limit.
Deodorant Wipes
TSA considers deodorant wipes a solid item, so they don’t have any packing restrictions. You don’t need to pack them together with your other toiletries.
Traveling With Deodorants Internationally
The rules for traveling with deodorants are almost identical across the world. Solid ones aren’t restricted and roll-on/aerosol deodorants need to be packed with your other toiletries in hand baggage.
The only difference is that other countries are a bit stricter on the size of your toiletry bag. TSA usually allows slightly oversized quart-size bags. But other countries may require all toiletries to be packed in a 1-liter, 20×20 cm Ziploc bag. Of course, it’s not true everywhere, but it’s something that we’ve observed.
Summing Up: Traveling With Deodorants
When traveling, especially on international flights, small stick deodorants are the best choice. That’s because they don’t have any packing restrictions. By bringing a solid stick deodorant, you can save space in your toiletry bag for other items, like perfume, toothpaste, shampoo, makeup, and other liquids/aerosols.