You may want to reconsider making your Christmas presents look tree-ready, as the TSA may open those presents when you go through a security checkpoint before your flight.
In fact, the TSA has its own kind of “bad or nice list” that travelers should check out before heading out on their holiday adventures.
“In the event that there is an alert that needs to be resolved on checked or carry-on bags, TSA advises passengers not to wrap gifts before their flights,” a TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital via email.
“When there is an alert that needs to be resolved, often the only way a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) has available is to see the item that caused the alert. If a package is wrapped, then the OST must open it for inspection ,” the spokesperson added.
It may be worth waiting to add the finishing touches to your gift upon arrival, or try wrapping your gift in a way that makes it easier to see what’s inside.
“What TSA recommends is to either wait to wrap gifts after the airport checkpoint or place the item inside a gift bag so it can be inspected without having to disassemble the wrapping paper,” the TSA spokesperson said.
It’s also important to know if your gift will pass the TSA list, also known as the prohibited list, so you know whether it’s best to pack it in your carry-on or checked luggage.
Classic holiday gifts have a few specific rules you’ll want to mention or else “The Grinch will pay you a visit at the checkpoint and you may decide to leave your precious snow globe behind,” reads the TSA website.
Small snow globes that appear to contain less than 3.4 fluid ounces, about the size of a tennis ball, are allowed in your carry-on luggage if the entire snow globe can fit into a quarter-sized plastic bag. Larger snow globes must be placed in your checked bag, according to the TSA.
Advent calendars, another top holiday gift, are allowed in your luggage without fear of opening the 24 flaps.
Electronics are a very popular gift during the holiday season, and there are various rules flyers should keep in mind when traveling with electronics.
“Electronics are popular gifts and can travel in hand luggage. However, all electronic devices larger than a cell phone must be placed in a bin with nothing above or below it so TSA can get a good X-ray image to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with. So if you have a tablet, laptop or the latest gaming console, you can bring it on the plane,” according to a TSA press release.
“With electronics often come batteries, and ‘dry’ batteries such as AA, AAA, 9 volt, C and D batteries can all be carried through a checkpoint. Lithium batteries with 100 watt hours or less installed in a device are in ok, but loose lithium batteries are prohibited in checked bags.
Drones can also be packed in a carry-on, but the TSA recommends checking specific drone policies with your airline.
If you’re not sure if your holiday gift will make the bad or the good list, check out the What Can I Get? page or message @AskTSA on X.
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