What Can You Travel With in Your Carry-On Luggage?

Elyse Welles was traveling from Athens to Newark this spring when it finally happened: She was pulled aside for an additional security screening at her gate.

After some time searching through Ms. Welles’s backpack, the agent eventually grabbed a bullet-shaped vibrator from the bag and brandished it in the air. “Is this an e-cigarette?” the agent asked. “No, it’s a sex toy,” she responded with a smile, at which point her personal items were promptly returned to her and she was free to go.

Ms. Welles, a writer and life coach who lives in Artemida, Greece, said she didn’t give a second thought to traveling with her vibrator in tow.

As the number of air travelers rises, returning to near-prepandemic levels, so do questions about flying protocols and rules — particularly what travelers can and cannot take in their carry-on luggage when flying within the United States. For instance: Is guacamole a solid or a liquid? (It’s a gel, which falls under the same restrictions as liquids and is not allowed in your carry-on — unless it’s inside a 3.4-ounce container.)

Here’s a guide to help you navigate the more ambiguous carry-on rules — with some quiz questions throughout to test your knowledge, too.

Can I take my vibrator without causing a scene at security?

Let’s talk a little more about vibrators. Although most sex toys, including vibrators, are allowed in your carry-on, according to the Transportation Security Administration, they may still lead to a stop, as in Ms. Welles’s case. There are some ways to reduce the chances of these uncomfortable encounters, especially if something starts buzzing.

Shan Boodram, an intimacy expert and the host of the podcast Lovers and Friends, suggests removing any batteries or running batteries of rechargeable toys out before packing them. “Or, find a hard case to put it in that’s slightly larger so the power button has less of a chance of being pressed when pressure is applied to your bag,” she said.

There are also vibrators with built-in travel settings now, to prevent them from going off at an inopportune moment, like the Surge silicone rechargeable vibrator, which has a built-in travel lock.

What’s the liquid rule again?

“The most common mistake that we see people making in terms of prohibited items at airports are large liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on bags,”…