The basic rule – 100 ml per container + 1 litre in total
If you're wondering “how many liquids you can carry in hand luggage” remember two numbers: 100 ml and 1 litre. The first means that every single container holding liquid (e.g. shower gel, cream, toothpaste, perfume, aerosol deodorant) cannot have a capacity greater than 100 ml. And here's an important detail: what counts is the figure printed on the packaging, not how much product is actually left inside. So, for example, a 200 ml tube that's “almost empty” will still be treated as too big.
The second number is the combined limit: all of these small containers must fit into one transparent, resealable bag with a capacity of up to 1 litre. Most often this looks like a zip-lock plastic “toiletry pouch”. In practice this corresponds to roughly a set of a few to a dozen or so small containers, but there's no fixed number of items – what matters is whether everything seals shut and fits into that single bag.
For peace of mind before the check, do it like this:
- pack the liquids together into that bag and place it on top inside your luggage,
- at the security check you usually have to take it out and present it separately,
- if you're unsure whether something is a “liquid”: make the safe assumption that gels, pastes and aerosols also count.
It's also worth knowing that this is the standard rule on flights from airports in the EU and is still in force in this same form in many places.
Exceptions that usually get through: medicines, baby food, special diets
At the security check there are situations in which liquids in hand luggage may exceed the 100 ml limit. This most often applies to medicines (e.g. syrups, eye drops, contact lens solutions), baby food (milk, meals in jars, water for a child) and products needed for a special diet. Such items can usually be brought on board, but you have to expect them to be checked separately.
To get through the check smoothly:
- keep these liquids separate and have them easily accessible,
- take only as much as you realistically need for the journey.
Can you carry liquids in checked luggage, and how much can you pack?
In checked luggage, carrying liquids is usually simpler than in the cabin, because the 100 ml limit and the 1 l bag mainly apply to liquids in hand luggage at the security check. That's why the answer to whether you can carry liquids in checked luggage is most often: yes, including in larger containers.
How many liquids can you pack in checked luggage? When it comes to cosmetics and “ordinary” products, the limiting factor is usually the suitcase weight allowance on your ticket, not a specific litre limit. Alcohol can be an exception: 24–70% up to a maximum of 5 litres per person, while anything above 70% is prohibited.
So that liquids don't leak during transport:
- screw them tightly shut and put them in zip-lock bags,
- stand the bottles upright (if you can) and cushion them with clothes.
New scanners and “the end of the 100 ml limit” – what does it really mean in 2026?
In 2026 the phrase “the end of the 100 ml limit” is best understood as a piecemeal change rather than a uniform rule for all airports. Some airports are rolling out modern CT scanners (devices that create a three-dimensional image of the contents of your luggage), which allows the check to permit larger containers of liquids – for example, Zurich Airport reports that containers of up to 2 litres can be screened on the new lanes.
At the same time, the European Union also introduced temporary restrictions that reinstated the 100 ml standard at airports using a particular type of screening solution. This is an important signal: even if an airport has new equipment, the rules can change periodically through regulatory decisions.
What does this mean in practice for someone packing liquids in hand luggage?
- Don't automatically assume that larger containers will be accepted. It depends on the airport, and sometimes even on which security lane you end up at on a given day (some stations may operate “the old way”, others “the new way”).
- If you want the safest “no surprises” option, the standard still works: containers of up to 100 ml + one 1-litre bag.
- If an airport announces a higher limit thanks to CT, treat it as a convenience, but remember the return route – a different airport may apply different rules.
For people flying from Warsaw, the relevant point is that industry media reported plans to install CT scanners at Chopin Airport ahead of the summer 2026 season. In practice, the most reliable source will always be the up-to-date information published by the airport just before your trip.
The simplest packing rule – the cabin by the limit, the rest into the suitcase
If you want to avoid the stress, take the basic approach: prepare your liquids in line with the cabin limit, and pack the larger containers as liquids in checked luggage – there you usually have more freedom, and the main limiting factor tends to be the suitcase weight.
