Liquids in Hand Luggage: UK Airport Rules for 2026
For nearly twenty years the rule was simple and universal: 100ml, in a clear bag, out of your case at security. In 2026 it’s no longer simple. Some UK airports have torn up the 100ml rule and let you carry two litres; others still enforce the old limit. Turn up packed for the wrong one and you’re either binning your sun cream or holding up the queue.
Here’s where each UK airport actually stands, and how to pack so you’re fine at any of them.
Quick answer: UK liquid rules now vary by airport. Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and London City have scrapped the 100ml rule — you can carry containers up to 2 litres, with no plastic bag and no need to remove liquids from your cabin bag, thanks to new CT scanners. Manchester, Stansted, Luton, Glasgow and Liverpool still enforce the 100ml limit. Because rules differ between your outbound and return airports — and can change at short notice — the safest move is to pack everything to 100ml.
Why the rules changed — and why they’re inconsistent
The old 100ml rule existed because older 2D scanners couldn’t tell a harmless bottle of shampoo from a genuine threat. New CT scanners produce a detailed 3D image, so staff can clear larger liquids without opening bags. Airports that have finished installing and certifying these scanners have been allowed to lift the 100ml limit to 2 litres.
The catch: the rollout isn’t uniform. Some airports finished early, some are mid-installation, and the limit has even been re-tightened at times when scanners needed adjustment. That’s why in 2026 you get a genuinely split system.
UK airports that have scrapped the 100ml rule (2-litre limit)
At these airports you can carry containers up to 2 litres, you don’t need a clear plastic bag, and you can leave liquids and electronics inside your cabin bag through the scanner:
| Airport | Liquid limit | Plastic bag needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | Up to 2 litres | No |
| Gatwick | Up to 2 litres | No |
| Edinburgh | Up to 2 litres | No |
| Birmingham | Up to 2 litres | No |
| London City | Up to 2 litres | No |
UK airports still using the 100ml rule
At these airports the 100ml per container limit still applies. Some no longer require the plastic bag or removing liquids from your case — but the 100ml cap stands:
| Airport | Liquid limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 100ml per container | May keep liquids in bag |
| Stansted | 100ml per container | May keep liquids in bag |
| Luton | 100ml per container | Standard 100ml rule |
| Glasgow | 100ml per container | Standard 100ml rule |
| Liverpool | 100ml per container | Standard 100ml rule |
Because the picture keeps shifting, check your specific departure airport’s website before you fly — including your return airport abroad, which sets its own rules.
The safest way to pack: treat everything as 100ml
Here’s the practical reality. Even if you fly out of Heathrow under the 2-litre rule, your return airport might still be 100ml. And a UK airport that lifted the limit can reinstate it at short notice. So the strategy that never fails:
Pack all your liquids into 100ml containers, in a clear resealable bag. You’ll clear security at every airport, in every country, with zero risk. If you happen to be at a 2-litre airport, brilliant — you breeze through anyway.
A Clear Airport Toiletry Bag (around £5–10) is the single cheapest way to never get stopped. Combined with refillable bottles, it turns security into a non-event.
What counts as a liquid?
More than you’d think. Security treats all of these as liquids, and each container is capped at 100ml where the 100ml rule applies:
- Water, drinks, soups, syrups
- Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, liquid soap
- Creams, lotions and sun cream (the classic trap — big sun cream tubes get confiscated)
- Gels, including hair gel and shower gel
- Pastes, including toothpaste
- Mascara, liquid foundation, lip gloss
- Deodorant sprays and roll-ons over 100ml
- Perfume and aftershave
- Contact lens solution
- Jams, honey and other spreads
Solid items — bar soap, solid shampoo bars, deodorant sticks, powder foundation, lipstick — are not liquids and have no size limit. Switching to solids is the easiest way to cut your liquids down.
How to pack liquids so you clear security fast
The fastest travellers use three cheap tools:
Refillable 100ml silicone travel bottles (~£6–10) — decant shampoo, conditioner and shower gel into a matching set. No more oversized bottles getting binned.
A clear TSA-approved liquids bag (~£5) — keeps everything in one grabbable pouch, ready to pull out if the airport still asks for it.
A 100ml travel bottle set with pump (~£8–12) — leak-proof bottles that survive cabin pressure changes without emptying into your bag.
Where the classic 100ml rule applies, the bag must be transparent, resealable, and roughly 20cm x 20cm (about 1 litre), holding containers of no more than 100ml each.
Exceptions: medicines, baby food and flasks
Some liquids are allowed over 100ml, but you must declare them at security:
- Prescription and essential medicines, including liquid medication and items like insulin — carry proof (prescription or a doctor’s note) where you can.
- Baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for infants travelling with you — you may be asked to taste it.
- Special dietary liquids where medically required.
One important exception the new scanners created: vacuum/insulated flasks must be emptied. CT scanners can’t see through the double-wall insulation, so a full flask will be refused even at 2-litre airports. Travel with it empty and fill up after security.
Duty free and connecting flights
Liquids bought airside (after security) or in duty free are fine to carry onto your flight. If you have a connecting flight, keep them sealed in the security tamper-evident bag with the receipt visible — otherwise they may be treated as ordinary liquids at your connection and confiscated. Coming home, remember your destination airport’s rules may differ from the UK’s.
Frequently asked questions
Is it still 100ml for liquids in hand luggage in the UK?
It depends on the airport. Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and London City allow up to 2 litres. Manchester, Stansted, Luton, Glasgow and Liverpool still enforce 100ml. Packing to 100ml keeps you safe everywhere.
How much liquid can I take in my hand luggage?
At 2-litre airports, containers up to 2 litres. At 100ml airports, containers up to 100ml each, in a clear resealable bag of about 1 litre. Since your return airport may differ, 100ml is the safe standard.
Does the 100ml rule still apply at Heathrow?
No. Heathrow has installed CT scanners and allows liquids up to 2 litres, with no plastic bag required and no need to remove them from your bag.
What counts as a liquid at airport security?
Any liquid, gel, paste, cream or spray — including sun cream, toothpaste, mascara, deodorant sprays, perfume and contact lens solution. Solids like bar soap, deodorant sticks and lipstick don’t count.
Can I take sun cream in my hand luggage?
Yes, but where the 100ml rule applies each container must be 100ml or less. Large sun cream bottles are one of the most commonly confiscated items — decant into a 100ml bottle or buy it at your destination.
Can I bring liquids over 100ml for medicines or baby food?
Yes. Essential medicines and baby food/milk are allowed over 100ml but must be declared at security, and you may be asked to prove or taste them.
Do I still need a clear plastic bag for liquids?
At 2-litre airports, no. At 100ml airports, a transparent resealable bag of around 1 litre is still the safe expectation. Bringing one either way costs nothing and never hurts.
Before you fly
- Check both your departure and return airports’ liquid rules — they can differ.
- When in doubt, pack everything to 100ml in a clear bag — it clears security anywhere.
- Decant shampoo, conditioner and sun cream into refillable 100ml bottles before you go.
- Switch bulky liquids to solids where you can (bar soap, solid shampoo, deodorant stick).
- Empty any vacuum flask before security — full ones get refused even at 2-litre airports.
- Keep essential medicines separate and declare them.
The rules will keep shifting airport by airport for a while yet. Packing to 100ml is the one approach that ignores all of it and just works.
