TSA Quart Bags: Crazy Size Issues

And if you are flying internationally there are some airports where their security will insist you put your liquids into their ziplock bags. Two come to mind....CDG and Heathrow.

Last time I went thru CDG the security guy was holding ziplocks in his hand. I held my 3-1-1 in a ziplock up and he nodded and waved me thru to the belt. In Heathrow they will often make you use their bag anyway. I just put my ziplock into theirs (which I think is a liter so a smidgy bigger) and off I went.

Nobody at TSA is going to check the size of your ziplock - you maybe overthinking this. Now some other countries may be more strict as mentioned.

And if you have TSA pre then you don’t remove your ziplock bag

I use a Ziploc quartz size bag and have never had an issue at any airport, including the ones mentioned by Pam, except once in Iceland when my quart-sized bag and my husband's bag were both in the same piece of carry on luggage and all we had to do was put the quart-sized bags in separate pieces of luggage.

I was happy to see in most recent trip to Italy ( late October) Heathrow no longer requires you to use their annoying plastic bags.
Even the Heathrow security employees said it was an improvement!

I’ve sometimes grabbed a free, slightly bigger baggie from Heathrow for future use, but stuck with the one I’d already packed. It’s probably already one from a previous pass-thru at Heathrow. Really, no one’s ever questioned the more-or-less quart-size Ziploc; they’re more about belts/shoes/random carry-on checks.

I use zip-lock quart freezer bags. My husband has the Tom Bihn clear pouch. I wanted to “upgrade” my packing. A company called 80 seeds on Amazon is about where I’m at now.

Regardless of how tight TSA scrutiny is - I like to comply to avoid issues. I think companies advertising as quart-size, TSA compliant and are, in deed not, are jerks.

Seems like a solution in search of a problem. What's wrong with just using a quart or litre size zip lock? That's all I've ever used, and it has never been questioned at any airport. Bonus- heluva lot less expensive than anything else.

Part of the issue is of course that hardly anyone uses "quart" anymore, and there is no agreement amongst those that still do what the size of a quart actually is.

I would not be surprised if the regulations actually say "1 litre bag". In the end it does not matter much. It is all theatre anyway.

We've always used a quart sized freezer zip lock bag and have never had anyone look twice at it. Tom Bihn makes great stuff, but the regular zip lock baggies are a lot cheaper, and it something happens to it it's not a great loss.

Pam - I am not questioning your experience(s), but I go through Heathrow fairly regularly, sometimes to the US, sometimes to another location. I have never had my baggie questioned or refused. (standard US issue store brand or Ziplock brand)

I'm just curious how recently this happened to you and your route or airline. Maybe different terminals than mine!

Actually when going thru Heathrow security in mid-May to board my US-bound Delta flight, the security guy there did indeed want my liquids in "their" bag. I see someone else says they stopped that which is great.

I think the reason some people like the purchased clear bags is that they will stand up on their own on a bathroom counter. At least, that is what I would see as the advantage to the heavier plastic purchased one.

We went through Heathrow yesterday. They wanted us to use their baggie.

What Heathrow wanted as a standard ziploc style bag. They supplied theirs if you didn't have one but if you had something similar, it was allowed.

What they didn't want was some kind of unique shape and design that would make it difficult to see what was inside. They also felt that some of those other bags allowed more in than they should.

By June of next year, all major airports in the UK will get rid of their 3-1-1 bag policy due to advanced technology. Smaller airports will still require you to have the bags and small toiletries.

Don't expect this anytime soon in the USA.

Carol, what were you using before security asked you to switch?

Thanks Carol and Pam. I've never experienced a requirement to switch baggies. Generally I'm flying United, American, British Airways, or one of the Asian carriers out of LHR. Multiple times a year - my baggies are standard size.

I just bought the quart bags at Wal Mart. Plus, when shopping there you get to hang out with real, salt-of-the Earth folks. There are some definite plusses and minuses. For example, wearing tights is not for everyone if it looks like sausage packed into a bag.

"They supplied theirs if you didn't have one but if you had something similar, it was allowed."

I use the standard Zip-lock brand freezer bag so it's sturdier but you really can't tell at at a distance whether it's freezer or regular.

I have a clear zippered toiletry bag that has a one quart or less capacity, proudly labeled by manufacturer "airline compliant" I'm all for cooperation, but I have used this domestically for several years without issue. The thing that bugs me about traveling with a zip lock bag (and I know there are some with bottom gussets) is that I can't manage my items on the bathroom counter. Do I take them all out (if there is space)
Do I put them into another bag that I bring along?
sigh

As someone already said, TSA doesn’t question the quart ziplocks and if you have precheck you aren’t required to take your liquids out anymore. We also just went thru Heathrow in July and they offered their bags but no one said your liquids had to be transferred into their bags. They did say that your liquids were required be in a bag. There was no problem with our ziplocks.

My sandwich sized baggies have always passed Heathrow’s bag test. I've never been asked to rebag.

Boston Logan no longer requires liquids to be removed…at least in terminal E.

CJean,
I laughed at your comment of a solution looking for a problem. Thanks for that. I guess I was in a miffed mood. How can a company claim its bag is quart-sized and TSA compliant when it isn’t? I hate misleading advertising.

Frank II,
I just heard that in 2024, TSA may no longer require removal of 311 liquids bag. We can hope!

BigMikeWest,
My, now deceased, uncle once saw a woman with bulges wearing snug sweat pants walking in front of us. His comment was, “2 squirrels in a bag.” After all these years - I still remember that and laugh.

Doric,
My beef is that quite a few of the translucent bags on Amazon.com that are boldly labeled for flying are actually not compliant. Some are nearly 2 quarts in size. Basically, 7” x 4” x 2” is quart size. Some of these bags are not even close. If a video brags about how much you can stuff into it compared to others - that’s a red flag that it’s too big! Silly me for thinking a quart = a quart = a quart.

The comment about “theatre” by Wengen made me think. How is one quart of liquids any safer than 1.5 quarts, etc.? Even one quart can be dangerous if a terrorist packs small bottles of gasoline and lighter fluid and Vaseline and labels the bottles as shampoo. Would this go undetected?

Frank II

I've flown out of both Long Beach and Oakland in California this year and both have the technology to let you leave your liquids in your luggage. So there is hope!

Leslie.....were those full size bottles or still only the 3.4 oz/100ml smaller ones?

We’ve only run into the quart bag issue flying into or through Heathrow, so we always plan ahead lol. What we have found is that they do seem happy with a Ziploc (brand) quart freezer or storage bag…and doric8, we also have a toiletry bag that has non-liquid stuff in our carryon and we combine them after getting to our hotel. We last flew through LHR in early September.

Part of the issue is of course that hardly anyone uses "quart" anymore..

I would not be surprised if the regulations actually say "1 litre bag".

For U.S. regulations for people flying out of any U.S. airport, TSA very definitely defines the allowance a quart-sized bag in its requirements (which isn't too surprising since we use quarts and cups and gallons etc in the US):

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-rule

You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item.

What they did at Heathrow is what they’ve done to me every time I am there

you get in line. They hand you the bag and they tell you put your liquids in their bag. It’s not open for discussion as far as I can tell, I did see the woman in front of me try to discuss if she had the proper size bag and got told no.

And by the way, I was using a Ziploc size baggie before I put my stuff in the official bag

Quart = 57.75 cubic inches of volume
Liter = 61 cubic inches of volume.
So, for practical reasons - any liquids container close to this should be acceptable. Plus, alllowances for package design like access opening, rounded corners, etc..

I sympathize with other travelers. It’s annoying. It’s easier to pack in one toiletry kit that works for you with regard to hook for suspending or standing on counter or whatever. Particularly for situations where there is no counter space or have to carry down a hallway to the bathroom. So, you end up with two toiletry kits.

Zip-lock quart freezer bags should put a bold airplane logo on them with TSA approved for marketing.

I just recently flew from Heathrow T2. No concern about the 1 quart zip-lock I used -- a store brand freezer bag -- and never took it out of my bag.

The moral of this discussion is to avoid ever connecting at Heathrow which is what I try to do as the security process just connecting at T2 is a royal pain

So, with this new technology ...
1). Does this mean we still have to separate liquids into a quart/liter bag, but just leave inside travel bag?
2). Does this mean liquids can just be packed in a toiletries bag without separation?
3). Limits on volume of liquids remain?

Just flew from Heathrow last Monday using a standard Ziplock quart bag. No issues. On this same trip I flew through 5 other European airports... no issue.

Over the last few years, I have had the same experience at Heathrow multiple times. Never been an issue and have never been asked to do otherwise. I have no special status. Am I just lucky or what??

Frank II

They were small bottles since I expected to have to remove the 311 bag, but neither airport had me do that.