For almost twenty years, the liquids rule was the same at every UK airport: 100ml containers in one clear plastic bag, taken out at security. New CT scanners have changed that, but not in the same way everywhere. Some airports now allow containers of up to 2 litres. Others still have the 100ml limit but let you leave liquids in your bag. A few still ask for the clear bag. This guide sets out the rule at each airport we cover, as it stood when we last checked in October 2026. The rules are still changing, so check your airport's own security page before you pack.
The three rules you will meet
- Up to 2 litres, left in your bag. Each container can hold up to 2 litres, there is no clear bag, and liquids and laptops stay in your hand luggage at security.
- 100ml, left in your bag. Each container must still be 100ml or less, but there is no clear bag and you do not take liquids out at security.
- 100ml in a clear bag. The old rule: containers of 100ml or less, in one clear, resealable bag of up to a litre, about 20cm by 20cm, one bag per person, taken out of your hand luggage at security.
Whichever rule applies, the 100ml limit is about the size of the container, not how much is in it: a 200ml bottle that is half empty is still not allowed. And liquids are more than drinks. Gov.uk counts creams, lotions, perfume, mascara, lip gloss, toothpaste, gels, sprays, contact lens solution and foods such as soup, jam and honey. Frozen liquids cannot go in hand luggage at all.
Airports allowing up to 2 litres
- Heathrow: liquids up to 2 litres stay in your cabin bag, and laptops and tablets stay in too. Empty metal or insulated bottles before security; you can refill them afterwards. Make sure your devices are charged. See our Heathrow guide.
- Gatwick: containers up to 2 litres, kept in your bag, along with laptops, tablets and other large electricals. Metal and double-walled containers must be emptied first. See our Gatwick guide.
- Edinburgh: liquids up to 2 litres in securely sealed containers, with liquids and electricals left in your bag. See our Edinburgh guide.
- Birmingham: containers up to 2 litres, with no limit on the number of containers. Leave them loose in your bag, not in a plastic bag, and leave electricals in too. Insulated bottles must be empty. See our Birmingham guide.
- Bristol: containers up to 2 litres each, kept in your bag with no plastic bag, and laptops stay in. Metal drinks bottles must go through empty. See our Bristol guide.
- Southend: liquids up to 2 litres in your cabin bag, and laptops and large electricals stay in. Aerosols over 500ml are not allowed, and metal containers and flasks must be empty. See our Southend guide.
A review of airport guidance in August 2026 also listed Bournemouth and both Belfast airports as allowing 2 litres.
Airports with 100ml, but liquids stay in your bag
- Manchester: liquids, gels and aerosols under 100ml each, with no plastic bag, left in your hand luggage. See our Manchester guide.
- Stansted: each liquid under 100ml, left in your hand luggage during the security search. See our Stansted guide.
- Luton: containers up to 100ml, with no plastic bag, and liquids and large electronics stay in your bag. See our Luton guide.
- Glasgow: containers of 100ml or less, in your cabin bag without a liquids bag, with no limit on how many. See our Glasgow guide.
- Newcastle: containers of 100ml or less, left in your hand luggage. See our Newcastle guide.
- Leeds Bradford: containers of 100ml or less, as many as you like, and laptops and tablets stay in your bag. See our Leeds Bradford guide.
- East Midlands: liquids, gels and aerosols under 100ml each, with no plastic bag. See our East Midlands guide.
- Teesside: containers up to 100ml, with no plastic bag and no limit on the number, left in your bag. See our Teesside guide.
- Cardiff: containers of 100ml or less, with liquids and electronics left in your hand luggage. See our Cardiff guide.
Airports still using the clear bag
- Exeter: containers of 100ml or less in one clear, resealable bag of up to a litre, taken out along with laptops and other large electricals. Exeter says the rules will change once its new screening equipment is in place. See our Exeter guide.
- Humberside: containers of 100ml or less in one clear bag of about 20cm by 20cm, holding up to a litre; bags are available at the Information Desk or at security. Take out any electrical item larger than a phone, and make sure battery-powered items are charged. See our Humberside guide.
Check before you go
- Liverpool: the limit is 100ml per container, but reports differ on whether liquids still need a clear bag and must come out at security. Check the airport's security page before you pack. See our Liverpool guide.
- Aberdeen: a move to 2 litres was announced in 2025, but the airport was still listed at 100ml in August 2026. Check the airport's security page before you pack. See our Aberdeen guide.
Baby milk, medicines and duty free
These rules come from gov.uk and apply at every UK airport, whatever the airport's own liquids limit:
- Baby food and milk. You can take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey. Formula, cow's milk, baby soya milk, sterilised water and baby food need the baby to be travelling with you. Breast milk can be carried without the baby, in containers of up to 2 litres, but not frozen.
- Medicines and special diets. Liquids for essential medical purposes or special dietary requirements are allowed in containers up to 2 litres.
- Duty free. Liquids bought at the airport or on the plane are allowed through security if they stay sealed in the shop's security bag, with the receipt visible inside. Do not open the bag until your final destination.
- Cooling packs. Cooling gel packs and ice packs for baby food are allowed in hand luggage.
Expect any of these to be screened, and possibly opened, at security. Our guide to flying with children covers the rest of the airport day with a baby.
The flight home
The rule that catches people out is on the way back. A 2-litre bottle of sun cream that was fine at Heathrow or Birmingham may be taken off you at an airport abroad, where many still have a 100ml limit and the clear bag. Gov.uk advises checking the rules at the airport you fly from, any airport you change planes at, and the airport you fly home from. The simplest approach is to pack your hand luggage for the strictest airport on the trip, and put anything larger in the hold.
The Before You Fly checklist covers the rest of the packing, and our how early to arrive guide explains how long to allow for security.
Frequently asked questions
Which UK airports allow 2 litres of liquids?
Of the airports we cover, Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol and Southend, as of October 2026. A review in August 2026 also listed Bournemouth and both Belfast airports. Other airports still have a 100ml limit, so check before you pack.
Is the 100ml rule still in place at Manchester and Stansted?
Yes. At Manchester and Stansted, each container must still be 100ml or less, but liquids can stay in your hand luggage at security, and Manchester no longer asks for a plastic bag.
Do I still need a clear plastic bag for liquids?
At most of the airports we cover, no. Exeter and Humberside still ask for one clear, resealable bag of up to a litre per person, taken out at security. If you are not sure, a bag costs nothing to carry.
Can I take baby milk through security?
Yes, at every UK airport. You can take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey, as long as the baby is travelling with you. Breast milk can be carried without the baby, in containers up to 2 litres.
Why can I take 2 litres out but not back?
The limit depends on each airport's scanners, not on the UK as a whole, and many airports abroad still have a 100ml limit. Pack your hand luggage for the strictest airport on your trip.
Sorted before you fly.
