10 Items You Should Never Pack in A Checked Bag for International Flights

Items Not to Pack in Your Checked Luggage

There are many items you should avoid packing in your checked bag or luggage. Today I will go over some of the most common items you should avoid.

1. Anything Containing a Lithium-Ion Battery – Laptops, cameras, phone, and Kindles are just a few to mention. Lithium-Ion batteries are prone to cause fire. Should a fire happen in the cargo section on an airplane, it will be much more difficult to put out than in the cabin.

2. Matches, Lighters, & Any Flammable Solids or Liquids

3. Jewelry & Valuable Items – Luggage also gets lost or stolen. Avoid putting something valuable in your luggage that you could easily carry or wear.

4. Credit Cards, Bank Cards, or Cash – Another common mistake many travelers make. These should be carried with you at all times.

5. Strong Alcohol – Alcoholic drinks containing more than 70% or over 140 proof alcohol are not allowed to be checked.

6. Prescription Medications – If you lose your luggage, you will be out of your meds and you don’t want that.

7. Electronics – Laptops, cameras, or anything else. These are expensive and you don’t want to put them in luggage as they could get damaged, lost, or stolen. They also pose a fire hazard as mentioned in #1.

8. Breakable Items – Any items that can break due to luggage handling should not be checked.

9. Food & Drinks – These are not allowed to carry in checked bags.

10. Passport, IDs, Travel Documents – Yes, people do it. Self-explanatory.

There are many other items that are not allowed to be checked. The best advice is to check with the proper transportation security authority from the airport you are flying out of. For example, in the USA or Canada, you should consult the TSA or CATSA website.

If you are flying from other countries, check their transportation security websites. You may be able to contact them via email, phone, or social media if you are not sure about something.