Can You Bring Aerosol Cans on a Plane? TSA and FAA Limits

Where these numbers come from

Aerosols sit under two different rule sets, which is why the answer to "can I bring this can" changes with the bag. At the checkpoint, TSA treats a toiletry spray like any other liquid or gel, so a carry-on can must hold 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less and ride in your one quart-size bag. In the checked bag, the FAA sets the limits instead, and they are much looser for personal-care items.

The FAA caps each checked container at 18 oz (0.5 kg or 500 ml) and the whole set of medicinal and toiletry articles at 70 oz (2 kg or 2 L) per person. That total also counts hair spray, hand sanitizer, sunscreen and similar items, not only aerosols. Worked example: three 18 oz cans of hair spray total 54 oz. A fourth can can be at most 16 oz, and only if nothing else liquid in your bag uses the allowance. A 10 oz can of shaving cream plus a 6 oz deodorant and two 8 oz hair sprays add up to 32 oz, well inside the cap.

The big trap is the word "flammable." The FAA bans flammable aerosols that are not toiletries in both bags. That covers spray paint, WD-40 style lubricants, cooking spray and spray starch, and TSA lists those items as not allowed anywhere. Canned compressed gas that is itself the product, such as compressed air for keyboards or canned oxygen, does not qualify for the aerosol exception either. Nonflammable aerosols such as whipped cream cans are acceptable, but they must be labeled nonflammable with no other hazard marking.

Every aerosol needs its cap. The FAA requires the release device to be protected against accidental discharge, and a loose button in a packed suitcase is the usual reason cans leak or go off. Also watch the smell test: a spray that would cause extreme annoyance or discomfort to crew members if released is not covered by the exception.

Insect and animal products follow their own lines. Aerosol insecticide is refused at the checkpoint but can go in checked bags with special instructions. Bug repellent designed for skin is fine in both bags within the same 3.4 oz and 18 oz limits. For defensive sprays see pepper spray and bear spray, and for the most common toiletry cans see hair spray and deodorant. You can test any specific product in the Can I bring it? TSA finder or check container sizes with the 3-1-1 liquids checker.

Sources

• FAA PackSafe: Aerosols
• FAA PackSafe: Medicinal and toiletry articles
• FAA PackSafe: Sprays and repellents
• FAA PackSafe chart
• TSA What Can I Bring? complete list

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.