Top 4 confusing carry-on items for international travel

If you're preparing to travel abroad, you're probably wondering what you can and can't bring on the plane. Common sense should tell you that some things are downright dangerous, but there are some things that are confusing. Today, we're going to talk about some of the more confusing items that are prohibited from traveling abroad.

Prohibited items in the carry-on for international travel

First of all, it's important to note that the above list of prohibited items for international travel is based on airports in Korea. However, I'm sure many airlines around the world have similar rules.

Even though I live in New Zealand, I have to follow the standards of my home country's airports when traveling back to Korea after visiting, so I learned about what is not allowed in the cabin.

Confusing international travel prohibited items

1) Liquids (cosmetics in liquid, spray, or gel form, toothpaste, shampoo, pharmaceuticals, etc.)

By default, liquids are prohibited in the cabin. However, there are exceptions to this, such as the case just below.

Your most commonly carried cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoo, bottled water, etc. are not allowed on board if the individual containers are larger than 100 ml. Liquids not exceeding 100 ml in a single 1L plastic ziplock bag are allowed on board.

A good way to think about this is that a 1L plastic zipper bag is about 20 cm across by 20 cm deep.

I also wanted to pack a lot, so liquids in containers no larger than 100 ml were fine, but if you packed them in plastic ziplock bags larger than 1L, you won't be allowed to bring them in, so make sure you use a suitable plastic ziplock bag.

Be careful not to put even one plastic ziplock bag of less than 100 ml of liquid in the nopacim.

2) Liquid foods (gochujang, kimchi, etc.)

Liquid food is also generally prohibited in the cabin when traveling abroad. However, as above, you can bring liquids in a 1L plastic ziplock bag per person with no more than 100 ml per individual container.

However, please note that there are no such restrictions for domestic flights, and both can be packed in checked baggage rather than carry-on.

However, there are rules for non-flammable sprays in checked baggage, so it's best to ask at the airport before deciding.

3) Pointed or sharp objects

Items that are prohibited in the cabin for international travel include anything that is pointed or sharp. For example, scissors with blades longer than 6 centimeters are prohibited, as are razor blades, cutter blades, folding knives, and utility knives.

However, round-bladed butter knives, razors with safety blades, safety razor blades, and electric razors are allowed on board.

4) Power bank

Many of you now know that power banks are required to be in your checked baggage, and I realize that the battery part can be a little confusing. A power bank is not literally the battery in your electronic device, but rather an additional, spare battery.

Therefore, Cell phones, cameras, and laptops with batteries are allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage. However, they must have the following battery capacities The batteries that have settled in your laptop are typically 100 Wh or less, so don't worry too much.

Based on secondary (spare) battery

However, even if you meet the battery capacity criteria above, if you have an extra battery, it's still considered a prohibited item for international travel, so you'll need to put it in your checked baggage.

Quantities may vary on foreign airlines, but for now, you can pack up to 5 per person in your checked baggage.

Lithium-ion batteries (>100 Wh to <160 Wh) Fixed electronic equipment

This can be either carry-on or checked baggage, subject to airline approval.

However, we would also like to remind you that spare lithium-ion batteries (greater than 100 Wh and less than or equal to 160 Wh) are prohibited in the cabin and can be carried in checked baggage up to two per person with airline approval.

So there you have it, my top 4 confusing carry-on items for international travel.

If you are interested in learning more about what is and isn't allowed at airports in your country, the Aviation Security 365 website below will give you a much more accurate picture.

There's nothing hard about it, you just enter the items yourself.

Finalize

Today, we're going to take a look at some of the more confusing items that are prohibited in the cabin of an international flight. In terms of carry-on, it's pretty straightforward: liquids under 100ml in a 1L plastic ziplock bag, and power banks can be packed in your checked baggage.

Everyone travels differently, so it's a good idea to use the Aviation Security 365 website above beforehand to avoid getting lost at the airport.

On a side note, there's some good news for foreigners planning to visit South Korea: the K-ETA exemption period has been extended to December 31, 2025 for select countries. If you're curious about this, check out the post below.