Can You Bring Candles On A Plane?

Last Updated on April 15, 2020

You’re packing your suitcase and you know some items are restricted but you can’t quite remember which things are allowed on planes and which aren’t.

You know that liquids need to go in those little travel bottles and that you need to store them in a clear bag. But that’s not all…

Flammables and explosives are banned too right?

And well, candles are literally designed to be flammable…

So can you bring candles on a plane?

TSA Candles Regulations

I double-checked the TSA website to see if they had any limitations on flying with candles. This is what I found.

So yes, you can take solid candles in your carry on luggage through airport security. You can also pack solid candles in your checked luggage too. There are actually no TSA candles rules for solid candles even though they are flammable.

The TSA & Solid Candles vs Gel Candles

Hold on…

What’s all this talk about “solid” candles? Aren’t all candles solid?

Apparently not.

I didn’t know before I wrote this article but I discovered that you can also buy something called Gel Candles.

Gel candles are made with a transparent, squishy, gel wax. It looks and behaves a bit like jello. Here are some examples from Etsy:

These types of gel candles are not allowed in hand luggage. You can’t take gel candles into the cabin at all.

Most regular candles are made with solid paraffin wax. If you have a gel candle you probably know you have a gel candle. Here is a little video about gel candles you can watch if you are unsure.

Airlines And Flying With Candles

If I am unsure about what I can take on a plane I often do a search on Twitter to see if the information is already available.

Here was the @AskTSA service confirming that it’s okay to take candles through airport security:

And most airlines have made statements about flying with candles before.

American Airlines

American Airlines is in line with the TSA rules about candles.

Delta Airlines

Delta says candles are cool and remember to pack them well if they are in glass jars.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest says to check with the TSA about taking candles onboard:

Spirit Airlines Candles In Carry-On

Spirit Airlines gave candles in your carry on the thumbs up too.

United Airlines Candles On A Plane

United airlines don’t have a problem with solid candles either.

It was the same story with Air Canada, Alaska, Westjet, Frontier and the rest. All airlines I checked allowed solid paraffin wax candles in hand luggage.

So if you can bring wax candles on a plane…

Can You Bring Wax On A Plane?

It is a little confusing. Candles are made of wax, but there are some limitations on some wax products.

It’s all about the viscosity of the wax.

If you can pump it, squeeze it, spread it, smear it, spray it or spill it… it must follow the liquids rule and be packed alongside your travel-sized liquids.

So if you have some type of wax product you need to ask yourself is this solid wax or not solid?

Solid candles are permitted through the airport security check whereas wax products that are not solid (like hair wax) are restricted and need to go in your liquids bag.

The Verdict

Candles make a great gift and sometimes we need to fly to our destination carrying candles in our baggage. Or perhaps you bought a candle during your vacation and need a way to take it home with you.

Yes, you can bring regular candles on a plane either inside your carry on luggage or your checked baggage.

Even although solid candles burn they are not restricted in luggage.

They will be safer and less likely to go missing if you pack candles in your carry on bag. Glass jar candles will be less likely to break if you pack them in your hand luggage.

So you can pack your birthday candles, scented candles, tea light candles, Yankee candles or any other solid candles in your luggage.

The only candles that are restricted are gel candles and you can’t take them in hand baggage.

That’s it. What do you think? Did you ever have any trouble packing and flying with candles in your baggage? What about international travel or domestic travel. Does anyone know of some international rules about flying on foreign airlines with candles that I don’t know about?

Let us know your story in the comments.