Last Updated on January 17, 2021
You can bring most glass items on a plane but there are occasions where it might be refused at the security checkpoint.
This post covers flying with glass and how and where to pack it for your flight.
TSA Glass Rules
The Transportation Security Administration is the authority that checks luggage and determines what can and can’t be taken on planes.
Here is a screenshot of their website regarding flying with glass:
They also have a rule listing about glass vases:
And one about glass picture frames:
The rules mentioned all point towards one thing…
You can bring glass on a plane in both carry-on bags and checked bags.
If you are thinking of bringing a glass bottle the TSA rules about liquids will of course apply.
Carry On Luggage
You can bring glass on a plane in your carry on so long as it’s not sharp or very heavy.
You can’t bring a glass knife for example or anything that could be dangerous.
And you can’t bring any extremely heavy glass objects that could cause a concussion if you start whacking people on the head with it.
What’s permitted in your hand luggage is really all about how much chaos you could cause with the item.
Checked Baggage
If you are bringing glass on a plane in checked luggage then good luck!
What can I say… it’s a risky move and I congratulate you for being so bold.
Checked luggage tends to be thrown around by baggage handlers. Make sure you wrap and package your glass item extremely well.
There is nothing to stop you packing glass objects in checked bags other than common sense. 🙂
Okay, I am being facetious. I appreciate sometimes you need to pack glass in checked luggage like if you are traveling with wine bottles.
But where there are no liquids involved I would always choose to pack glass in hand luggage where I can take care of it and make sure nothing gets broken.
The Word On The Tweet
When researching a blog post I often check Twitter since it can be a good source of information.
Here were some of the relevant tweets that I found about taking glass on airplanes.
Glass is generally permitted in carry on luggage but there could be some times that it’s not allowed. The TSA officer at the security checkpoint always has the final say.
Dave learned that if a glass object had sharp edges then it would not be permitted.
Being made of glass doesn’t mean that something automatically is allowed.
Take glass paperweights for example:
If a glass item was deemed to be too heavy so that it could be used as a bludgeon then it would not be permitted in hand luggage.
So you can’t take a glass baseball bat for example.
Everyone knows the TSA liquids rule, that liquids in carry-on must be in bottles or containers under 3.4 oz.
Selena wanted to know if her liquid could be in a glass container and the TSA reassured her that it was okay:
Becky wanted to bring an empty glass bottle in her carry-on:
The TSA gave her the green light. Small glass bottles could be placed in the quart bag if they have liquid inside them. Large glass bottles are permitted in carry-on luggage as long as they are empty.
Katherine wanted to take wine glasses in her hand luggage:
And discovered that glassware was okay in carry-on bags.
Carol was permitted to bring her glass bowl and glass sculpture.
Nicole brought a solid candle in a glass jar:
This passenger wanted to fly with glass ornaments:
And the TSA said it was fine.
Kimi wanted to bring a glass nail file:
And the TSA said it was alright.
The Verdict
Taling glass on airplanes is generally allowed.
If you have something sharp or very heavy then you might be better to check with the TSA before you take it to the airport.
Expect that you might need to pack those items in checked luggage.