Last Updated on April 6, 2022
Nobody likes to be sick when traveling.
Heartburn, an upset stomach, or indigestion can make your time traveling pretty unpleasant.
So can you bring Tums or other antacids on a plane?
Let’s find out.
TSA Rules For Tums & Other Antacid Medication
The Transportation Security Administration controls the airport security checkpoint. A TSA officer will be responsible for checking your luggage and deciding what can or can’t be brought on to the plane.
Here is a screen grab of the relavant rule when you want to take Tums on the plane:
You can freely pack antacid medication like Tums, Alka-Seltzer, Maalox, Mylanta, or Rolaids, in either your carry-on baggage or checked baggage.
There are no special instructions about where you must pack them or how they must be stored.
A word of warning though…
It’s probably a good idea to take a brand of antacid that you have used before and are familiar with.
Antacids can sometimes cause a laxative effect, and there might be a line for the restroom on the plane!
If your antacid comes in a liquid form like Pepto Bismol Original Liquid or Gaviscon then there are some additional instructions.
The usual liquids limits don’t apply to liquid medications, but you do need to remove them from your carry-on bag and place them in a tray at the security checkpoint for additional screening and inform the TSA officer.
Still Unsure? Ask The TSA
You can send a message to the TSA on Twitter and with any further questions.
Katie asked the TSA about packing an opened bottle of Tums in her hand luggage.
It doesn’t matter if your bottle of Tums is open or not. You can you bring tums on a plane without restriction.
This passenger asked if Tums need to be packed in your quart sized toiletries bag:
Only liquids need to be packed in your toiletries bag so solid pills like Tums can be packed anywhere. Anyway, liquid medications are exempt from the TSA liquids rule.
The Verdict
It’s no problem to pack Tums or other antacid meds on a plane. You can pack them in your carry-on bag or checked bag.
You don’t need any note from the doctor or a prescription or anything like that.
If you are traveling internationally it’s always a good idea to store any pills in a bottle with a label so that customs officers could identify them if need be.
If you are flying domestically you don’t need to keep the Tums in their original container, so if you want to save space you can just pack the required amount in a smaller container to cover you for the duration of your trip.