One wrong move in airport security, and you could find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation as they tear through your belongings. Speaking from experience here, it's not fun to avoid stressful situations. Here are some TSA mistakes you want to avoid at all costs.
We'll start with some big no-nos to avoid as you pass through airport security, but the security line isn't the only place where you can get yourself in trouble with the TSA. So, we'll finish up with everything else you need to know to avoid headaches on your next flight. Let's start with the most obvious, and that is ignoring the 3-1-1 liquid rule.
Liquid rules vary by country, and they seem to be getting more flexible in some places. But in the U. S.
, the TSA currently uses the 3-1-1 liquid rule, which means that you need to use containers that are 3. 4 oz or less (which is 100 ml or less), and they all need to fit into a one-quart size bag. You get one quart-size bag per passenger.
If you're like me, you may assume that it's okay to use a bigger size container that's not all the way full. For example, a 125 ml tube of toothpaste that's only half full. But it turns out this is incorrect; all containers need to be under 100 ml, whether they're full or not.
Now, have I successfully flown with a 125 ml half-full tube of toothpaste? Yes. And have I ever gotten stopped for not packing my liquids in a plastic bag?
No. But as the saying goes, "Do as I say, not as I do. " Someday, my recklessness will turn into a full body cavity search, and I will have had that coming.
Next is to protect yourself from thieves. When you have bins sitting around with phones, wallets, and watches unattended, it'll naturally attract sticky fingers, especially in a busy and chaotic environment. Some people just can't resist.
Because of this, don't go through the metal detector until you have personally pushed all of your bins through the machine, even if that means holding up the line a little bit. Instead of dumping your phone, wallet, and passport individually into the bin, put everything into a zipped jacket pocket or a fanny pack before you get to the front of the line. That way, you can just throw one thing into the bin and not have all your valuables exposed.
Also, if you can't go through the metal detectors for some reason, have a travel partner go through security first. For example, I have an implanted device for my heart, and so every time I go through security, I have to get a good old-fashioned pat down. I always send my wife, Diane, ahead of me so that she can gather my stuff while security is feeling me.
Up next, don't use your phone. Many security checkpoints have no phone or no camera rules, which I'm probably breaking right now. The fastest way to get flagged is to ignore the signs and use your phone while you're in the security line.
If you think it's all a bunch of BS, I can tell you firsthand that it's not. I once had my phone confiscated by airport security. They sat there scrolling through my camera roll for an uncomfortably long time, looking for a shot that I took while in the airport that I wanted to use in a YouTube video, all the while I was praying that this burly man didn't stumble on any pics of Diane's bum.
Granted, this was in Morocco, but I wouldn't test this in the U. S. either.
Wait until you get past security to use your phone to avoid any unnecessary questions. Next is not dressing prepared. If you've traveled before, you already know that most security checkpoints make you take off your shoes and jackets when you pass through the line.
So, instead of trying to dress all fancy at the airport, just use comfy slip-on shoes and maybe layer with a jacket if you're cold. Ideally, the jacket has zipper pockets; that way, you can quickly throw everything into the bin and you won't hold up the line fiddling with your shoes. If you get cold on planes, and all planes are different, I like to pack a microfiber travel towel in my personal item.
I use it as a beach towel, and it also works as a blanket in a pinch. By the way, I would not recommend using the blankets that they give you on your flights, and I explain why in this Airline Secrets video here. Apart from shoes, avoid wearing clothes with metal in them that may set off the alarms.
Speaking of setting off alarms, you might think, "Ah, this cash or these receipts in my pocket won't matter when going through security because they aren't metal. " If it's just a normal metal detector that you're passing through, you may be right. But if it's a full-body scanner, it'll pretty much detect everything.
So, unless you're in some desperate need for some physical human touch via a hardcore pat down, make sure to take everything out of your pockets. Again, this is a time where a fanny pack or a jacket comes in handy; then you can just set one thing in the bin instead of having your valuables laying around loosey-goosey. Next, make sure that you pack your bags properly to speed up the process in the security line.
Make sure to pack all the things that you know you'll need to take out and put in the bins all in one easy-access place. That means your liquids bag, your laptop, or maybe any medications that you think might get flagged. Whatever you do, don't pack this stuff at the bottom of your bag unless you want everyone to see you dig.
Through your undies to take it out, to learn the tricks that I use to pack my carry-on after almost 7 years of non-stop travel. Make sure to subscribe to get notified when that video goes live. Next is to beware of the dreaded SSSS sign on your boarding pass.
This stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection. The TSA is really vague on how and when someone will get this on their boarding pass, but if you get it, just know that you're going to get extensively searched. They'll probably take everything out of your bag, so just be prepared for that.
There are many reasons you might get the old quadruple S; for example, if you're traveling from certain countries, if you have certain flight patterns, if you're on a watch list for some reason, or sometimes even if you pay for a last-minute flight with cash. If you do get selected, make sure to stay calm, follow instructions, and hopefully you gave yourself some extra time in order to get to your gate on time. Next is not securing your checked bag correctly.
If you're checking a bag, there's a right way and a wrong way to secure it. I have an entire video on how to protect your stuff from thieves while traveling that you can watch here, but for now just know that if you're going to lock your bag in some way, try to think about how hard it would be for a security agent to open it if they need to search it. If it's too hard to open, they're just going to wreck your zippers.
This happened to me not once, but twice. The kicker is that both of these times I was using TSA locks, which are supposedly created for this exact purpose because the TSA agents are supposed to have a special key that opens the locks. But in my experience, they never use those keys, so now I sometimes secure my bag using loose zip ties.
The key is loose here because if you make it too tight, that will also be too hard for them to open. You can also cover your bag in Saran Wrap if you're really nervous about it. The next mistake is packing wrapped gifts.
If you're the thoughtful type and you bought a gift to bring home to someone, make sure you wait until you get home to actually wrap the gift. This goes for both checked luggage and carry-ons. One time, we bought some perfume as a birthday present and had it wrapped up nice in the store, but then our bags got searched and they ripped open the wrapping paper.
So when flying, maybe a gift bag is a better idea. All right, so you survived getting on your flight. Now what about after you get off your flight?
Well, the first step is to have all the right documents ready to rock. This one should be obvious because there's almost always a loud lady repeatedly screaming to have your boarding pass and travel docs ready for when you pass through immigration. But that lady is there for a reason—because people get distracted, they forget, and then they hold up the line as they're digging through their bags to try to find what they need to find.
Don't be that person. Immigration officials tend to be grumpy as it is, so don't give them an extra reason to unleash their grumpiness on you. Like I said, I use a fanny pack when I fly to keep all of my important documents at easy access.
Speaking of documents, don't forget to travel with travel insurance. I'll link to the company I use below. They're super cheap and they've always covered me for the big accidents that I've had on the road.
The worst time I've ever been searched was after making this next mistake. I was waiting at the luggage carousels for my and Diane's luggage while she went to the bathroom. I didn't want to lose her, so after I picked up our luggage, I just stayed in the same area and waited for her there.
Well, apparently this made me look suspicious because an agent came up to me and asked me to follow him. He took me to a back room by ourselves and tore apart both of our bags piece by piece. The kicker is Diane had brought a bunch of creams and lotions and natural drops, and of course none of these had labels on them.
The agent kept asking me what every single one of the liquids was, and I had no idea. He wouldn't let me call Diane to ask her. Moral of the story: one, don't wait around by the luggage carousel too long after you pick up your bag; just grab your stuff and go.
Two, when you're in the security areas, avoid carrying someone else's luggage when they're not there, even if they're in your group. Because if you get taken away and searched, you won't know how to answer their questions, and there's nothing more suspicious than having to answer, "I don't know what it is, Officer. It's not mine, I swear.
" Surviving security is only the first part of having a successful flight. Watch this video next for tips on how to make your flight itself as comfortable as possible. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more bite-sized travel hacks.
Bye-bye!
