All You Need To Know For Carry-on Baggage Restrictions On The Plane

Packing for your next flight? Before you zip up your suitcase, make sure you know exactly what you can and can’t bring onboard. Understanding the rules in advance can save you time and hassle at the airport.

From liquid limits and power bank rules to sports equipment and everyday items like nail clippers, this guide breaks down all the essential baggage restrictions based on international regulations and the policies of Singapore Airlines(SIA).

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or a first-time traveller, these tips will help you breeze through security and avoid last-minute surprises at the gate.

📒 Baggage Rules Made Simple: A Quick Guide for Savvy Travellers

Travelling from Country A to Country B? Which country’s guidelines should you look at? Don’t let baggage confusion slow you down. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Security Rules: Follow the Departure Country (Country A)

• Liquids, electronics, and other carry-on restrictions are dictated by Country A’s airport security. Even if Country B is more relaxed, you’ll need to comply at departure.

2. Baggage Allowances: Check Your Airline’s Policy

• Weight limits, sizes, and fees? That’s all up to your airline—not the countries. Avoid surprises by reviewing their rules before you pack.

3. Customs Rules: Respect the Arrival Country (Country B)

• Certain foods, medications, or goods might be fine in Country A but banned in Country B. When in doubt, leave it out—or check customs guidelines ahead of time.

Always check:

✅ Airline baggage policy

✅ Departure Country’s security rules

✅ Arrival Country’s customs restrictions

This article outlines baggage restrictions based on applicable aviation regulations, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) requirements, Changi Airport Group(CAG) requirements, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) requirements, International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations, and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Technical Instructions. 

Singapore Airlines (SIA) serves as our primary reference for airline-specific implementation of baggage restriction standards. These multilayered regulations ensure safety while addressing both international norms and local operational requirements.

💧 Liquids, Aerosols, Gels (LAGs)

3 Rules For Bringing Liquids / Aerosols / Gels (LAGs) In Carry-on Baggage

1. One clear, resealable plastic bag of small bottles or tubes of liquids / aerosols / gels
2. Each bottle or tube must be in a container of 100 ml (3.4 oz) or less. 
3. The total should not exceed 1 litre (33.8 oz).

Examples of LAGS: creams, balms, lotions, hair sprays, deodorant sprays, perfumes, colognes, face wash, shampoos, shower gels, mouthwash, contact lens solution, etc.

🎒 Common Personal Items

Common Personal Items You Can Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage (eg. liquid, power bank, aerosol spray etc)

• One clear, resealable plastic bag of small bottles or tubes of liquids / aerosols / gels. Each bottle or tube must be in a container of 100 ml (3.4 oz) or less. The total should not exceed 1 litre (33.8 oz).
• Laptops, tablets, mobile phones
• Nail clippers and tweezers
• Power banks (i.e. portable chargers) with capacity under 100Wh, or approx. 27,000 mAh
• Small scissors (with blades less than 6 cm and round-ended)
• Disposable razors (with blades enclosed in cartridge)
• One small cigarette lighter (one lighter only, and it must be carried on the person)
• Compact umbrellas
• Walking sticks, crutches and canes
• Medications (ensure they are properly labelled)
• Baby food and breast milk** (when travelling with infant)

*Singapore Airlines(SIA) Policy: If you’re departing from Singapore, you’ll enjoy an additional 6kg of cabin baggage allowance for breast milk, infant food, and baby amenities.

Common Personal Items You Can’t Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage

• Knives / jack knives
• Scissors (with blades more than 6cm as measured from the fulcrum)
• Corkscrews
• Multi-tool kits of all sizes and designs (e.g. ninja wallet, etc.)
  

💻 Electronics

Electronics You Can Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage

You are allowed to carry these devices in your hand luggage:

• Laptops, tablets, and e-readers
• Power banks* (up to 100Wh, or approximately 27,000 mAh)
• Mobile phones and MP3 players
• Hair dryers and hair straighteners
• Battery-powered electric shavers
• Spare lithium batteries**: watt-hours rating must be within 100Wh, and lithium content within 2g
• Other small personal electronics you use daily

* China has updated restrictions on power banks in 2025. Check out our latest guide for China Power Bank Limit on flights!

** Spare lithium batteries (i.e. individual batteries not within devices such as laptops, cameras, or power banks) must be kept in your carry-on ONLY and never in checked baggage.

Electronics You Can’t Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage

• Spare lithium batteries exceeding 160Wh
• Personal transportation devices: eg. E-scooters, electric Segways, Hoverboards, electric bicycles, Solowheels, Airwheels, balance wheels, etc.

Lithium Batteries

• Batteries with watt-hours rating within 100Wh / lithium content below 2g: Passengers may carry up to 5 batteries in carry-on baggage only. 
• Batteries with watt-hours rating between 101Wh and 160Wh / lithium content between 2g to 8g: Passengers may carry up to 2 batteries in carry-on baggage only and airline approval is required.
• Batteries with watt-hours rating exceeding 160Wh: Not permitted to bring on board or in checked baggage.
• Spare lithium batteries (i.e. individual batteries not within devices such as laptops, cameras, or power banks) must be kept in your carry-on ONLY and never in checked baggage.
• Note: Lithium battery-powered E-cigarettes (or vapes) are subject to lithium batteries restrictions for carry-on baggage. However, it is illegal in Singapore to buy, possess, use, import, sell, distribute, or advertise imitation tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes or vapes.

Electronics In Checked Luggage: Guidelines

It is generally safer to pack electronics in carry-on luggage to avoid damage or theft. However, if you must pack them in checked luggage, follow these guidelines:

• Check airline and destination regulations for rules on transporting electronics in checked luggage.
• Avoid packing fragile or expensive items (e.g., laptops, cameras, smartphones) in checked luggage—prioritise carry-ons.
• Protect electronics securely by using a padded, hard-sided case or wrapping.
• Remove all batteries, especially lithium batteries, as they pose a fire hazard and are prohibited in checked luggage.
• Consider additional insurance for valuable or fragile items.
• Whenever possible, pack electronics in your carry-on to ensure their safety.

🏸 Sports Equipment

Sports Equipment You Can Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage

• Tennis, squash, badminton rackets
• Pickleball paddles
• Skateboards / Longboard (packed in a protective bag or hard case)
• Other small sports equipment that fits within carry-on size limits may be allowed in the cabin.

Sports Equipment You Can’t Bring In Your Carry-on Baggage

• Baseball / cricket bats
• Golf clubs
• Skis or snowboards
• Hockey / floorball / lacrosse sticks
• Billiard / snooker cues
• Darts
• Hiking poles
• Ice axes

💊 Medication, Food, and Baby Essentials

💊 Medication & Medical Supplies Allowed in Carry-on Baggage:

• Medication (tablets, capsules, and liquids*)
• Medical syringes and hypodermic needles

*Liquid medication is subject to standard liquid restrictions.

Documentation Required:

• Prescription or physician’s note for syringes and needles
• Prescription medication must have a printed label identifying the medical office, pharmacy, or manufacturer

🥐 Food Restrictions for Carry-on Baggage

• Solid foods (such as snacks, bread, hard cheese, and fruits) are allowed in your carry-on bag.
• Liquid or creamy foods (including yogurt, sauces, dips, and spreads) are only permitted if each container is less than 100 ml (3.4 oz), in accordance with standard liquid restrictions.

Important Note for International Flights:

• Always check the arrival country’s food import regulations. You may bring food onboard, but you must consume or dispose of it before entering a country where food imports are prohibited. Some countries, like Singapore, limit food and food products that are not from approved source countries from being brought in.

🍼 Baby Food and Milk in Carry-on Baggage

Always check your airline’s specific requirements before travelling.

Here are the guidelines for Singapore Airlines(SIA):

• If travelling with your child, you may bring as much breast milk as you need on board — no liquid limit applies.
• If not travelling with your child, breast milk must be stored in containers of 100 ml or less, following standard liquid restrictions.
• If your Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight departs from Singapore, SIA allows an additional 6kg cabin baggage allowance for breast milk, infant food, and baby amenities.
  

✈️ Airline-specific Carry-on Luggage Weight and Size Limits (updated September 2025)

Full-Service Carriers (FSCs)

Note: Most full-service carriers permit an additional personal item—such as a handbag, laptop bag, or small backpack—alongside your carry-on luggage. Always check your airline’s baggage policy for exact specifications before you travel.

Low-cost Carriers (LCCs) (also known as budget airlines)

Note: Low-cost carriers like Scoot and AirAsia strictly enforce carry-on weight and size limits, so be sure to weigh and measure your bag before arriving at the airport.

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🇸🇬 Arriving in Singapore: Prohibited and Controlled items

Items You Can’t Bring Through Singapore Immigration

• Food that is not from approved source countries*, both raw and cooked (eg., meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, eggs and processed food products) 
• Chewing gum
• Chewing tobacco and imitation tobacco products (eg., electronic cigarettes / vapes)
• Animals, birds and their by-products     
• Plants, potting medium and organic fertilisers
• Ornamental fish
• Veterinary vaccines / Veterinary micro-organisms and plant pests
• Pet food
• Controlled drugs and psychotropic substances
• Obscene articles, publications, videotapes, videodiscs and software
• Reproductions of copyright publications, videotapes, videodiscs and laser discs, records and cassettes
• Seditious and treasonable materials
• Ammunition (eg. Empty cartridges, Live bullets, Ornaments made from empty cartridges, Bullet-shaped lighters, Grenade-shaped lighters)
• Armaments (eg. Firearms, Stun guns, Replica guns, Antique guns, Toy guns, Gun-shaped lighters)
• Martial Arts Equipment (eg. Knuckle duster, Nunchaku, Ninja shoku, Ninja star, Truncheon)
• Other Potential Safety Hazards (eg. Flick knife, Butterfly knife, Handcuffs, Pepper spray, Catapult, Crossbow)

*Please check the List of Food & Food Products Allowed from Singapore Food Agency for more detailed information on the approved source countries and limits for each specific type of food product.

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