This U.K. Airport Has Removed the 100-Milliliter Liquid Restriction—Other Airports Will Soon Follow

London City Airport recently became the first significant U.K. airport to abolish its 100-milliliter (3.4-ounce) liquid limit, allowing laptops and liquids to stay in carry-on bags, thanks to improved scanning technology. This change is part of a broader shift in U.K. airport security that aims to eliminate the 100-milliliter rule across all U.K. airports by 2024.

“The small liquid containers have been a common sight at airport security, but that is about to change,” said U.K. Transport Secretary Mark Harper in a statement regarding the updated airport security measures.

By 2024, all major airports in the United Kingdom will be mandated to implement new Computed Tomography (CT) x-ray technology, which will permit tablets, laptops, and liquids to remain in carry-on luggage, allowing passengers to carry containers of up to two liters (approximately half a gallon).

With the introduction of this new scanning technology, travelers will no longer need to remove liquids and electronics from their bags, which is expected to increase screening capacity by 30 percent per hour, significantly speeding up the security process.

London City Airport, the first to fully adopt the new scanning technology, anticipates nearly 4 million passengers in 2023, making it one of the initial hubs in the country to offer this streamlined process.

The updated security screening method is facilitated by newly installed CT scanners from aviation technology provider Leidos.

The 100-milliliter liquid restriction has been enforced in the U.K. since 2006, requiring all liquids to be in containers of no more than 100 milliliters, placed in a clear plastic bag that must be removed, along with electronic devices, during security checks.

As the new policy is not being introduced nationwide at once, travelers should stay informed about the current regulations at all airports they will be using.

Will the TSA modify the 3-1-1 liquid limit rule in the U.S.?

In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has not shown any intention to eliminate the rule that permits only liquids in 3.4-ounce containers to remain in carry-on luggage during security checks.

However, an increasing number of U.S. airports are updating their security procedures, allowing liquids and laptops to stay in carry-on bags at TSA checkpoints, thanks to new CT scanners that enable this convenience. This advancement could significantly reduce wait times at security.

The upgraded scanners allow laptops and liquids to remain in carry-ons because they are more effective at detecting weapons, explosives, and other banned items compared to older models. So far, TSA has rolled out over 230 CT scanners, with plans to double that by November 2023.

Non-TSA PreCheck passengers still need to remove their shoes (TSA PreCheck travelers can keep their shoes on), but the ability to leave liquids and laptops in bags will greatly enhance the speed of the screening process.

U.S. airports featuring new scanners that permit laptops and liquids to remain in carry-ons include:

• Albany County Airport (ALB)
• Amarillo International Airport (AMA)
• Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
• Bradley International Airport (BDL)
• Birmingham International Airport (BHM)
• Nashville International Airport (BNA)
• Burlington International Airport (BTV)
• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
• Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
• El Paso International Airport (ELP)
• Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
• Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• Wilmington International Airport (ILM)
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
• Memphis International Airport (MEM)
• Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT)
• Oakland International Airport (OAK)
• Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)
• Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU)
• Stockton Regional Airport (SCK)
• Syracuse–Hancock International Airport (SYR)
• Tallahassee International Airport (TLH)
• Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS)