TL;DR: Yes, you can bring spray sunscreen on a plane, but packing it can be awkward because of size and aerosol rules. A sunscreen stick is usually easier because it avoids the usual liquid and spray restrictions.
Packing sunscreen should be one of the easiest parts of getting ready for that vacation you’ve been looking forward to, but somehow it ends up being another source of stress. You’re already worrying about getting to the airport on time and you’ve got to spend time Googling things like “can you bring spray sunscreen on a plane or not?”
The last thing you want to do is arrive at check-in to be told that carefully selected sunscreen you’ve bought needs to be left behind. As such, giving it some serious thought in the weeks leading up to your vacation represents the best foot forward.
Once you understand how different formats are treated and classified by the TSA, you can turn up safe in the knowledge that what you’ve bought is allowed to go on board. In this blog, that’s what we focus on, as well as why a stick sunscreen might be a better choice.
Can You Bring Spray Sunscreen On a Plane? What to Know
The good news is that the burning question – can you bring spray sunscreen on a plane – has a relatively simple answer. Spray sunscreens are allowed on planes, but there are some rules that you need to know about before going to buy a bottle for your time away.
Spray sunscreen isn’t banned or anything, so there is no need to panic if that is what you normally use. The issue is that sprays fall under the same carry-on size rules as other aerosols, which can make them a bit inconvenient and tricky when you’re trying to pack light.
A few things you need to consider:
- Carry-on sunscreen has size limits – Liquids, gels, creams and aerosols need to be 3.4 ounces or 100 ml or less.
- It has to fit in your liquids bag – Your spray sunscreen also needs to fit inside your quart-size bag with your other travel-size toiletries.
- Lotions and gels are restricted too – This is not only a spray issue, because sunscreen lotions, gels and creams are subject to the same size rules.
- Bigger bottles need putting in checked luggage – If your spray sunscreen is too big, you’ll either have to leave it behind or put it in with your checked bags, meaning you won’t have any to use while you’re flying.
- Partly used bottles are measured by container size – TSA agents look at the volume printed on the bottle, not how much is left inside.
- Travel-size sunscreens don’t last long – If you choose a travel-sized lotion or spray, you’ll often find that it’s not enough for your whole vacation, so you’ll end up having to take lotion along anyway to cover you.
The easiest way to avoid airport stress is to think about sunscreen format before you pack. Also, if you want something simpler for travel days that is likely to last for your whole vacation, a solid sunscreen stick is something you might want to think about.
Why Many Choose a Sunscreen Stick On Vacation
Once you start thinking about sunscreen in terms of what you actually need when you’re on vacation, stick sunscreens make a lot of sense. They’re small, solid and easy to pop into your carry on bag while still leaving you enough room for your passports and all those other important things.
That doesn’t mean sprays and lotions are useless. It just means a good sunscreen stick is a great alternative for solving the annoying little problems that tend to come up when you’re flying in the USA – either internally or internationally. Here are a few reasons to think about it.
Sticks Don’t Eat Into Your Liquids Bag
A sunscreen stick is not treated like a liquid, gel, cream or aerosol, so it doesn’t take up the same precious space in your carry-on liquids bag. That makes it useful when you’re already trying to fit shampoo, skincare, toothpaste and everything else into one tiny plastic bag.
It Is Easy to Keep With You During the Day
On vacation, sunscreen is not just something you use once before leaving the hotel. You may need it while walking around, sitting outside for lunch or when the sun streams through the plane windows (yes, people do get burned on the WAY to their vacation). A stick is easy to drop into a pocket, so it’s always available.
It Works Well for Smaller, Easy-to-Miss Areas
A sunscreen stick is especially handy for places like the nose, ears, hairline, shoulders and backs of hands. Those are often the places that catch the sun most quickly, and a stick makes it easier to give them a quick top-up without making too much of a mess.
Can You Bring Spray Sunscreen On a Plane? Yes, But a Stick is Usually Better
What we need to reiterate now is that you CAN absolutely take spray sunscreen on a plane with you – it’s just that you can only take on so much. When you’ve already got to worry about how much shampoo, toothpaste and moisturizer you can take with you, it’s just one more unnecessary concern.
If you want something easier, a sunscreen stick can make things so much simpler. It gives you a simple way to stay protected throughout your journey, as well as top up the areas that burn first. When you’re away from home, that’s a great thing to have.
