25 Things You Should Never Pack in Checked Luggage

Your passport is the most important document for international travel. Packing it in a checked suitcase can prevent you from completing immigration procedures and may leave you unable to board a connecting flight.

Keep it in a secure internal pocket within your personal bag, preferably inside a protective travel wallet.

Printed visas, residence permits, vaccination documents, letters of consent and other entry paperwork should remain with your passport.

Digital copies are useful, but they may not always replace an original document requested by immigration, border or airline staff.

Cash, bank cards and identification should remain in your possession. You may need them immediately for transport, food, accommodation or unexpected expenses after landing.

Avoid carrying every payment method in one place. A secondary card stored securely elsewhere in your cabin baggage can provide a useful backup.

A delayed suitcase is frustrating. A delayed suitcase containing the keys to your home or vehicle can also leave you unable to continue your journey after returning.

Store keys in a zipped cabin-bag compartment so that they cannot fall out when other belongings are removed.

Keep access to your insurance policy number, emergency assistance details, accommodation address and onward transport information.

Digital copies are convenient, but a printed summary can still help if your phone is lost, damaged or without power.

Prescription medicine should remain in your cabin baggage rather than inside a checked suitcase that could be delayed or misdirected.

Where possible, retain original packaging and carry supporting prescription or medical documentation when required by the destination or airline.

Necessary equipment such as glucose monitors, hearing-device accessories or other personal medical technology should remain available to you.

Check battery, liquid and screening requirements with the airline and departure airport before travelling.

Prescription glasses can be difficult to replace quickly and may be essential for reading signs, driving or navigating an unfamiliar destination.

Carry glasses in a rigid case and check current cabin-liquid rules before packing contact-lens solution.

A power bank is treated as a spare lithium battery and must generally travel in cabin baggage rather than in the aircraft hold.

Capacity limits and airline approval requirements may apply. Protect the unit against damage and accidental activation, and follow any airline instructions regarding use or storage during the flight.

Loose or spare lithium batteries must not be packed in checked luggage. Their terminals should be protected against short-circuiting.

Use original retail packaging, individual protective pouches or appropriate terminal protection. Never carry a battery that is swollen, damaged, leaking or subject to a safety recall.

Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices must remain in cabin baggage and must be protected against accidental activation.

Using or charging the device aboard an aircraft is generally not permitted. Restrictions on liquids and local laws governing vape products must also be checked.

A laptop contains fragile components, a lithium battery and often valuable personal or business information. It is safer in a padded cabin bag than inside a suitcase exposed to baggage handling.

When an airline permits a battery-powered device in checked luggage, it generally needs to be completely switched off and protected from accidental activation and damage. Cabin carriage remains the safer option.

Phones and tablets contain batteries, personal data, booking information and communication tools that may be needed during a disruption.

Keep them charged and accessible, but do not rely exclusively on one device for every travel document.

Camera bodies and lenses are vulnerable to impact, pressure and moisture. Carry them in a padded cabin case whenever the baggage allowance permits.

Spare camera batteries are subject to lithium-battery cabin rules and should be individually protected.

External drives, memory cards and specialist data equipment may contain work, photographs or records that cannot be reconstructed after loss or physical damage.

Carry them in protective cases and maintain an encrypted backup in a separate secure location before travelling.

Jewellery is compact, valuable and easy to misplace. Sentimental pieces may also be impossible to replace regardless of their financial value.

Carry only what you genuinely need, store each piece securely and review insurance requirements for particularly valuable items.

Family photographs, inherited objects and other belongings with emotional significance should not be exposed to the risk of baggage delay, loss or damage.

The safest decision may be to leave an irreplaceable object at home rather than transport it at all.

Specialist tools, presentation devices, security tokens and equipment required immediately after arrival should remain in your cabin bag where permitted.

Check security restrictions carefully because certain tools or sharp objects may not be accepted in cabin baggage and may require specialist transport arrangements.

Wedding clothing, uniforms, specialist footwear or an outfit required for an event should not depend entirely on the timely arrival of a checked suitcase.

Where practical, carry the essential garment in the cabin or wear part of the outfit while travelling.

Ceramics, glass ornaments and delicate souvenirs may break even when surrounded by clothing.

Carry small fragile items in the cabin where permitted. Larger pieces may require professional packaging or specialist shipping.

Food can leak, spoil, attract inspection or be restricted by the customs and biosecurity rules of your destination.

Even when an item is accepted by the airline, it may not be permitted through the border. Check destination rules before travelling with meat, dairy products, plants, fruit or seeds.

Toiletries and other permitted liquids can leak as the bag is handled or exposed to pressure changes.

Tighten lids, protect openings, use sealed bags and keep liquids away from documents, electronics and clothing that cannot be washed easily.

Some medicines, cosmetics, photographic products and specialist materials can deteriorate outside their recommended temperature range.

Follow the manufacturer’s storage guidance and contact the airline in advance when specialist cooling or medical arrangements are necessary.

Pack a change of underwear, basic toiletries, essential chargers and weather-appropriate clothing in your cabin bag.

These items will not prevent a baggage delay, but they can make the first 24 hours far easier while the suitcase is located or replacement essentials are purchased.

The most useful packing question is not simply whether an object is permitted in checked luggage. Ask what would happen if you did not see it again for several days—or at all.

When the consequences would be serious, keep the item with you, arrange specialist transport or leave it safely at home.