How To Bring Infant Formula Through Airport Security
There's a lot of things to worry about when flying with a baby for the first time, from wondering what to do with a dirty diaper during the flight to making sure you bring a change of clothes, but being forced to pour out your baby's distilled water by airport security shouldn't be one of them. While there have occasionally been reports of TSA agents getting this particular regulation wrong, when you travel with babies, some of the rules about bringing liquids aren't supposed to apply to you. Infant formula, including premixed formula and the distilled water necessary for powder formula, are among the items that are exempt from TSA's famous 311 liquid rule.
Whether you're flying with your baby or meeting them at the airport when you land, you're allowed to have baby formula in your bag — though, depending on the airline, you may have to pay extra for a diaper bag if your baby isn't actually on board. There shouldn't be any limit on the amount of liquid formula you're allowed to bring on the plane, and when it comes to distilled water, the official TSA website states that "water for babies is allowed in reasonable quantities." While what counts as reasonable might be debatable, you should certainly be allowed to bring on what your child will need to drink during the flight, at minimum.
Make going through TSA with baby formula as simple as possible
While infant formula, distilled water, gel packs for cooling, pre-pumped breast milk, and baby food are all permitted in carry-on luggage, there are a few steps you should take to make the process of getting through security and to your gate go smoothly. Before you leave, pack your baby's formula in clear bottles so the contents are easy to see. Don't worry if you're planning to buy ready-to-feed formula bottles; they should get through security with no issues, too.
When you arrive at airport security, make sure to inform a TSA officer that you have infant formula with you. They will screen your bottles separately from everything else, so make sure not to bury them at the bottom of your luggage. Because of the extra screening, you probably won't be able to zip through TSA like you would traveling alone, but you should be able to get through airport security without too much hassle. For faster screening, consider signing up for TSA PreCheck. Children under 12 years old can automatically join you in the expedited line.