Some airports now allow two litres of liquid per container, but others don’t
Fiona Callingham Lifestyle writer
04:30, 11 Apr 2026
Travellers should check the security rules for their airport ahead of flying(Image: Getty)
Travellers should always check hand luggage rules at the airport they are about to depart from, as sites across the UK currently have different guidelines. Some airports have scrapped the 100ml liquid rule, while others still have it in place.
With spring finally here, many families across the country will be jetting off abroad. But before doing so, it is worth confirming the luggage rules from your airport, as these will vary. Earlier this year, London Heathrow airport ditched the 100ml liquid rule for cabin baggage, following in the steps of Gatwick, Birmingham and Edinburgh airports.
However, other airports, such as London Stansted, Luton, and Manchester, still have the 100ml liquid rule in place. This rule means that passengers can only take 100ml bottles of liquid through in their hand luggage.
In some cases, the liquid should also be removed from your bag before going through the scanners – although in other airports this is no longer the case. Without the rule, you can take up to two litres at a time, which does not need to be removed from bags.
This is due to the introduction of new CT scanners at airport security, which also allows passengers to leave all electronics in their luggage. But certain airports with these scanners still have the 100ml rule in place and some have even U-turned on their requirements, so you should check restrictions at each airport before travelling.
Some airports still require you to take liquids out of your bag before going through security(Image: Getty)
Here is the list of UK airports and whether or not the 100ml rule applies.
Airports that have scrapped the 100ml liquid rule
- Belfast International
- Belfast City
- Birmingham
- Bournemouth
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- London Gatwick
- London Heathrow
- Southend
Airports that still have the 100ml rule
- Aberdeen
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Inverness
- Isle of Man
- Leeds Bradford
- Liverpool
- Luton
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Newquay
- Norwich
- Southampton
- Stansted
- Teeside
- London City
Some of the airports on this list no longer require you to take the liquids out when going through security. For example, on the Liverpool John Lennon Airport website, it says: “Liquids in containers of 100ml or less are permitted to remain in your hand luggage without the need of a clear plastic bag.”
But other airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow now allow for two litres of liquid per container in hand luggage(Image: Getty)
Exemptions are in place for essential medicines, baby food or milk, and special dietary requirements. The full list of exemptions can be found on GOV.UK.
You should always check the specific rules for the airport you are flying from in advance, as these rules can change. All information in the lists above was taken from the airports’ websites at the time of reporting.