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UK Airport Liquids Rules 2026: 100ml or 2 Litres, Airport by Airport

It depends on the airport you fly from. Heathrow and Gatwick now allow liquid containers up to 2 litres. So do Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh. Manchester, Stansted and Luton still apply the 100ml limit. Most airports we checked no longer need a clear plastic bag.

Sumcraft Editorial Team5 min read

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Checked on 22 October 2026. Every row comes from the airport's own security page, linked below. Airports change these rules as new scanners go live, so check your airport's page before you pack.

Liquids limit at each UK airport

AirportLargest liquid containerClear plastic bag?
London Heathrow (Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5)2 litresNo. Leave liquids in your cabin bag
London Gatwick2 litresNo. Only oversized duty-free needs a sealed bag
Birmingham2 litres, any number of containersNo
Bristol2 litresNo
Edinburgh2 litres, any number of containersNo. Liquids can stay in your bag
Manchester100mlNo
London Stansted100mlNo. Liquids can stay in your bag
London Luton100mlNo
East Midlands100mlNo
Newcastle100mlNo
Leeds Bradford100mlNo
Glasgow100mlIts page does not say. Check before you fly

GOV.UK still states the baseline: at most airports, "you cannot take liquids in containers larger than 100ml through security". That applies even if the container is only part full.

What counts as a liquid?

The Civil Aviation Authority's definition is wider than most people expect. It includes lipstick and mascara. Toothpaste, hairspray and shaving foam count too.

Exceptions at every airport

  • Medicines, baby food and baby milk can go through in larger containers at all UK airports, according to GOV.UK. Bring proof such as a prescription if you can.
  • Breast milk at Stansted and East Midlands: individual containers up to 2,000ml, according to each airport.
  • Duty-free bought on the way out stays in its sealed bag with the receipt inside.

Quick answers

  • Is there still a 100ml rule at UK airports? Yes, at many of them. Manchester, Stansted and Luton still apply it. So do most regional airports we checked.
  • Which London airports have scrapped the 100ml rule? Heathrow (Terminals 2 to 5) and Gatwick allow up to 2 litres. Stansted and Luton do not. We could not confirm London City's rule on its own site, so check before you fly.
  • Do I still need a clear plastic bag in 2026? Not at most major UK airports. All the 2-litre airports in our table say no. Manchester and Stansted say no too, as do most of the regional airports.
  • Can I take a 200ml deodorant? At a 2-litre airport, the container is within the limit. At a 100ml airport, it is not. Pack it in your hold bag instead.
  • Do the same rules apply on the way home? Not necessarily. Your return airport sets its own limit, and many overseas airports still apply 100ml.

Packing tips

  1. Check both airports. Pack for the stricter of your departure and return airports.
  2. Keep containers small anyway. 100ml bottles pass everywhere.
  3. Use solid toiletries. Shampoo bars and solid deodorant avoid the rules altogether.
  4. Put large bottles in the hold. Seal them in a zip bag in the middle of the case.

For the full list of what to pack, see our holiday packing checklist.

Sources, checked 22 October 2026:

  • Airport security
  • Liquids
  • Hand luggage
  • UK airports
  • Packing

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