Carrying alcohol on a plane*

Sasha

The last day of your trip, packing suitcases. And then comes the moment when you need to pack that very bottle of dry red wine, bought during a tour of a home winery, into your luggage. Can you carry alcohol on a plane? Will they allow you to take the bottle in your hand luggage or should you put it in your suitcase? We answer your questions.

Customs regulations for carrying alcohol on a plane

When it comes to carrying alcohol, the desire to take twenty liters of Armenian cognac with you is limited by several types of rules that determine how much alcohol can be carried on a plane:

international requirements. Many global companies are guided by TSA regulations — the US Transportation Security Administration;
individual airline rules;
import laws established by individual countries, and sometimes — by individual states or provinces within those countries.

Here's what you need to do before carrying alcohol with you:

check the current information on the airline's website. If nothing is written on the website, contact call center operators;
read the rules for carrying alcohol on a plane that exist in the country you are planning to travel to. For example, importing any alcoholic beverages into Kuwait is prohibited, and the maximum amount of alcohol you can take into Thailand is one liter.

Alcohol in carry-on luggage on a plane

Alas: you'll have to part with alcohol during the flight. Sparkling wine, wine, liqueurs, and other beverages cannot be carried in hand luggage. But it's not about their alcoholic toxicity, as you might think, but because alcohol is subject to the same rules that airlines set for carrying other liquids. Namely: one liter of liquid is the limit for your hand luggage. Each container must not exceed 100 ml. This applies to cosmetics, medicines, and deodorants. In short, you'll have to choose: either alcohol or cosmetics.

There is a way out: take small bottles of 40–50 ml, which are considered souvenirs. Or pour a little of your favorite whiskey into a flask (just in case you need some courage before takeoff). If you take it with you, remember that the volume of the container itself must also be small (up to 100 ml). If you take a regular bottle and pour the allowed 100 ml into it, it will, unfortunately, definitely be confiscated.

An exception to the rule is alcoholic beverages purchased at duty-free retail in the airport. You can carry alcohol in bottles larger than 100 ml if you bought them at duty-free: in the store, the bottles will be sealed in a transparent plastic bag with a zipper, which cannot be opened until your flight is completed.

We understand that sometimes a strong drink is the only thing that can help you survive a 12-hour flight to Bali, a snoring neighbor, and a crying child at the other end of the cabin. But, alas, airlines prohibit passengers from consuming alcohol on board that was not served directly by a flight attendant. This means that you can take alcohol from duty-free with you, but you won't be able to ask a flight attendant for a plastic cup to pour your purchased cognac into and celebrate the successful start of your journey. This rule exists to prevent passengers from overindulging.

However, on long flights, flight attendants offer alcohol as a drink with lunch or dinner, so there's no need to despair completely.

In summary:

alcohol in carry-on luggage on a plane is possible. But in a very small volume, only up to 100 ml.
if you need a larger volume, go to duty-free shops, but you cannot drink this alcohol on board;
consuming your own alcohol on board is generally prohibited — except for drinks offered by flight attendants. Usually, this is white or red wine to choose from.

Alcohol from Duty Free

If your flight is direct and the customs service of the country you are traveling to allows the import of alcohol into its territory, you can buy alcohol in duty-free shops and take it with you into the aircraft cabin. Unfortunately, the selection in such stores is quite standard — it's unlikely you'll be able to buy expensive national wine or another rarity at duty-free.

After your receipt is processed, the alcohol will be packed in a transparent bag with a zipper. You cannot open it and transfer the alcohol to your bag before arriving in the country, especially if you have a connecting flight. If you open the bottle or transfer it, and then go through the security check again, customs officers will consider that you are carrying alcohol in your hand luggage and are also violating the requirements for carrying liquids — duty-free bottles are mostly not small.

What else is important to know: the weight of goods purchased at duty-free is not added to the weight of the bag you take as hand luggage. But there are carriers (most often low-cost airlines) that sum up the volumes of all hand luggage, including purchases from the duty-free shop, so it's best to clarify this immediately to avoid paying for excess weight.

To summarize:

you can freely buy alcohol at duty-free and take the bag on board the plane;
it's better not to take too much: in the destination country, you will still have to pay for importing a large quantity of alcohol;
opening and consuming duty-free alcohol on board the plane is prohibited (this is strictly forbidden by airline rules);
if you have a connecting flight, buy alcohol at the duty-free shop in the last airport to avoid confiscation during security checks.

Carrying alcohol in checked luggage

Since traveling with sparkling wine in hand luggage is not possible, the last chance to take it with you is to put it in your suitcase. You only need to clarify how much alcohol can be carried in checked luggage.

The following rules apply to domestic flights within Russia:

alcohol with an alcohol content of up to 24% can be transported without restrictions;
alcohol with an alcohol content of 24% to 70% (whiskey, liqueurs, cognac, etc.) — no more than five liters per person;
carrying alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of more than 70% on a plane is prohibited.

International transportation is more complex: each country has its own import requirements. Often, the maximum volume is limited to one or two liters of alcohol, and for anything beyond that, a customs duty will need to be paid.

How to carry alcohol in a suitcase: recommendations

According to regulations, alcohol must be transported in special packaging intended for retail trade. This means: carrying branded bottles with labels is allowed, but homemade wine that grandma carefully poured into a jam jar should not be taken with you.

Additionally, it is recommended to pack alcohol with extra care: for example, wrap it in something soft so that the bottle does not break in the suitcase and spoil your belongings or those of other passengers. Towels, sweaters, trousers, and hoodies are good options. They will not only help protect the bottle during transport but also absorb the alcohol in case of an accident. Another anti-impact measure is bubble wrap. Furthermore, it is advisable to place the bottle of alcohol in the center of the suitcase, surrounding it with plenty of clothing, so that it survives an accidental fall from the baggage carousel.

Importing alcohol into Russia

A sad story: only three liters of alcohol can be imported duty-free into Russia per person who has reached the age of majority. For volumes exceeding this, customs duties and taxes of 10 € per liter will be charged. The maximum amount of alcohol is limited to five liters per person; carrying alcohol in larger quantities (more than five liters for private individuals) is prohibited, so you'll have to say goodbye to the idea of bringing a case of wine from Paris.

Importing alcohol into Europe

If you have reached the age of majority, you can import into the European Union:

one liter of strong alcohol (over 22%) per person;
two liters of alcohol up to 22% strength;
four liters of still wine (without bubbles);
16 liters of beer (stronger than 0.5%).

If you are traveling between EU countries, there are practically no restrictions for private individuals (provided that you are transporting alcohol for personal use, not for resale).

Importing alcohol into the USA

According to local laws, you can import only one liter of alcohol into the USA without additional payment if you are already 21 years old (yes, let's not forget that the age of majority in the States is later). If you take more, you will have to pay. It is believed that the United States has lenient laws regarding alcohol import: duties on imported alcohol are low, approximately starting from a dollar for low-alcohol beverages.

The maximum amount of alcohol you can enter the States with is not limited, but moderation is key in everything: two suitcases packed to the brim with wine will clearly raise questions at customs.

Importing alcohol to popular resorts

Many countries with popular resorts have strict rules regarding the transportation of alcoholic beverages: a limited amount of alcohol is allowed, and exceeding the norm will incur a fee.

Here are the restrictions passengers will face:

Turkey — you can import one liter of alcohol with an alcohol content above 22% or two liters of low-alcohol beverage with an alcohol content below 22%;
Egypt — everything is strict here: no more than one liter of alcohol of any strength;
Thailand — only one liter of any alcohol;
Maldives — carrying alcohol on a plane is prohibited, even if you bought it at duty-free;
Tunisia — one liter of strong alcohol from 25% or two liters of low-alcohol beverage with an alcohol content up to 25%;
Cyprus — you can import one liter of alcohol with an alcohol content above 22% or two liters of low-alcohol beverage with an alcohol content below 22%.

Rules for importing alcohol into the UAE

When planning a trip to the UAE, be careful: alcohol transportation rules depend on which emirate you will be staying in. And another nuance: importing alcohol is only allowed for passengers who do not profess Islam.

Interestingly, drinking alcohol is prohibited in the country itself. More precisely, tourists can, if you do it in bars and hotels. But drinking beer on the street will definitely result in a fine.

Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, and Dubai: no more than four liters of alcohol of any strength.
Sharjah: no more than two liters of alcohol of any strength.