Rules about what one can bring inside the cabin and what needs to go into checked luggage have confused many a traveler.
Earlier in October, the Transportation Security Administration released a reminder that pets should not go into the x-ray machine inside their carriers. And the agency released statistics saying that 5,072 dangerous items had been confiscated from those who have either accidentally or purposefully left them inside their carry-on bags so far in 2023.
Related: The best time to book your Thanksgiving and Christmas flight is now
In advance of the busy Thanksgiving travel period, the TSA has some lighthearted instructions about what foods are okay and not okay to have inside one's bag. Turkey is generally okay in any form that's possible to transport on the condition that it's cooked.
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'We know you always travel with extra room for the Thanksgiving piece-de-resistance'
"Who are we kidding, we know you always travel with extra room in your carry-on just in case you need to transport the Thanksgiving piece-de-resistance," the TSA instructions read. "So fear not, the cooked avian creature can tag along in your carry-on at the airport."
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Other popular foods that are not likely to cause any trouble in either the carry-on bag or packed suitcase include Thanksgiving stuffing and other dry foods such as green beans, yams and even mac-and-cheese inside a container.
Where travelers can run into trouble is when water or other liquids are involved — both homemade and canned cranberry sauce, the agency reminds, is classified as such and is so subject to the 3-1-1 rule that requires any liquid of more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) to go inside one's checked luggage.
Not positive about whether that Thanksgiving dish is solid or liquid? Here is what you do
"You'll be happy to know that calorie-rich sides and desserts are fine and dandy to bring in your carry-on," TSA writes. "Just make sure that any dishes containing liquids follow the 3-1-1 rule. And if you're not positive if your scrumptious dish would be considered a liquid, go ahead and pack it in your checked bag just to be safe."
The one item present on the Thanksgiving dinner table for which there's almost no wiggle room is the bottle of wine or any other alcohol. That will automatically fail the 3-1-1 test and must be checked with the baggage. Any libations with more than 24% alcohol content (most bottles of wine are between 8% to 15%) are also limited to five liters in original unopened packaging.
"So many bottles of wine and so little time," TSA wrote. "Fear not, my pilgrim wine connoisseurs, there are several types of corkscrews that are allowed in your carry-on bags. However, if your corkscrew has a blade, please place it in your checked bag and make sure that it's securely sheathed or wrapped."
Another important thing to note is that all these rules apply exclusively to flights within the U.S. Cross-border rules around bringing food and drink are a whole other ballgame established by the country one hopes to enter and are generally much more restrictive to prevent the spread of pathogens.
SEE THE TSA'S FULL THANKSGIVING INSTRUCTIONS (THERE ARE MEMES INVOLVED) HERE.
