Keep These Items Out of Your (and Your Kid’s) Carry-On If You Don’t Want to Miss Your Flight

Lines at TSA checkpoints can be long enough, but when you’ve got something in your carry-on that raises a red flag, you could be there much longer than anticipated. There are the obvious things you can’t take on a plane, like weapons and liquids more than 3.4 ounces, but some things that seem totally innocent could lead to unnecessary delays and missed flights.

Sometimes it’s as simple as a bottle of water you forgot about in your bag. But sometimes it’s the things you least expect. I once had a difficult time carrying a large block of cheddar cheese in my carry-on. The x-ray machine couldn’t penetrate the density of the cheese, which led to a deeper search of my belongings. Long story short: A supervisor got involved, I had to submit to a strip search, and suffer through the embarrassing murmurs of other passengers once I finally got to my gate … all because I wanted some delicious Wisconsin cheese with a glass of wine when I got home. Needless to say, the next time I visited Wisconsin, I skipped the cheese.

While most cases don’t get that involved, there are some surprising things you can’t pack in a carry-on. Ultimately, it’s up to the agent to decide if it’s okay or not, but here is a list of things that will get you unexpected (and unwanted) scrutiny.

• Sports equipment: Things like bowling balls, darts, baseball bats, golf clubs might seem innocent enough for enjoying your favorite hobby on vacation, but they can easily be weaponized which makes them a no-go in your carry-on.
• Cutting boards: Cutting boards shaped like your favorite state make a great souvenir but according to TSA, it’s up to the discretion of the TSA agent if they want to allow it or not.
• English Christmas crackers and party poppers: Apparently TSA frowns on parties on planes.
• Magic 8 Ball: Don’t plan on predicting the future during your flight. Stick it in your suitcase for later.
• Mercury thermometers: These can only be in your suitcase, and even then, you’ve got to properly package them.
• Realistic-looking replicas of weapons: Even foam toy swords are sure to get your bags searched.
• Anything super dense: Like a large brick of cheddar cheese, in my case. I had the same issue with a set of marble coasters I’d bought on a trip. You can bring these things, but expect delays.

Surprisingly, though, you can bring live lobsters in your carry-on. You can also pack knitting needles and even scissors, as long as they are less than 4 inches long, and knitting needles. But again, TSA agents always reserve the right to make the final call. Be mindful of what’s in your carry-on and how it could be perceived as a threat. And always give yourself plenty of time to get through security just in case you have to have an extended conversation with the TSA agent about a seemingly innocent souvenir in your bag.