Do you know the new liquid rules for your UK airport this summer?

What’s actually changed at UK airport security?

For years, every UK airport has applied the same rule: liquids in your hand luggage limited to 100ml containers, all packed into a single clear plastic bag. That’s now changing, airport by airport, as new CT (computed tomography) scanners are installed. These scanners produce a much more detailed 3D image of what’s inside your bag, so security staff no longer need liquids removed and separated to check them safely.

Where the new scanners have been approved by the Department for Transport, you can now take liquids in containers of up to 2 litres, and you don’t need to put them in a plastic bag at all — they can stay in your hand luggage. Laptops and other electronics can usually stay in your bag too.

Which airports let you take up to 2 litres of liquid through security?

As of this summer, the following UK airports have the new scanners approved and in use, meaning the 2-litre allowance applies: Heathrow (which lifted its restriction at the start of 2026 after a £1bn scanner upgrade), Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, and Belfast International and Belfast City airports.

At these airports there’s no need to decant your shampoo, sun cream or contact lens solution into small bottles, and no limit on how many 2-litre containers you carry, within reason and your usual baggage allowance.

Which airports still use the old 100ml rule?

Manchester and Luton are still working through certification of their scanners and, for now, continue to enforce the traditional 100ml limit, with liquids needing to go in a single clear resealable bag. Several other airports around the country are at various stages of installing or approving their own scanners. The Department for Transport has said it wants the 100ml rule gone from all major UK airports by the end of 2026, but the rollout has taken longer than originally planned, so rules can differ from one regional airport to the next.

Given how quickly this is changing, the safest approach is to check your departure airport’s own website in the days before you travel, rather than relying on what a friend or family member experienced on their last trip.

What if you’re flying out from one type of airport and back through another?

This is the detail that catches people out. A 500ml bottle of suncream that sailed through security at Heathrow on your way out may well be confiscated on your way home, if your return flight departs from an airport, in the UK or abroad, that hasn’t yet upgraded its scanners. Most European airports still use the old 100ml rule, so even if you leave the UK with larger containers, you may need to buy travel-size versions for the return leg, or be prepared to lose anything over 100ml at the gate.

• If you’re only travelling within the UK, check both your outbound and return airport before deciding how to pack.
• If you’re flying abroad, assume the 100ml rule will apply on at least one leg of the journey unless you’ve confirmed otherwise.
• Keep receipts or note container sizes if you’re taking prescription liquids, in case you need to explain them to staff.

Are there still things you can’t take through security, whatever the airport?

Yes. Even at airports with the new 2-litre allowance, liquids in vacuum flasks or other insulated, double-walled containers still need to be emptied before you go through the scanner, because the machines can’t see through the insulation to check what’s inside. It’s also worth remembering that medically necessary liquids, such as prescribed medication, have long been allowed in larger quantities than the standard limit at any UK airport — it’s sensible to carry a prescription or GP letter as evidence if you’re taking more than a small amount.

What about walking aids, mobility equipment or medical devices?

None of these liquid rule changes affect the separate assistance and equipment rules that already apply if you travel with a wheelchair, walking frame, or medical equipment such as a CPAP machine. Airports are still required to let you take mobility aids through security and onto the aircraft free of charge, and staff can offer extra help if you need more time. If in doubt, contact your airport’s special assistance team, or your airline, at least 48 hours before you fly.

What’s the easiest way to pack for your holiday this summer?

Rather than trying to remember which category your airport falls into, a simple rule of thumb works for most people: pack as if the 100ml limit still applies to you, in a clear bag that’s easy to pull out if asked, and treat any larger allowance as a welcome bonus rather than something to rely on. That way, whichever airport you find yourself at, on the way out or the way back, you won’t be caught having to bin a bottle of suncream at the gate.