Can You Bring Perfume On A Plane?

Whatever country or state you visit, you want some accessories that are something of comfort from home that you can use to keep fresh and be your best self in any environment.

This can include toiletries and perfume, and in some cases, you might be in a hot climate where a shower might not be possible, and you want to keep up your hygiene in the best way you can. 

But are there any allowances over how much you can carry, and are there ways you can pack your perfume, so it follows the luggage regulations?

This article will show you where to pack your perfume and some tips to ensure you don’t run into any issues when passing through the airport security checkpoint. Read on to get your vacation off to a good start by smelling great. 

The Rules Around Bringing Perfume On A flight

Like with your toiletries and personal items, you can bring perfume onto your flight in your checked luggage, but if you’re packing it in your hand luggage, you must follow the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. 

This works by liquids in your luggage have to be in bottles of 3.4 ounces or less, and you can only have one of these bags to store gels, toiletries, and perfumes inside, so you might want to check the label on the bottle or empty it into a smaller container.

If you go this route, it is a good idea to have the container marked so it can be easily identified and secured tightly to prevent any leaks which you don’t want getting onto the rest of your items. 

There is a workaround as you can pack somewhere around 7-12 3.4-ounce bottles in a clear bag in your hand luggage, and as there aren’t any restrictions to checked luggage, you could bring any amount of perfume that you’d like. 

If you bring too much, though, the TSA officers might consider your perfume as not being intended for personal use, and you’ll be required to pay a duty tax for anything worth over $1,600.

This tax is 20% for non-alcoholic perfumes and 75% for alcoholic-based ones. 

If you happen to buy any duty-free perfume, you might want to hold onto the receipts, so whatever checkpoint you enter, you won’t be required to pay any duty tax as long as you can prove where you bought it from. 

What Is the Best Way To Pack My Perfume?

The best way to keep track of your perfume and ensure that it doesn’t get damaged is to have it packed in your hand luggage, which helps as checked luggage is usually stored in the cargo hold and might get thrown around or knock any of the other luggage.

If you’re worried about the rules regarding the volume of your perfume, you could always put some of it into a refillable travel perfume container, which will be fine to use with any luggage you have. 

As perfume is quite distinct in its smell and consistency, you’ll want to ensure that whatever method you are using for a container it’s sealed tight, and individual glass bottles can be placed in a clear bag to make it more secure.

You also want to cover it with something soft like clothes or bubble wrap so it doesn’t knock the sides of your luggage or anything tougher that could cause damage to your bottle.

Is Duty-Free Perfume A Good Option? 

It can depend on the amount you’re willing to spend, as the price for buying it here can have higher markups, so it is a good idea to research beforehand what perfumes are available at the airport and what the difference is in the price. 

This might be a good idea if you’re traveling with a connecting flight so you can see what is on offer at that airport, and you only have to check in any perfume at that end of the airport checkpoint.

This might save you time at one of these checkpoints as long as you keep the receipt for the purchase, which might be requested as you begin to board your flight. 

Can I Use My Perfume During My Flight?

You can use perfume on your flight, but you might want to consider the smell or the ingredients used as you’re going to be sitting near many people, and this could bother or cause an allergic reaction to a passenger. 

If you feel you really need to use some perfume, it might be a good idea to use the onboard bathroom so you can put some on and you can wait inside for the smell to dissipate, as you want to be considerate when using the facilities.

Chemical-based fragrances can contain ingredients that might cause headaches and aggravate certain respiratory conditions, which you’ll also want to consider. 

If you’re in any doubt, there’s no harm in waiting until you land to be able to use your perfume in an open area, or there might be some alternatives like a twist or balm type of perfume that you could use that won’t offend any passengers on your flight.

Some scents have been shown to benefit those who experience nausea and vertigo, so you might want to try these varieties and see how they are, but this will depend on your tastes in perfume.

The Bottom Line

As long as you choose perfumes with the fewest amount of ingredients possible, you can pack your scents knowing that you can use them in different environments, and you can come out of them smelling lovely.

You want to have other toiletries with you, so you aren’t relying on a minimal amount of products, as you might find they aren’t wholly available wherever you land.