Carry-on and Checked Baggage Rules at NAIA

OTS list of prohibited items

Official guidance: This guide summarizes the rules in plain language. The Office of Transportation Security list is the authoritative Philippine reference. Airport screeners have the final say.

Airport security rules can be confusing because some items are allowed only in your carry-on, some only in checked baggage, and some are not allowed at all.

As a general rule, keep valuables, documents, medicine, electronics, power banks, and spare batteries with you in your carry-on. Put larger liquids and sharp everyday items in checked baggage if your airline allows them.

Rules can still vary depending on your airline, destination, and airport screening. When in doubt, pack early and check with your airline before heading to NAIA.

Carry-on vs. checked baggage

Carry-on (or hand-carry) is the bag you bring with you into the cabin.

Checked baggage is the bag you hand over at check-in. It travels in the cargo hold and you claim it at your destination.

Jump to

• Liquids, aerosols, and gels: The 100ml rule, the 1-liter total, and how container size is measured.
• LAGs over 100ml that may be allowed: Baby formula, prescription medicine, and sealed duty-free liquids.
• Vapes, e-cigarettes, and vape juice: Carry-on only. Do not use or charge them on board.
• Cigarettes and lighters: Why it’s safer to skip the lighter when departing from NAIA.
• Power banks and batteries: Wh limits and why these must never go in checked baggage.
• Common items table: A quick reference for everyday items.
• Tips before packing: A short checklist to run through before you leave the house.

Liquids, aerosols, and gels

Liquids, aerosols, and gels are usually called LAGs at airport security.

Examples include:

• Water and other drinks
• Lotion
• Creams
• Toothpaste
• Hair gel
• Perfume and cologne
• Sprays
• Other similar liquid, gel, cream, or paste items

LAGs are allowed in your carry-on only if they follow these limits:

• Each container must be 100ml / 3.4oz or smaller
• Each passenger may bring up to 1 liter total
• The limit is based on the container size, not how much liquid is left inside

This means a half-empty 200ml bottle is still treated as a 200ml container. It will not be allowed in your carry-on.

If you need to bring larger bottles, pack them in your checked baggage instead.

LAGs over 100ml that may be allowed

Some liquids may be allowed in your carry-on even if they are over 100ml. These usually include:

• Baby formula and distilled water, if traveling with a baby or toddler
• Breast milk, allowed in carry-on even if you are not traveling with a baby or toddler
• Prescription medicine — bring your prescription or doctor’s note
• Duty-free liquids bought at the airport or on board, as long as they are sealed in a tamper-evident bag

Keep these items easy to remove from your bag. Security may need to inspect them separately.

Vapes, e-cigarettes, and vape juice

Vapes and e-cigarettes are allowed in your carry-on.

Do not pack them in checked baggage. Vapes and e-cigarettes usually contain lithium batteries, which should not be placed in the cargo hold.

You are not allowed to use or charge your vape or e-cigarette on board the aircraft. Doing so can get you in trouble with the airline and aviation authorities.

Vape juice is treated like other liquids. If you bring vape juice in your carry-on, each container should be 100ml or smaller and must fit within your allowed LAG limit.

For where you can actually use a vape inside the airport, see our guide to smoking and vaping areas at NAIA.

Cigarettes and lighters

Cigarettes may generally be carried, but smoking is not allowed inside most areas of the airport or on board the aircraft.

Lighters are more complicated. Flights departing from or within the Philippines have historically treated lighters strictly, and airport screeners may confiscate them.

Power banks and batteries

Power banks and spare lithium batteries should go in your carry-on, not your checked baggage.

Most passengers should be fine with ordinary phone power banks, but large-capacity power banks can be restricted. As a practical rule:

• Up to 100Wh is usually allowed in carry-on
• 100Wh to 160Wh may require airline approval
• Over 160Wh is not allowed
• Power banks should not be packed in checked baggage

If your power bank only shows mAh, look for the Wh rating printed on the device. If the label is missing or unreadable, airport or airline staff may reject it.

Common items table

Tips before packing

Check your carry-on liquids before leaving home. Anything over 100ml should go in checked baggage, unless it falls under a valid exception.

Keep power banks, spare batteries, laptops, medicine, passports, wallets, and valuables in your carry-on.

Make sure power banks and batteries have clear labels showing their capacity. If the label is missing, bring a smaller, clearly marked power bank instead.

Do not bring a lighter if you are departing from NAIA. Even if another country allows it, Philippine airport screening may not.

If an item is important, expensive, or unusual, contact your airline before your flight and take a screenshot of their reply. Airport security still has the final say, but written airline guidance can help.

Planning the rest of your trip

While you’re planning the rest of your trip, see our guides on getting to and from NAIA, and for international flights, eTravel and Philippine Travel Tax.