Certain regulations must be followed at the airport when it comes to your prescription medications, and if you’re not a frequent flyer, you may not know exactly what these rules are. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself on how you should be packing your medications for air travel in order to have an easy screening experience.
According to the TSA, you should keep in mind the form in which your medication comes and how much you are bringing with you.
For example, any medications in liquid form must be put in a 3.4 ounce container or smaller—like any other liquid or cream, such as shampoo and hand lotion—if you want to bring it in your carry-on bag. This is highly recommended in case you need to take that medication while on the plane or if your luggage gets lost.
It’s also best to take out your medication before going through airport security. That way, when you communicate to airport security that you brought medicine with you, they can take a look at it right away.
The TSA highly recommends labeling all medications as well, so airport security knows what you’ve brought. In order to avoid any extra effort when packing medications for air travel, the U.S. Department of State suggests leaving them in their original containers because they’re already labeled. Airport security can then see what exactly each medication is and to whom it’s prescribed.
Additionally, when it comes to traveling to other countries, the U.S. Department of State recommends asking “your physician and pharmacist for the generic or chemical name of your medication. Drug names differ in many countries, and pharmacists and physicians abroad are more likely to be familiar with this name.” By doing so, you’ll be able to get through security quicker and be able to enjoy your trip that much sooner.
As long as you follow these recommendations when packing medications for air travel, you’ll be sure to have an easy airport experience.
