If you’re flying domestically within the USA or from the USA to an international destination and plan to eat your sandwich before you arrive, you won’t run into any issues.
However, if you’re flying to the USA from an international destination or from the USA to an international destination and are not planning on finishing your sandwich on the flight, you might run into issues if the sandwich contains meat, poultry, eggs, or fresh produce.
Once you have passed airport security, you can bring your homemade sandwich or shop-bought sandwich onto the plane and eat it onboard the flight.
This applies to all regional and major air carriers worldwide.
Peanut Butter Sandwich Lovers Rejoice
Even though peanut butter isn’t a solid, the TSA still allow you to bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich through airport security.
The same applies to other stuffings and spreadable food items, including butter, mayonnaise, mustard, cream cheese etc.
You Can Even Take Fast Food Through Airport Security
It makes no difference if you’ve bought a sandwich from a fast food joint or any other solid food like a burger.
You can bring fast food through airport security as long as it is a solid, but liquid items like milkshakes must be in containers that are no larger than 3.4oz/100ml.
As Well as Salad
If your salad is a prepackaged salad bowl, you will have no problem bringing it through airport security as long as the dressing is less than 3.4oz/100ml.
If the salad already contains dressing, you will also have no problem bringing it through airport security.
But if it is a creamy salad, like potato salad, it is only allowed if the container it is in is no larger than 3.4oz.
Foods You Can’t Take Through TSA
The general rule is that creamy and spreadable food items, as well as liquids, are not allowed through airport security unless they are in containers that are no larger than 3.4oz/100ml.
Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.
Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.
Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).
