There are many countries in the world, besides the USA, that produce fantastic honey, including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Greece, to name just a few.
So you might be wondering if you can bring some honey back for yourself or as a gift.
The answer is it depends.
You can bring honey on a plane in your carry on as long as the container does not exceed 3.4oz/100ml. There are no limits if you pack honey in your checked bag.
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Why You Can’t Bring (Larger Jars of) Honey on a Plane
While you can bring honey on a plane as long as the container it is stored in does not exceed 3.4oz/100ml, you are not allowed to bring larger containers because of the 3-1-1 rule.
The 3-1-1 rule states that passengers are only allowed to bring liquids (as well as gels and aerosols) in containers no bigger than 3.40z/100ml in their carry-on containers.
According to the TSA’s baggage rules and regulations, these must also be placed in a clear, 1 quart-sized resalable bag.
Bringing Honey on International Flights
Whether you’re flying domestically or internationally makes no difference when it comes to bringing honey on a plane.
This is because the 3-1-1 rule applies worldwide (although it might not be called this in other countries).
How to Bring Honey Over 3.4 oz in Your Carry-On
If you want to bring a jar of honey that is over 3.4oz in your carry-on, you have a couple of options, though neither are ideal.
- Buy a bunch of those small 3.4oz/100ml containers and decant your jar of honey among them. You’ll be able to get to about 7–8 containers before you exceed your liquids limit.
- Freeze your jar of honey, so it will be considered a solid by the TSA. If you do this, make sure your jar is made of plastic or freezer-safe (usually tempered glass), so it won’t crack. As the honey needs to still be frozen solid when you go through security screening, ice packs or dry ice can be helpful.
How to Pack Honey for Flying
When packing honey in your checked bag, there are a couple of things we recommend:
- Place your jar of honey in a Zip Lock bag in case it breaks.
- To help prevent breakage, roll the jar inside a thick garment, towel or bubble wrap.
- Make sure the jar is tightly sealed.
- For raw or unfiltered honey, use beeswax wraps (cheesecloth) to cover the honey and help keep it fresh.
If you made it to your destination with your jar of honey still in-tact, we recommend that you let it come back to room temperature before you open and eat it.
You Can Bring Honeycomb
While there are restrictions for bringing honey in your carry-on, no such restrictions apply for honeycomb.
This is because honeycomb is a solid, so the 3-1-1 rule doesn’t apply.
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).