Magnets are a popular souvenir, and they’re a great way to remember a fun vacation. But, if you flew to your destination, you’ll have to get your magnet home on the plane.
So can you bring magnets on a plane?
According to the TSA website, you can bring magnets on a plane, and you can pack them in either your carry-on bag or your checked bag.
There are also no size limits for magnets you can bring on a plane, as long as they fit in your bag. And, magnets are light, so you should not have any issues with overweight luggage, as long as you are just packing other standard items like clothes and toiletries, which aren’t heavy either.
If you have any strong magnets with a high magnetic field, you might have issues with bringing them on a plane. However, this is unlikely, and you will have no issues bringing your standard fridge magnet on a plane.
This article explains how to pack magnets for a flight and whether or not you can bring magnets through airport security and customs.
How to Pack Magnets For a Flight
It does not matter if you pack your magnets in your carry-on bag or your checked bag. If they are fragile, you should put them in your carry-on, making them less likely to break.
You can also place them in a smaller bag like a purse or a backpack if you want to take even better care of them, so they do not break. You can learn more about bringing a backpack on a plane here.
Or, you can keep them in your pocket, but you will have to take them out at the security checkpoint so the machine can scan them.
And, no matter where you pack your magnets, make sure you wrap them in something soft or protective, like clothes or bubble wrap. Then if they move around in your bag, they will not break.
If you want to buy magnets but don’t have room to pack them before you leave your destination, you can also find them at stores at the airport. Then, they can wrap them up for you and put them in a bag you can bring on the plane. But, this only works if you want souvenir magnets from the city you are flying out of.
Can I Bring Magnets Through Airport Security?
You can bring magnets through airport security without additional screening or packing requirements.
If you have magnets in your carry-on bag, or a purse or backpack, you can leave them in the bag when they go through the x-ray machine. Since they are allowed in your bag, small magnets will not have any issues when they pass through the machine.
But, if you have a much stronger magnet than a fridge magnet, it may have to go through extra security screening. The security officers are there to make sure everything going on the planes is safe, and they would need to make sure your special magnet would not affect any functions of the plane.
If you suspect you may have a magnet or another item that may need extra screening time, make sure you show up early enough and know when your plane is boarding.
Can Magnets Go Through Customs?
Like with airport security, you will have no issues bringing magnets through customs. If you bring a few souvenir magnets home from your vacation, you can bring them through customs with no additional forms or wait times.
When you go through customs, you can leave your magnets in your bag and go through customs without worrying about them.
And, if they are in your checked bag, they will be screened when you enter the country before you can get your bag at baggage claim.
But, if you have any unusual magnets, you may have a longer wait time while they are screened. And you might also face some additional questioning if you have an unusually large quantity of magnets in your bag since they may want to know why you have so many magnets.
