Ryanair Liquids Rules: 100ml, or 2 Litres at 7 UK Airports

Published 25 August 2026 | Updated 24 September 2026 by Kate Acaster

Ryanair liquids rules at security depend on the airport you fly from, not the airline. Seven of the 22 UK airports it flies from now allow containers of up to 2 litres: Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, City of Derry, Edinburgh and Gatwick. At the other 15 it’s still 100ml per container, though most of them no longer ask for a clear plastic bag.

Ryanair liquids rules: 100ml, or 2 litres at seven UK airports

Ryanair’s own rule, published on its help centre, hasn’t changed: liquids, gels, sprays and pastes in containers of 100ml or less, all inside a single transparent resealable bag, taken out of your hand luggage and screened on its own. We checked the security page of every UK airport Ryanair flies from against that rule.

Birmingham puts no limit on how many 2-litre containers you bring, and Glasgow, Aberdeen and Teesside say the same about 100ml ones. Vacuum flasks are the exception even at the 2-litre airports: Gatwick and Edinburgh both say metal or double-walled bottles have to be empty at screening.

What can’t go in the cabin, and what’s banned outright

Ryanair splits its banned list in two. Some items can’t fly with you at all, in the cabin or the hold. Others just have to go in the hold instead of your hand luggage.

• Banned everywhere: anything explosive or flammable, gas canisters, more than one litre of edible oil in total (olive oil brought home from Spain or Greece is the one that catches people out), fireworks and flares, lighters or firelighters with a flammable liquid reservoir, and “strike anywhere” matches.
• Cabin banned, hold allowed: knives with blades over 6cm, box cutters, axes and cleavers, martial arts weapons, and ski or hiking poles. Wrap anything sharp securely before it goes in your checked bag.
• Razors are the one exception inside that group. A safety or disposable razor with an enclosed blade is fine in hand luggage.

The full list runs to workmen’s tools, blunt instruments and a long line of dangerous goods that most people were never going to pack anyway. The ones worth remembering are the ones that catch holidaymakers out: the edible oil limit, and the ski pole rule if you’re travelling with winter sports kit.

Electronics, spare batteries and power banks

Ryanair allows up to 15 personal electronic devices in the cabin. Phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, headphones and handheld consoles all count towards that.

• Up to 20 spare lithium batteries in total, none over 100Wh each.
• Power banks are capped at two, and those two count inside the same 20-battery total, not on top of it.
• Spare batteries and power banks travel in your underseat bag or on your person, never in a bag going in the overhead locker.
• You can use a power bank to charge a device mid-flight, but you can’t recharge the power bank itself, including from another power bank.

Protect every battery’s terminals: original packaging, tape over the contacts, or a separate bag all work. Sort loose batteries rattling around a rucksack pocket before you get to the airport, not at the tray.

Getting through security with time to spare

None of this matters much if you’re rushing. Ryanair’s own gate cut-off is a hard 30 minutes before departure, and that’s the boarding gate, not security. You need to have cleared the queue well before that. Our guide to how early to arrive at the airport covers realistic arrival windows across every major UK airport, and Ryanair airport check-in has the desk and bag-drop deadlines specifically.

More on flying with Ryanair

Security is one part of the airport. Getting your bags sized right before you leave the house solves most of the rest.

• Check your bag against Ryanair’s actual dimensions in our Ryanair hand luggage size guide.
• Read how strict Ryanair actually is with hand luggage if you’re travelling close to the size limit.
• Our Ryanair baggage allowance guide has the hold bag prices if you’re checking one in.
• Travelling with reduced mobility? Our Ryanair special assistance guide covers booking it in advance.
• Flying easyJet on another leg? Our easyJet liquid rules guide covers its airports, and the Jet2 liquid rules and TUI liquid rules guides do the same for Jet2 and TUI.
• If something does go wrong at the airport, how Ryanair complaints work covers who to contact and when to escalate.

“Two large bottles of olive oil bought on the last morning can take you over Ryanair’s one-litre total for edible oil, and that limit covers your hold bag as well as the cabin. A lighter with a liquid fuel reservoir is banned in both bags too, so check your jacket pockets. Check the oil and your pockets before you pack for home, and nothing gets taken off you at the airport.”

Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe

Ryanair security rules: FAQs

How much liquid can I take in Ryanair hand luggage?

100ml per container at most of the UK airports Ryanair flies from. Seven now allow containers of up to 2 litres: Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, City of Derry, Edinburgh and Gatwick.

Which UK airports let you take 2 litres of liquid through security?

Of the airports Ryanair flies from, Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, City of Derry, Edinburgh and Gatwick, according to their own security pages on 24 September 2026. Heathrow and Belfast City also allow 2 litres, but neither is served by the airline.

Do I need a clear plastic bag for liquids on Ryanair?

Exeter, Norwich and Glasgow Prestwick still ask for one clear bag per person. Newquay’s help page gives two different answers, so carry one there too.

If my liquids clear security at 2 litres, will they be allowed on my flight home too?

Not automatically, because it depends on the airport you fly back from. Bournemouth Airport warns that other airports haven’t brought in the new scanners, so check your return airport’s rules separately.

Can I take a vacuum flask through security with liquid inside?

No, even at airports with the new scanners. The insulation stops the scan from reading what’s inside, so vacuum flasks still need to be emptied before the X-ray machine.

What items can’t go in Ryanair hand luggage at all?

Anything explosive or flammable, gas canisters, fireworks, lighters with a flammable liquid reservoir, and more than one litre of edible oil in total, which catches out passengers bringing olive oil home. These are banned from checked baggage too, not just the cabin.

Can I pack a razor or a knife in Ryanair hand luggage?

A safety or disposable razor with an enclosed blade is fine in the cabin. Anything else sharp, including knives over 6cm and ski or hiking poles, has to travel in the hold instead.

How many electronic devices can I bring on a Ryanair flight?

Up to 15 personal devices in the cabin, plus up to 20 spare lithium batteries in total, including a maximum of two power banks, each no more than 100Wh. Spare batteries and power banks need to travel in your underseat bag or on you, not in the overhead locker.

Can I charge a power bank while it’s charging my phone on a Ryanair flight?

You can use a power bank to charge a device mid-flight, but you can’t recharge the power bank itself in the air, including from another power bank.

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Kate Acaster

Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.

Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.

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Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.

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