CBD oil, small pets, sand, rocks and plants.
These are just a few of the items that Transportation Security Administration officers will be allowing through checkpoints this summer, a travel season expected to be busier than ever. TSA has added 2,000 officers to prepare for the 263 million passengers and crew expected to pass through its airport checkpoints through Labor Day weekend.
Getting through those pain points is easier if you know what you may and may not take through the scanners.
CBD oil—used for a host of medical problems—is a relatively new item on their OK list. TSA says, "Products/medications that contain hemp-derived CBD or are approved by the FDA are legal as long as it is produced within the regulations defined by the law under the Agriculture Improvement Act 2018." More practically, a TSA spokesperson says that looking for marijuana or CBD oil is "not our main role." However, "marijuana possession is still a federal crime, so it is the responsibility of our TSOs [Transportation Security Officers] to refer anything that they see that is potentially illegal or questionable to the appropriate authorities."
The TSA offers a database, What Can I Bring?, where travelers can search any item they wish to take on the airplane to determine if it can be packed in carry-on or must be in a checked bag. If a specific item is not addressed in the database, travelers can tweet their question to @AskTSA or message AskTSA on Facebook.
Among the most common queries, categorized by how they can be transported:
PERMITTED AS CARRY-ON OR CHECKED.
ONLY PERMITTED AS CHECKED.
ONLY PERMITTED AS CARRY-ON.
And what about those small pets?
They are allowed through the checkpoints but don't have to go through the scanner. A pet carrying case is required to go through the X-ray machine, but the animal must be walked through the metal detector.
OTHER ADVICE
TSA's TOP TIP: Enroll in PreCheck Program.
If you will be one of the 263 million travelers this summer going through airport security points, TSA has some advice: Enroll in its PreCheck program.
PreCheck offers an expedited security screening and doesn't require passengers to remove shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or light jackets. In April 2019, 93 percent of PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes in line, according to TSA. In non-precheck lines passengers wait less than 20 minutes on an average day, says Jenny Burke TSA spokesperson.
Joining requires an $85 (for five years) fee, a five-minute application, a 10-minute in-person appointment that includes a background check and fingerprinting. Once approved, a Known Travel Number will be added to your ticket. It typically takes just days for approval.
Also, Computed Tomography (CT) technology is being piloted in the standard checkpoints at some airports across the country. This means travelers won't have to remove laptops, tablets or phones from their luggage.
Written by Aaron Kassraie, Courtesy of AARP.
This article was republished with permission and originally appeared at AARP.