TSA Agents Spill the 9 Carry-on Mistakes That Hold Up Security—and How You Should Pack Instead

When it comes to airport security screenings, both the traveler and TSA officers have a mutual interest: a swift, efficient process. “Keeping people moving through the X-ray queue is key to our success,” TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers shared with Travel + Leisure. An efficient security process is especially pertinent during the summer and busy holiday season when increased travel causes airport crowds to swell. 

In order to keep lines moving, Dankers advises listening to the instructions of the TSA officer at the beginning of the conveyor belt, but ultimately, it’s how you pack that makes the biggest difference. “The screening technology varies from airport to airport,” she explained. “So they will advise if you need to leave things in your bag or take them out; they will explain everything, just listen to them.” 

Looking ahead to the upcoming holiday season, Dankers and her colleagues are sharing the nine common travel bag mistakes they see in the TSA security line, and the easy gear swaps you can make to ensure a smoother airport experience, each of which is available at Amazon starting at $10. You’ll also find useful travel accessory recommendations that will help you get through TSA security without any hiccups.

Mistake: Bringing an Oversized Carry-on Suitcase

Use This Instead: Samsonite Omni Hardside 20-inch Carry-on Spinner

The opening of the X-ray unit is small, but no smaller than the regulated carry-on sizes by most airlines, La Toya Maestas, TSA Assistant Federal Security Director, shared. In this case, no bag is really an issue for screening, but instead of pushing the boundaries, using a bag that’s under 22 inches long and 9 inches high is your safest bet. Consider opting for a hardside spinner like the Samsonite Omni 20-inch Carry-on rather than a softside duffel bag, which can be stuffed to create odd angles that may not fit through the X-ray machine opening. 

Former TSA officer of seven years, Caleb Harmon-Marshall, now writes a newsletter called Gate Access filled with travel-related tips. He also recommends hard-case bags for protecting your carry-on items: “When you send your bags through the X-ray, sometimes you’re not able to grab your bag as fast as you hoped, leading to your bag being smashed by all the other bags that follow.”

Mistake: Not Having a Safe Place for Loose Items 

Use This Instead: Eddie Bauer Stowable Packable Tote

Oversized items can slow down the screening process if you’re unfamiliar with how to prepare them for the X-ray machine. If you’re traveling with a stroller or car seat, the child will have to be removed from them along with all the toys, pacifiers, or blankets that are in them, Maestas warned. 

In this case, having a small bag on hand to put your children’s favorite items in—the ones they simply can’t let out of their sight for more than a few seconds—will be a real time saver. The Eddie Bauer Stowaway Totes are spacious, catch-all bags that come in a variety of vibrant colors and patterns; plus, the bag is foldable, so you can easily keep it in your pocket to pull out for security, then roll it up and pack it in your carry-on after the screening and your child’s toys are back with them.

Mistake: Taking a Rigid, Old-school Stroller 

Use This Instead: Summer by Ingenuity 3Dquickclose CS+ Compact Fold Travel Stroller

While on the topic of traveling with little ones, Maestas acknowledged that, though choosing your travel stroller or car seat comes down to traveler preference, these important items are surprising culprits for holding up the TSA security line. For travelers hoping to speed up their security screening, keep in mind that strollers that can’t fold up will have to be swabbed separately. This means you’ll be asked to stand aside and wait for an available security officer, Maestas noted. Instead, opt for a collapsible stroller like this one from Summer by Ingenuity that can go through the X-ray machine and keep things moving.

Mistake: Fumbling to Take Your Laptop Out of Your Bag

Use This Instead: Coolife Luggage Suitcase With Front Pocket

As airports are modernized, many screening lanes are using Computed Tomography; “this allows passengers to leave their laptop in their carry-on bag,” explained TSA spokesperson Daniel D. Velez. However, since these machines aren’t at every airport, it’s best to listen to the officer’s instructions as to where to put your laptop or large pieces of technology. 

Taking a page from Dankers’ book, it’s smart to travel with a carry-on like this one from Coolife, which has a designated laptop pocket so you can easily remove your devices and put them in the security bins. “Never count on going through the CT scanner,” she urged. “Make sure those items are easy to access, whether it’s through a special pocket or sleeve in your suitcase or just placing them on the top of your bag.” Rolling bags with laptop sleeves are a great solution for this. 

Mistake: Fastening a Non-TSA-approved Luggage Lock on Your Bag

Use This Instead: Samsonite Freeform 21-inch Carry-on Spinner

Picture this: you lock your carry-on with a lock that isn’t TSA-approved, it’s pulled over for screening, and you don’t have the key accessible. When this happens, we have to cut the lock off, Maestas said. Since agents carry a master key, it’s better to use a TSA-approved luggage lock because you’ll never know when you or a TSA officer may need to open the bag. Again, if you’re fumbling around to find the key or the TSA officer needs to cut it off, it’s going to take more time and slow down everyone’s screening experience.

Or, you can upgrade your go-to suitcase to the Samsonite Freeform Carry-on, which comes with a built-in TSA-approved lock (so you don’t have to worry about leaving yours behind or remembering to buy a new lock to replace your faulty one) and is on sale for 42 percent off during Black Friday. 

Mistake: Bringing a Heavy Carry-on That You Can’t Lift

Use This Instead: Bagsmart Duffel Bag

To ensure efficient TSA security lines, each passenger is responsible for putting their own bag on and off the conveyor belt. But Maestas noted that it’s not uncommon to see travelers with heavy bags struggle to lift their overpacked suitcases, backpacks, and purses, resulting in long wait times.

“Each individual passenger should know their limit of how much they can lift,” she explained. An easy way to avoid heavy luggage is to choose a softside option like the Bagsmart Duffel Bag, as it’s more likely to have lightweight designs. Plus, if you’ve shopped until you dropped on your trip and your suitcase becomes too heavy to lift on the return trip, you can use the tote to distribute the weight. 

Mistake: Trusting a Personal Bag Item Without Top Closure

Use This Instead: Bagsmart Tote Bag With Zipper

Tote bags are great for throwing lots of last-minute items in, but when it comes to organization and security, they aren’t practical. If your personal item bag of choice doesn’t have a zipper, your belongings can spill out into the TSA security bin, and you’ll have to gather the scattered items in a rush at the end of the conveyor belt.

“That’s definitely a reason why I recommend zippers,” Harmon-Marshall said, pointing out that most travelers forget that their bag can easily fall over inside the X-ray machine. Over at Amazon, you can pick up the Bagsmart Tote Bag, which is on sale for $22 right now. It comes equipped with a sturdy top zipper to keep everything inside safe and contained, whether you’re at the TSA security checkpoint, in your airplane seat, or driving over to your hotel. 

Mistake: Forgetting to Take Your Phone Out of Your Pocket 

Use This Instead: BesTour Belt Bag

“Cell phones are a part of us,” Dankers mused. So when an officer asks if you have a cell phone in your pocket, always check. Too often, Dankers said, she sees travelers opt for the knee-jerk response that they don’t have it in their pocket, and that ends up slowing down the line as they set off the alarm and have to backtrack through the metal detector. 

Better yet, you can travel with a functional personal item bag like the BesTour Belt Bag, which features plenty of easy-access stash pockets so you can seamlessly take your phone in and out as needed without holding up the line. It’s also handy for your wallet, especially when you need to quickly show the TSA officer your boarding pass or ID before you enter the security checkpoint. 

Mistake: Not Taking the Batteries Out of Your Smart Luggage

Use This Instead: Matein Carry-on Travel Backpack 

“USB port bags won’t slow you down. However, battery-operated bags will,” Harmon-Marshall stressed. “Bags with attached batteries will always be pulled so the officer can verify exactly what they are.” 

If you don’t want to hold up the line, opt for luggage without batteries like a sleek duffel or travel backpack—we have our eyes on the Matein Carry-on Backpack, which can fit a week’s worth of clothes, according to reviewers, and has a handy USB port so you can charge your devices on the go via power bank without getting flagged at TSA security. 

Instead of upgrading your gear, you can make some simple tweaks to your travel accessories to make your next airport visit hassle-free. Check out these TSA agent-approved items—all at Amazon.

More TSA-approved Travel Accessories: 

Eoout 24-pack Mesh Travel Bag Set

Traveling with a clear, zippered pouch is a foolproof way to safeguard your items and get through TSA security without any hiccups.“Securing your items is important, so when you leave the checkpoint, everything is in there, and you don’t need to go visit lost and found,” Dankers advised.  

For example, one of these Eoout Mesh Travel Bags is the perfect solution for securing tiny and valuable personal items—like your phone, Apple AirPods, passport, and wallet—that you’d typically keep in your pocket but have to remove during your security screening. 

Narway Clear Toiletry Bag 

In that same vein, recruit the help of a clear toiletry bag like this one from Narway to safely pack liquids instead of having them loose in your carry-on, Dankers suggested. If an officer pulls you over to search your bag, it’s easier to give them one bag rather than have them search through your entire suitcase for that stray bottle. 

JoyTale Dog Leash 

When you’re traveling with a small dog that fits in a pet carrier, you need to remember to take the pet out of the carrier before the travel bag enters the X-ray machine. Maestas recommends keeping your pet in the carrier until it’s your turn to go through security and having their leash ready to go to avoid mishaps (note: they have to be on a leash once they’re out of the carrier). 

Instead of fumbling with an oversized leash that’s hard to buckle in a rush, stash the on-sale JoyTale Dog Leash in your pet carrier, carry-on, or personal item bag so you can be one step ahead of the madness. It’s compact, easy to use, and currently only $8. 

Brita Filtered Hardside Water Bottle 

According to Velez, water is the most common item that travelers forget to take out of their bags at security. The water should be consumed or poured out before even entering the security area, but if you’re notorious for forgetting to drink or ditch your water before security, he suggested getting a clear water bottle like this Brita water bottle with a built-in filter to keep on the outside of your bag. This will ensure you’re always aware of how much water is in it and won’t have to worry about unplanned delays getting to your gate.

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