TSA considers liquid rule change for some travelers

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Travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck could soon have one less thing to worry about at airport security: throwing away their full water bottles.

The Transportation Security Administration is considering allowing some TSA PreCheck passengers to bring bottles of water through security at select airports, according to senior administration officials. The proposal would initially focus on airports equipped with newer screening technology capable of detecting what is inside a bottle without requiring travelers to empty it.

A Possible Change to the 3-1-1 Rule

Under the TSA's current rules, most liquids brought through a security checkpoint must be in containers holding 3.4 ounces or less, with the containers fitting inside a single quart-sized bag.

That rule remains in effect nationwide for now. The TSA is not eliminating the liquid restrictions, and travelers should continue following the existing rules unless a specific airport announces otherwise.

The proposed water-bottle exception would be much narrower, potentially allowing PreCheck travelers to carry full bottles through specially equipped checkpoints.

New Technology Could Make It Possible

The potential change is tied to advances in airport screening technology.

Newer CT scanners and automated detection systems can create detailed images of baggage and analyze liquids to help determine whether they pose a security threat. The technology can distinguish water from other liquids and identify potential hazards without requiring passengers to remove the bottle from their bag.

The challenge is scale. While the technology exists, the TSA has not yet deployed it widely enough to make a nationwide change practical, and officials say funding remains a major consideration.

PreCheck Is Getting More Changes

The possible liquid-rule change comes as the TSA rolls out several other changes aimed at making airport security faster and more convenient for trusted travelers.

The agency recently launched Gateside by TSA PreCheck, a program allowing approved PreCheck members and other eligible trusted travelers to pass through security without having a plane ticket at participating airports.

The program is initially available at 13 airports and allows approved visitors to enter secured gate areas to see off or welcome family members, meet someone during a layover or use airport restaurants and shops.

The TSA says the initiative could eventually expand after officials evaluate passenger volume and how the program affects airport operations.

More High-Tech Screening Ahead

Other planned security upgrades include facial comparison technology, advanced 3D baggage scanners and newer body-scanning systems designed to reduce some of the steps passengers currently take at checkpoints.

TSA Administrator David Cummins has said the agency is focused on modernizing security while maintaining the protections that have been developed over the past 25 years.

The current liquid restrictions themselves were introduced after authorities disrupted a 2006 plot involving liquid explosives on transatlantic flights. The TSA initially banned nearly all liquids and later established the 3-1-1 rule that remains in place today.

Travelers Still Need to Follow Current Rules

For now, passengers should not assume they can bring a full bottle of water through security simply because they have TSA PreCheck.

The proposal is still under consideration, and officials have not announced which airports would participate or when the change could begin. Until the TSA formally changes its rules, the existing liquid restrictions remain in effect.

But if the technology proves effective—and funding allows for wider deployment—grabbing a bottle of water before heading through security could eventually become one of the small conveniences reserved for trusted travelers.