Gatwick liquid rules in 2026 are different from the old 100ml rule many travellers still remember. London Gatwick currently allows liquids through airport security in individual containers of up to 2 litres, provided the containers are not metal or double-walled. Most liquids can remain inside your hand luggage while it is screened.
This applies to passengers departing from London Gatwick, including both the North and South terminals. However, the rules at your destination or return airport may be different, so always check the airport you will be flying back from as well.
If you are travelling to Gatwick and want to arrange your ground transport in advance, see our Gatwick Airport taxi transfers page for pre-booked car, MPV and minibus options.
Gatwick liquid rules 2026: quick answer
At London Gatwick, passengers can currently take liquids through security in containers of up to 2 litres each. The main conditions are:
- each liquid container must hold no more than 2 litres;
- metal or double-walled liquid containers must be emptied before security;
- other permitted liquid containers can usually remain inside your hand luggage;
- the old requirement to keep ordinary liquids below 100ml no longer applies at Gatwick;
- the airport may still carry out additional screening where necessary;
- airline cabin-bag size and weight rules still apply separately;
- return-airport rules may be different.
London Gatwick’s official security guidance says that creams, gels, pastes, sprays and aerosols can also remain inside hand luggage as long as they meet the current container rules.
What is the liquid limit at Gatwick Airport?
The current published limit at Gatwick is 2 litres per container for ordinary liquids going through passenger security, subject to Gatwick’s restrictions on container type.
This is a major change from the old 100ml security rule that travellers became used to across UK airports. At Gatwick, the airport’s newer security equipment allows larger liquid containers to be screened without passengers having to remove ordinary permitted liquids from their bags.
The important point is that the container itself must meet the airport’s requirements. A container larger than 2 litres will not become acceptable simply because it is only partly full.
Does Gatwick still have the 100ml liquid rule?
No. Gatwick’s current passenger guidance states that ordinary cosmetics and toiletries no longer need to be in containers of 100ml or less to pass through Gatwick security.
Instead, permitted liquids can be carried in containers of up to 2 litres, provided the container is not metal or double-walled.
That does not mean every UK airport has the same rule. GOV.UK specifically advises passengers that airport liquid rules can vary and that travellers should check the airport they are departing from and any airport they will use on the return journey.
Do Gatwick liquids need to go in a clear plastic bag?
Gatwick’s current security guidance says that permitted liquids can stay inside your hand luggage during screening. The airport does not require ordinary Gatwick-compliant liquids to be removed and placed into the traditional separate one-litre clear liquids bag simply because they are liquids.
This is another important difference from older airport-security procedures.
However, passengers should still pack sensibly. If security staff need to inspect an item, you may be asked to open your bag or present the item separately.
Do you have to take liquids out of your bag at Gatwick?
Under Gatwick’s current published guidance, normal permitted liquids can remain inside your hand luggage while passing through security.
The airport also currently allows laptops, tablets and other large electrical devices to remain inside hand luggage during the normal screening process.
Security officers can still request additional checks. The fact that an item can normally stay inside your bag does not prevent security staff from inspecting it if required.
Which liquid containers are not allowed through Gatwick security?
Gatwick says that metal and double-walled containers containing liquids need to be emptied before passing through security.
This matters for travellers using some reusable insulated drinks bottles, thermos-style containers and similar double-walled products.
If you want to take a reusable bottle through security, the safest approach is to take it empty if it is metal or double-walled, then refill it after security where appropriate.
Can I take a 2-litre bottle through Gatwick security?
A permitted liquid container of up to 2 litres can currently pass through Gatwick security if it meets the airport’s container rules.
That does not automatically mean every 2-litre item is suitable for cabin baggage. Your airline’s baggage dimensions and weight allowance are separate from Gatwick’s security liquid rules.
You should therefore check both:
- Gatwick’s airport-security rules; and
- your airline’s cabin-baggage allowance.
What counts as a liquid at Gatwick?
Airport security uses a broader definition of “liquid” than simply water or drinks. Gatwick’s published guidance includes items such as:
- water and other drinks;
- creams and lotions;
- gels;
- toothpaste;
- liquid soap;
- mascara;
- perfume;
- lip gloss;
- contact-lens solution;
- roll-on deodorant;
- sun cream;
- hairspray and aerosols;
- jams, spreads and syrups;
- soups, sauces and other high-liquid-content foods.
If an item can be poured, spread or squeezed, it may be treated as a liquid or liquid-like product at airport security.
Can I take toiletries through Gatwick in hand luggage?
Yes. Gatwick currently allows liquid cosmetics and toiletries through security in containers of up to 2 litres, provided they meet the airport’s container requirements.
This includes common travel items such as shampoo, shower gel, moisturiser, toothpaste, sun cream, liquid make-up and perfume.
Solid toiletries such as bar soap, solid deodorant and shampoo bars are not treated as liquids.
Can I take perfume through Gatwick?
Perfume is treated as a liquid. At Gatwick, ordinary permitted perfume containers can currently pass through security under the 2-litre-per-container rule.
In practice, most perfume bottles are far smaller than this. You should still check the airline’s cabin-baggage rules if you are carrying unusually large or heavy items.
Can I take water through Gatwick Airport security?
Gatwick currently permits liquids in compliant containers up to 2 litres. However, metal or double-walled containers containing liquid must be emptied before security.
Gatwick also notes that passengers can take an empty water bottle through security and refill it after the security checkpoint.
If you are using an insulated metal bottle, take particular care because this is exactly the type of container that may need to be empty before screening.
Are the liquid rules the same at Gatwick North and South Terminal?
Gatwick publishes its current liquid-security guidance for London Gatwick generally rather than setting a different standard liquid allowance for the North and South terminals.
Passengers departing from either terminal should follow the airport’s current security guidance and any instructions given by security staff on the day.
If your airline changes terminal or you are unsure which terminal you need, confirm your flight details before travelling to the airport.
Do easyJet passengers have different liquid rules at Gatwick?
The security liquid rule is an airport-security rule, not an easyJet-specific liquid rule. Passengers flying with easyJet, British Airways or another airline use Gatwick’s security screening procedures when departing from Gatwick.
Your airline still controls its own cabin-baggage size, weight and quantity allowances. An item can therefore be acceptable under airport-security rules but still cause a baggage problem if it exceeds your airline’s permitted cabin-bag allowance.
What about medicines at Gatwick?
Gatwick allows medicines through airport security, including necessary liquid medicines. The airport’s guidance says medicines over the normal two-litre limit may be accepted when supported by appropriate medical documentation such as a doctor’s note or prescription.
Medicines may be subject to additional screening.
If you are travelling with essential medication, keep it accessible and check both Gatwick and your airline’s current guidance before travelling.
What about baby milk and baby food?
Gatwick has specific allowances for passengers travelling with babies and young children. Baby milk, sterilised water and necessary baby food can be carried through security, subject to the airport’s published conditions and possible additional screening.
If you are travelling with a baby, it is worth checking Gatwick’s current baby-product guidance before leaving home because the detailed rules differ from ordinary toiletries and drinks.
Can I take food through Gatwick security?
Solid food can generally be carried through security, but foods with a high liquid content are treated under the liquid rules.
Examples include soup, sauces, jam, honey, soft spreads and similar products.
Gatwick recommends packing food and powders in hold luggage where practical because these items can obscure X-ray images and may lead to additional bag checks.
Can I take frozen liquids through Gatwick?
Gatwick’s current guidance treats ice as a liquid and states that frozen foodstuffs are not permitted through passenger security.
If you are carrying cooling products, frozen food or unusual medical items, check the airport’s current guidance before travel rather than assuming that freezing a liquid changes the security rule.
What about duty-free liquids?
Duty-free purchases have their own security arrangements. Gatwick advises that oversized duty-free liquids should remain inside the appropriate sealed tamper-proof security bag with the receipt where required.
If you are connecting through another airport, the rules for your onward journey may matter as well.
Why do other UK airports still mention 100ml?
UK airports have not all introduced the same security equipment or procedures at the same time. GOV.UK therefore tells passengers to check the rules of the specific airport they are flying from.
At many airports, the older 100ml container restriction can still apply. At some airports, larger containers may be permitted.
This is why a rule you followed when departing Gatwick may not be the rule you face when returning from another UK or overseas airport.
What liquid rules apply on my return flight?
The rules of your return airport apply when you go through security for the flight home.
Do not assume Gatwick’s 2-litre rule applies at another airport simply because your outbound flight left Gatwick.
If you are flying back from Spain, Greece, Turkey, the United States or another country, check that departure airport’s current security rules before packing for the return journey.
Gatwick liquid rules and connecting flights
Connecting journeys can be more complicated because you may pass through security at more than one airport.
The safest approach is to check:
- Gatwick’s rules for your outbound departure;
- any airport where you must clear security again during a connection;
- the airport you will use for your return flight;
- your airline’s cabin-baggage restrictions.
If any airport on the journey still uses the 100ml rule, packing everything according to Gatwick’s larger 2-litre allowance may create a problem later in the trip.
Gatwick Airport security tips for 2026
Even with the newer scanners, a little preparation can make security easier:
- check Gatwick’s official security page shortly before travel;
- avoid putting liquids in metal or double-walled containers unless they are empty;
- keep medicines and supporting documents accessible;
- check your airline’s cabin-bag dimensions and weight separately;
- pack powders and bulky food in hold luggage where practical;
- allow extra time during busy holiday periods;
- follow security staff instructions even if they differ from what you expected.
How early should I arrive at Gatwick?
Security is only one part of the airport journey. You also need time for check-in or bag drop, walking through the terminal and reaching your departure gate.
Follow your airline’s recommended arrival time rather than assuming the newer scanners mean you can arrive later than normal.
If you are travelling to Gatwick by road, also allow for traffic, roadworks and terminal access.
Getting to Gatwick with luggage
Passengers searching for Gatwick liquid rules are often preparing for a flight and deciding how to get themselves, their bags and their travel party to the airport.
If you have several suitcases, children, sports equipment or a larger group, a pre-booked private transfer can remove the need to manage luggage across train changes or public-transport connections.
DM Airport Transfers provides pre-booked Gatwick Airport taxi and minibus transfers, including larger vehicle options where available.
Request a quote for your Gatwick Airport transfer.
Gatwick liquid rules 2026: frequently asked questions
Can I take more than 100ml through Gatwick?
Yes. Gatwick currently allows permitted liquids in containers of up to 2 litres, subject to its container rules.
Do liquids stay in my bag at Gatwick?
Yes. Gatwick says ordinary permitted liquids can remain inside hand luggage during normal security screening.
Do I need a clear liquids bag at Gatwick?
The traditional separate clear bag is not required for ordinary Gatwick-compliant liquids under the airport’s current screening process.
Can I take a metal water bottle?
You can take the container, but Gatwick says metal or double-walled containers need to be empty before security.
Does the 2-litre rule apply at both Gatwick terminals?
Gatwick publishes its current security guidance airport-wide rather than listing separate liquid limits for North and South Terminal.
Will the same rule apply when I fly home?
Not necessarily. Check the airport you will depart from on your return journey.
Official Gatwick liquid-rules sources
For the most current information immediately before you travel, check the official London Gatwick security guidance and the GOV.UK hand-luggage liquids guidance.
This article was checked against London Gatwick and GOV.UK guidance in August 2026. Airport-security rules can change, so always verify the current rules before travelling.
