Can You Bring Cigarettes On A Plane?

Flying
credit: Yay

While it might seem strange to travelers now, there was once a time people could smoke on a plane in a designated smoking area. While it’s no longer legal to smoke on a plane, people may still bring cigarettes on a plane, with certain restrictions.

Passengers may bring cigarettes on a plane in either carry-on or checked luggage. The TSA doesn’t currently provide a cigarette limit on internal flights. International flights are subject to more restrictions, and US Customs limits passengers to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars on return flights.

Can You Bring Cigarettes On A Plane?

Provided they are cleared to bring cigarettes in their hand luggage or carry-on bags, passengers may take cigarettes on a plane. Because of the in-flight smoking bans, they will not be allowed to smoke their cigarettes onboard.

Due to safety risks, passengers will not be able to take lighters with lighter fluid, though unless flying where it’s forbidden, a passenger may bring one book or packet of safety matches on board.

Couple Smoking on Airplane in 1965
Yay Couple Smoking on Airplane in 1965

Can You Bring Cigarettes Through TSA?

There are no restrictions placed on tobacco by the Transport Security Administration. This allows you to bring cigarettes on a plane without checking them. However, the TSA website states that the final decision on any item lies with the TSA Officer.

It’s suggested a person only brings what they need. Interstate cigarette smuggling is a known issue; large numbers of cartons in a passenger’s luggage might attract attention and possibly flag further TSA searches.

Can You Bring Cigarettes Through Airport Security?

Before boarding a plane, passengers must ensure they remove all possible items that will trigger a security search. When passing through security, passengers must empty their pockets and hand luggage items into security trays, including boxes of cigarettes.

Passengers on an international flight entering the US are subject to restrictions on the number of cigarettes they bring through security. When flying from another country, the restrictions for bringing tobacco products into the US is 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars.

Can You Bring Cigarettes in Your Carry On?

Passengers may take cigarettes on a plane in their carry-on luggage or their pockets. While the TSA has no set restriction on the number of cigarettes that can be carried, large numbers may attract suspicion.

Rules regarding cigarettes in carry-on luggage will differ in other countries depending on where the passenger travels to or from. While flights within the EU tend not to be strict, some countries will be stricter when enforcing cigarette policy when passengers enter from outside the EU borders.

Can You Bring Cigarettes in a Checked Bag?

Passengers are entitled to carry cigarettes in their checked luggage. With domestic flights for US residents, there are no restrictions on the number of cartons a passenger may pack in their checked baggage.

Passengers flying internationally must declare their cigarettes when going through border security. To make the process smoother, it’s advised that passengers keep the receipts of all items they take through border control.

Whether duty-free or purchased from outside the US, the limit for cigarettes is 200 units or a single carton. A standard cigarette carton contains ten packs, with twenty cigarettes in each pack. Some countries may have non-standard numbers of cigarettes in their pack.

Can You Bring Cigarettes From Cuba?

Economic sanctions prevent passengers from bringing in merchandise from selected countries. These include Cuba, Iran, Myanmar or Burma, and some parts of Sudan. While in Cuba, travelers are permitted to buy and smoke cigarettes for personal use, they are not permitted to return to the US with these items.

These legislations barring passengers from bringing cigarettes in checked or carry-on luggage from Cuba came into effect on September 24, 2020. Restrictions are subject to change, so they should be checked before travel.

Can You Bring Cigarettes into Mexico?

Passengers flying into Mexico are limited to 200 (10 packs) of duty-free cigarettes and must be over eighteen years old. If passengers break this limit, they will have to pay customs duty.

Can You Bring Cigarettes Into Canada?

People traveling to Canada may bring duty-free cigarettes into Canada, provided they are over eighteen. The restrictions limit passengers to 200 cigarettes.

When traveling with cigarettes in check-in luggage, passengers must pay a special duty if they are not already marked as ‘DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ.’ When traveling with items not classed as duty-free, passengers should keep all their receipts to show to the customs agents.

Can You Bring Cigarettes Into the UK?

Yes, it is legal to bring cigarettes into the United Kingdom. Passengers may bring up to 200 duty-free cigarettes into the UK. Restrictions exist on other tobacco products, such as 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars. Items are restricted to personal use or gifts and must not be intended for resale.

If a passenger wishes to bring two or more types of tobacco products, they will need to split the amounts. For example, 100 cigarettes and 50 cigarillos would still qualify as duty-free.

Passengers who have exceeded the number of duty-free cigarettes will have to declare them and pay the relevant tax and duty.

Can You Bring Cigarettes Into Europe?

While plane passengers may bring cigarettes into Europe, different countries will have different limits, and travelers should double-check the rules for each country. When traveling in Europe, customs laws will vary depending on whether the countries are part of the EU.

EU countries allow people to bring a significant number of cigarettes across the borders. If traveling from one European Union county to another, such as France to Spain, passengers may bring up to 800 cigarettes.

When traveling into the EU from a non-EU country, the rules limit passengers to 200 cigarettes. Travelers should be aware that the UK is no longer part of the EU and carries the same restrictions as other non-EU countries.

Non-EU European countries such as Norway and Turkey will have their own restrictions. For example, Turkey allows visitors to bring up to 600 cigarettes into the country without incurring customs duty. In contrast, Norway’s limit is 400 duty-free cigarettes.

Can You Bring Cigarettes Into Australia?

Australia has much stricter tobacco import laws than European and American countries. Travelers are only permitted to bring tobacco into Australia if they are over eighteen, and all tobacco products must be declared. If not declared, passengers risk being prosecuted and having their visas canceled.

The duty-free cigarette limit for Australia is one pack (up to 25 cigarettes), and the packet must remain unopened. If passengers have more than one unopened pack, they will be required to pay import duty on ALL of their cigarettes, including the 25 cigarettes permitted under duty-free.