Want to know if you can bring fruit on a plane? Many people crave fresh fruit while flying, and the options onboard may be slim. In addition, if you’re flying from a foreign country and want to savor the last bit of their delicious fresh fruits, you may wonder if you can bring fresh fruit on a plane.
Carrying fresh fruit in your hand luggage is no problem when flying domestically. However, you may have trouble passing through security with fresh fruit for international flights. In addition, many countries don’t allow you to bring fresh fruit from another country. So finish the fruit or leave it before departing.
Related: What Food Can You Bring on an Airplane? (through TSA)
What Fruit Can You Bring On A Plane?
With so many delicious types of fruit, you may wonder what fruit you can bring on a plane. For example, can you travel with fresh, dried, or processed fruit? For domestic flights, you have much more freedom regarding which fruits you travel with.
Can You Bring Fresh Fruit On A Plane?
When flying domestically, you can bring as much fresh fruit as you like on the plane. Pack the fresh fruit in your hand luggage. Whole fruits don’t require additional packaging. However, cut fruit must be placed in a resealable bag to prevent spills.
Furthermore, if the fruit has added sauce, it must adhere to the 3-1-1 TSA flying rules. This means you can only bring 3 ounces of fruit packed in a quart-sized zip lock bag. Each traveler may only travel with one zip lock bag.
Can You Bring Dried Fruit On A Plane?
Dried fruit is an excellent alternative, as it takes much less space in your hand luggage and weighs less than fresh fruit. In addition, you aren’t restricted when bringing dried fruit on a domestic flight.
Although you aren’t restricted in the amount of dried fruit you may bring onboard a domestic flight, your hand luggage must still conform to the standards set forth by your airline. Therefore, the hand luggage cannot be overweight because of the dried fruit.
Can You Bring Processed Fruit On A Plane?
When flying domestically, you can bring all kinds of processed fruits, such as fruit roll-ups, apple chips, or fruit apple sauces onboard. However, ensure that the fruit is packaged correctly so no spills happen and the fruit isn’t confiscated by security.
Processed fruits, such as apple sauce, fruit jellies, and fruit jams, must adhere to the 3-1-1 rules of flying. However, other fruits, such as fruit roll-ups or freeze-dried fruit chips, don’t have weight restrictions when flying domestically.
Can You Bring Frozen Fruit On A Plane?
Frozen fruit is more challenging to travel with, as it must remain frozen during the flight, which requires bringing ice on the plane. However, despite the challenges, you can bring frozen fruit on a plane if you package it in a suitable container with enough solid ice to last the entire flight.
Frozen fruit must be declared at security, and the ice must be frozen solid. If there is water in the cooler bag, security will not allow the frozen fruit on the flight. Again, these are the rules for flying domestically.
Can You Bring Fruit On An International Flight?
Traveling with fruit on an international flight is entirely different from traveling with it on a domestic flight. Some airlines will allow you to bring fruit (fresh, dried, or processed) onboard. However, in most cases, you cannot disembark from a flight with fruit in your hand luggage.
Most countries are exceptionally strict about which fruit is allowed in their country and which fruit isn’t. This is because fresh and processed fruit may spread plant diseases and pests if introduced into a new country. Therefore, while you can bring fruit on an international flight, you must eat it during the flight.
How Much Fruit Are You Allowed To Bring On A Plane?
There isn’t a limitation on how much fresh fruit you can bring on a plane for domestic flights. For example, you can bring as many apples, bananas, and oranges as your weight allows in your hand luggage. However, processed fruit, such as apple sauce and fruit jellies, must adhere to the 3-1-1 TSA flying rules.
In addition, fruit salad or fruit with added sauces or juice is also limited to the 3-1-1 rules. If you are uncertain about a specific fruit, you are recommended to consult with the airline.
How Do You Package Fruit On A Plane?
Whole fruits like apples and bananas don’t require special packaging. You can place them loose in your hand luggage or put them in a dedicated fruit bag. Cut fruit, such as pineapple or watermelon, must be placed in a secure container, followed by a resealable bag.
While you can take whole fruits and prepare them onboard, remember that you cannot bring a knife to cut the fruit with. Most people recommend bringing fruit that is easy to eat and doesn’t require preparation, such as bananas and oranges.
Are You Allowed To Bring Fruit On A Plane In Checked Baggage?
You can bring as much fruit as you like in your checked baggage when flying domestically. However, ensure the fruit is packaged properly, as airport staff often throw your checked bags around and handle them roughly. Also, don’t pack fruits that bruise easily in your checked baggage as they may be ruined when you arrive at your destination.
There aren’t any limitations on how much fresh, dried, and processed fruit you can bring in your checked baggage. Therefore, it is recommended that you pack any fruit that doesn’t fit in your hand luggage in your checked bags.
Can You Pass Through Airport Security With Fruit?
In most cases, you can pass through airport security with fresh, dried, and processed fruit in your hand luggage and checked baggage. The only fruit airport security may have a problem with is cut fruit that isn’t packaged correctly and processed fruit that doesn’t follow the 3-1-1 rule.
Airport security will also mainly allow you to bring fresh fruit on an international flight if you intend to eat the fruit while flying. However, if the fruit doesn’t conform to the TSA guidelines, you may be required to leave it at security.
Are Any Fruits Banned In Amerika?
You can bring practically any fruit onboard when flying domestically in America. Ensure that the fruit adheres to TSA guidelines, and don’t fly with fruit that can make a mess on the plane when you eat it. Other than that, no fruit is banned when flying domestically in America.
Unfortunately, passengers cannot bring any fruit into America from abroad. You cannot leave the plane on an international flight with fresh or processed fruit. Flights from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands are also considered international. Therefore, you cannot bring fruit into America from these areas.
