Can You Bring a Mirror on a Plane?

Whether it’s a small makeup mirror or an antique heirloom, sometimes it becomes necessary for people to travel with mirrors on them.

Are mirrors allowed on planes and when can they be prohibited?

For the most part, you can bring mirrors on planes. Large mirrors that exceed a standard size for overhead bins must be checked or shipped separately, but small mirrors like makeup mirrors don’t cause any issues with security when flying. 

Bringing Mirrors on a Plane

For small mirrors, you won’t need to do anything special to bring them on a plane with you. 

They are subject to security screening before boarding a flight, but according to TSA regulations, it’s perfectly fine to bring a mirror in either your checked or carry-on baggage. 

The only time a mirror will not be allowed onto your flight is if it’s too large to fit into overhead bins or under your seat. 

Some airlines or flights utilizing smaller planes will have different size regulations for carry-on items or baggage.

Before your flight, be sure to check the size regulations for your flight with the airline if you are feeling questionable about if you can bring it along. 

The idea of not being allowed to bring a mirror on a plane is likely due to the fact that they’re made of glass. Glass objects are allowed on flights in both checked and carry-on baggage. 

You will need to ensure your glass item or mirror isn’t sharp and isn’t too heavy. 

Both of these attributes could cause the item to be considered a potential weapon and not allowed on the plane. 

It’s best to keep your mirror in your carry-on baggage because you have direct control over that bag. 

Leaving glass objects like mirrors in checked luggage can leave you with broken mirrors and other items thanks to the harsher handling of the bag. 

If you must pack your mirror or hand mirror in checked luggage, make sure to cushion it well. 

Packing your mirror with plenty of clothes around it is a good way to cushion any potential blows or crushes your bag may experience when being loaded onto or off of your plane. 

As with all objects, the final decision regarding whether or not you can take an item onto a plane rides on the judgment of the TSA agent on duty. 

Do Glass Bottles Explode on Planes?

The cargo area of the plane is pressurized, just like the cabin area where passengers sit. 

Glass bottles, aerosol containers, and other items are perfectly safe to fly with inside your luggage and don’t go through significant enough pressure changes to cause them to explode. 

You also shouldn’t be worried about glass items like mirrors, picture frames, or vases cracking due to pressure changes in the plane. 

Two things are important to avoid problems: properly packing glass bottles and handling them once you’re home. 

Whether it’s beer and wine bottles or any other kind of glass bottle, you’ll need to pack them properly to keep them and your luggage protected. 

Cushion any glass bottles with plastic bags, clothing, or soft items in your bag when you pack.

This should help avoid the bottles breaking when your baggage is handled or stacked up.

Once you’re home, let the bottles sit for a few days before opening them. While not enough to make the bottle explode, the contents will undergo pressure changes. 

Releasing that pressure before it has had time to equalize down can lead to the bottle breaking in your hand or the contents bursting out dangerously.  

How to Pack to Get Through Security

Airport security can be a hassle, but packing properly and being prepared can make the process much less painful. 

Make sure to check the regulations for liquid items in both checked and carry-on bags. For carry-ons, the 3-1-1 rule is all you need. 

Each person may bring three items that are smaller than 3.4 ounces inside a single one-quart plastic bag. Each passenger may bring one of these bags in a carry-on. 

This rule is for all liquids, gels, and aerosols. Toothpaste, deodorant, and medication are all common items people have questions about. 

Food and drinks from outside of the airport are not allowed past security. 

You can bring empty drinking containers through, but the contents must be poured out or disposed of if it doesn’t fall within the 3-1-1 rules.

If you do need to bring medication with you, it generally isn’t turned away. Pills are subject to testing if it’s deemed necessary. 

Liquid medication may exceed the 3-1-1 limits if it is medically necessary as well. 

Keep all your medication, electronics, and liquids accessible in your bag. You’ll need to separate them when your bin goes through the scanner. 

If possible, don’t wear belts, necklaces, or other metallic items when you’re going to fly. 

Remove heavy garments like coats and sweatshirts when going through the scanner too, as these make it hard for the machine to see and can cause you to be held up. 

Do an extra check of your bag before arriving at the airport. 

Ensure there aren’t any items you don’t know about in the extra pockets of your bag that could get flagged by security and require additional inspection. 

Making sure your boarding passes, ID, and any declared items are accessible will help speed up your security process. 

If you pack properly and can separate your items, it will help everything go smoothly and get you through faster as well. 

Conclusion

According to all TSA regulations, you won’t have any problems bringing a mirror on your plane in either your checked or carry-on luggage. 

Small mirrors pose no issue, but large ones must be able to fit in overhead containers if you want to bring them in your carry-on.

If you leave a mirror in your checked luggage, be sure to pack it with plenty of cushion around it to avoid it breaking if your bags are handled roughly.