Flying from PDX or Sea-Tac? These items could lead to thousands of dollars in TSA fines

Travelers flying out of Portland International Airport or Seattle-Tacoma International Airport may want to check their bags carefully before heading to security.

The Transportation Security Administration prohibits a long list of weapons, explosives, flammable materials and other potentially dangerous items from airport checkpoints.

Some violations can result in civil penalties ranging from hundreds of dollars to more than $17,000.

The rules apply at airports across the country, including PDX and Sea-Tac. And while firearms carry some of the largest potential penalties, they are far from the only items that can cause problems at security.

Here’s what Pacific Northwest travelers should know before packing.

Which prohibited items can lead to TSA fines?

TSA’s enforcement guidance establishes different penalty ranges based on the type of prohibited item and the circumstances surrounding the violation.

Among the items covered by the agency’s civil penalty guidelines are

• Sharp objects
• Flammable liquids
• Self-defense sprays
• Fireworks
• Explosives
• Realistic replicas
• Firearms.

The potential penalties vary considerably.

According to TSA’s current enforcement guidance, some prohibited sharp objects, flammable liquids and self-defense sprays can result in civil penalties ranging from $450 to $2,570.

More serious violations can bring substantially larger penalties. High explosives can result in fines ranging from $10,230 to $17,062 along with a criminal referral.

Which sharp objects can cause problems at security?

Travelers should pay particular attention to knives and other sharp objects that can easily be forgotten in backpacks, outdoor gear, or work bags.

TSA’s enforcement guidelines identify axes, hatchets, ice axes, ice picks, switchblades, butterfly knives, double-edged knives, daggers, meat cleavers, swords, machetes, and throwing stars among prohibited sharp objects that can result in penalties.

The agency’s “What Can I Bring?” database also says pocketknives and Swiss Army knives cannot be packed in carry-on luggage. They can generally travel in checked baggage.

Sharp objects placed in checked luggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to protect baggage handlers and inspectors.

For Pacific Northwest travelers, that makes it especially important to check backpacks and bags previously used for camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, or work before taking them to PDX or Sea-Tac.

What about flammable liquids and fireworks?

Flammable materials can also bring significant penalties.

TSA’s enforcement guidelines list gasoline, lighter fluid, cooking fuels, turpentine and paint thinner among flammable liquids or gel fuels that can result in penalties ranging from $450 to $2,570 when discovered at a checkpoint.

Smoke grenades and flash bangs carry higher penalties, ranging from $850 to $4,250 along with a criminal referral.

Fireworks are another item travelers should leave at home.

TSA lists consumer fireworks, novelty fireworks, professional display fireworks and flares among items that can result in penalties ranging from $450 to $2,570 and a criminal referral.

Fireworks aren’t permitted in either carry-on or checked baggage.

Can pepper spray or other self-defense items lead to a fine?

Travelers who routinely carry personal protection devices should also check their bags before flying.

TSA’s enforcement guidance lists self-defense spray and tear gas among prohibited checkpoint items. Violations can result in penalties ranging from $450 to $2,570.

Rules can differ between carry-on and checked luggage, making it important to look up a specific item before packing rather than assuming it is permitted.

What about replica weapons and other unusual items?

An item doesn’t necessarily have to be an operational weapon to cause trouble at airport security.

BB guns, pellet guns, compressed-air guns, flare pistols, starter pistols, realistic firearm replicas, stun guns and other shocking devices can result in penalties ranging from $450 to $2,570 when discovered at a checkpoint.

Realistic replicas of explosives and inert hand grenades carry potential penalties ranging from $850 to $4,250, along with a criminal referral.

Even novelty grenade-shaped objects can create problems. TSA’s enforcement guidelines specifically address novelty hand grenades, including items such as grenade-shaped perfume bottles, stress balls, costume jewelry and lighters.

TSA’s broader prohibited-items guidance also makes an important distinction between realistic replicas and ordinary toys. Items that resemble realistic firearms or weapons are prohibited in carry-on luggage.

Which prohibited items carry the largest TSA fines?

Explosives are among the violations carrying the highest penalties under TSA’s published guidelines.

Blasting caps, initiators, dynamite, plastic explosives, hand grenades and more than 10 ounces of gunpowder can result in civil penalties ranging from $10,230 to $17,062, along with a criminal referral.

That $17,062 figure is important because it isn’t a blanket fine for accidentally packing any prohibited item. The amount represents the upper end of TSA’s penalty range for certain serious violations.

Repeat firearm violations can also reach $17,062.

What are the TSA fines for bringing a firearm?

Firearms are prohibited in carry-on luggage and cannot be brought through a TSA security checkpoint.

TSA’s enforcement guidance lists a penalty range of $3,000 to $12,210 for a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm with accessible ammunition. Repeat offenses can bring penalties ranging from $12,210 to $17,062, along with a criminal referral.

An unloaded firearm discovered at a checkpoint can result in penalties ranging from $1,500 to $6,130.

Travelers can transport firearms under specific conditions in checked baggage. TSA says firearms must be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container and declared to the airline when checking the bag.

A concealed-carry permit does not allow a traveler to bring a firearm through a TSA checkpoint.

How often are firearms found at Sea-Tac?

TSA officers regularly encounter firearms at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

TSA officers intercepted Sea-Tac’s 100th firearm of 2024 on Oct. 29. Just hours later, officers discovered firearm No. 101 at another airport security checkpoint.

TSA officers at Sea-Tac intercepted their 100th firearm of 2024 in October of that year. A 101st firearm was discovered just hours later, according to a TSA press release.

Earlier that year, TSA officers at Sea-Tac found three loaded firearms and an inert grenade during a single day of screening in May.

Firearm discoveries can affect other travelers as well. When a gun is detected at a checkpoint, law enforcement may need to respond, potentially disrupting the screening process.

How often are firearms found at PDX?

Oregon airports have also recorded dozens of firearm discoveries.

TSA reported that officers discovered 83 firearms at Oregon airport security checkpoints during 2023, with the majority found at Portland International Airport.

The numbers are another reason travelers should inspect bags before leaving home, particularly backpacks, purses and other luggage used for purposes besides flying.

How can travelers find out whether an item is allowed?

Travelers unsure about an item can check TSA’s online “What Can I Bring?” database before heading to PDX, Sea-Tac or another airport.

The searchable database covers hundreds of items and identifies whether each can be packed in carry-on luggage, checked baggage, both or neither.

TSA notes that even generally permitted items can be subject to additional screening. The final decision about whether an item can pass through a security checkpoint rests with the TSA officer.

For Pacific Northwest travelers, checking unfamiliar items and going through every compartment of a bag before leaving for the airport can help prevent delays, surrendered property and potentially costly penalties.