The TSA Subreddit Is a Gold Mine for Travel Tips

It also has some really peculiar packing questions.

Figuring out what you can and cannot bring through TSA security checkpoints can feel like a riddle. Even with the great tips that the TSA shares on its website, it can still be confusing, especially when you've got a more niche packing question. When trying to figure out the answers to those conundrums, there is a forum where you can find answers—the TSA subreddit.

Can you pack volcanic ash in your carry-on? Can you put shoes with spikes and chains in your personal bag? Can you check a Graco Truecoat 360 Variable Electric Handheld Airless Paint Sprayer in your suitcase? These are all real questions from the TSA subreddit that travel experts and real TSA officers in the forum have answered.

This subreddit isn't just a packing Q&A, however. It is also filled with much more information about how TSA works, protocols for traveling with minors, traveling with edibles, and the rules on taking Duty-Free items in and out of airports.

It's a place where you can submit a travel question or curiosity as specific as you like, and you're bound to get an answer. Or, if you're simply looking for a new way to entertain yourself online, this Subreddit also provides endless travel-related entertainment.

Looking for more travel tips?

Whether you need help sneaking weed onto a plane, finding an airport where you can sign up for PreCheck without an appointment, or making sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to when your flight is canceled, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for up-to-date travel hacks and all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Journalism from NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She's worked in digital media for eight years, and before working at Thrillist, she wrote for Mic, The Cut, The Fader, Vice, and other publications. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.