🧨 Safety matches

In the US and Canada, one book of safety matches in your carry-on is actually permitted, so they would be allowed through. In Australia, New Zealand, or China, any matches found in your carry-on will be confiscated without exception. Strike-anywhere matches will be confiscated in every region regardless of where you are flying, so make sure you only travel with safety matches and know your departure country's rules.

No. Australia and New Zealand ban all matches from carry-on baggage entirely, and China goes further by banning all matches from both carry-on and checked baggage on all flights. If you are departing from Australia, you cannot bring any matches at all in either bag. For other regions, only safety matches are ever permitted, and only in carry-on — no matches of any type are allowed in checked baggage.

Screeners typically cannot distinguish match types on an X-ray alone and will flag any small box or book that looks like matches for a manual check. If your matches are pulled for inspection, a screener may examine the box label or match heads. To avoid delays, only carry safety matches in their original labelled box so the type is immediately clear.

In the US and Canada, the limit is one book of safety matches in carry-on or on your person — they cannot go in checked baggage anywhere. In the UK and EU, safety matches are permitted on your person rather than loose in your bag. Never pack matches in checked baggage regardless of region. If you only need matches at your destination, the easiest solution is to buy them locally.