🎾 Tennis racket

The TSA checkpoint itself will not stop you — the TSA does not prohibit tennis rackets in carry-on. However, your airline is very likely to refuse the racket at the boarding gate because it exceeds standard overhead bin size limits, and you will be required to check it there. This can result in a last-minute baggage fee, so it is better to check it before you reach the gate.

The underlying security rules are similar in that neither the TSA nor UK and EU aviation authorities explicitly ban tennis rackets at the checkpoint. The difference is that airlines operating out of the UK and EU are just as strict — if not stricter — about cabin size restrictions, so the racket will almost certainly be turned away at the gate regardless of where you depart from.

Enforcement happens at the gate, not at the security checkpoint. Gate agents measure or visually assess items against the airline's carry-on size policy, and a full-size tennis racket — typically 68–73 cm long — exceeds limits on virtually every carrier. There is very little discretion extended to oddly shaped sports equipment, so do not count on talking your way through.

Check it when you check your other luggage at the airline counter, before you reach security. This avoids a rushed, last-minute check at the gate and gives you more control over packaging and fees. Call your airline ahead of time to confirm whether a sports equipment fee applies, as charges vary by carrier.