Airfare deals are everywhere right now, and resort infinity pools beckon from across the globe. While it’s easy to find a place to go, getting there can be less fun thanks to buzzkill security regulations and boring airline cocktail menus. Fortunately, it turns out it’s easy to spice up your drink (literally) by bringing aboard your own mixers and garnishes — even your booze if you do it right. We spoke with a number of bartenders (who won’t be satisfied with a generic Vodka Tonic) and an anonymous security professional who has worked with TSA for years. From them, we gleaned advice on bringing the best drink ingredients on board for elevated drinking, while avoiding a strip search.
It’s All About Volume: According to our source, “everything is geared around the 3.4 ounce maximum. If it exceeds that limit, you may have some issues.” What’s inside the bottle isn’t important as far as TSA is concerned, he notes. “If it’s under the 3.4 ounce limit, that’s all they’re concerned about.” So, not only should standard 50ml/1.6 oz “mini” bottles of booze be fine, but so are those unmarked plastic travel bottles you can buy at Target for ... shampoo. Yeah... shampoo, that’s it.
Note: All liquids and gels — from shave cream to lime juice and bitters — must fit inside one quart-sized ziplock bag and be presented at security outside your luggage.
The Loopholes: Milk and juice can be carried on in larger quantities for children (present them at the first security checkpoint where you show your ticket and ID). No one has to know your kid doesn’t like grapefruit juice, or that half that milk is for a White Russian.
Also, according to our insider, many agents will cut you some slack if you’ve got a slightly larger container, when it’s clear there’s less than 3.4 oz of liquid/gel inside (perhaps you’ve already drained part of your 100 ml bottle of rum or most of your guacamole). Here you’re on your own. “It varies from airport to airport and from officer to officer,” our source says. Still, the worst that happens (usually) is they toss your stash.
Dry Foods & Produce Are Fine: Any decent bar or home bartender today knows that fresh ingredients — limes, mint, plums, tomatoes — are where it’s at. A quality drink can be all about the solids. So... legal or no?
Totally, as long as it’s not loose and unpackaged on the conveyor belt. “If you’re traveling domestically, it’s not a problem,” says our source. “If you have a lime or lemon, just bring it. No baggies required.” Soft foods, like peanut butter or applesauce, fall under the 3.4 oz baggie rule, and most international flights prohibit cheese or fresh produce. If it’s something weird, like a massive hunk of meat or a baggie of white powder (“It’s sea salt, man!”), you might be pulled aside for testing. If the TSA doesn’t find any of the bad stuff (trace chemical markers that identify explosives), you should be good to go. Again, it’s up to the officer in charge. They may decide you’re trying to Spinal Tap them and that you’re eligible for a free colonoscopy.
The Loopholes: Cakes and pies? Legal, but not recommended. Also, an unwrapped hamburger or pizza will go bye-bye. Don’t spill that stuff on our X-ray machine, yo. Ziploc bags are your friends.
Yeah, But What About The Booze?: Naturally, airlines would rather you buy their limited selection of mainstream brands than have you bring your top shelf tequila or St. Germain. Legally, though, nothing is stopping you. Those little bottles of booze they sell in liquor stores are called “minis” and they consist of 50mls or about 1.6 ounces — well under TSA’s limit. Anonymous Security Guy notes that while some airlines will not allow outside booze on the plane if they see it (and it might get confiscated by security if the local airport feel like helping out the airlines), “TSA operates independent of the airlines. They don’t care what the liquid is as long as it’s not over the amount considered safe. I’ve traveled with minis in the past to Vegas, with no problem.”
The Loopholes: Up to 5 or 6 full-sized bottles of booze can be packed (securely, of course) in your checked baggage, but there’s no limit to the minis you can carry on (as long as they fit in that quart-sized Ziploc). Don’t bring your favorite 15-year-old Scotch unless you’re willing to lose it: 3 oz of Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask is totally worth the risk. Consider using unmarked travel bottles instead of labeled minis. No one will be the wiser.
Pro Tip — Be Prepared: Unlike with shampoo or lotion, you can’t run down to CVS and pick up a few travel-ready cocktails. In this case it’s best to think “go bag”: perfect for zombie apocalypses and Mojitos.
“I carry a tiny baby bottle of Angostura bitters in my purse whenever I travel,” says Alyssa Shahin, a New York City bartender and cocktail contest winner. “Cocktail or mocktail, I can always find a use for it. Who wants to drink club soda without it, anyway?” You can find 1/8 ounce tiny bottles of Ango online, marketed as being good for making “two drinks.” Got a yen for more complicated bitters like molé or orange? Most of the gourmet brands, like Fee Brothers, Berg & Hauck and Bitter Truth, offer up airline-friendly sampler sizes online.
Consider keeping a small travel kit of non-perishable items like bitters, coarse salt (for margaritas), packets of hot sauce or Tabasco (for Micheladas and Bloody Marys), and simple syrup for easy mixing. Then pick up the mint, limes and lemons a couple of days before your trip (take just what you need for a drink or three, and don’t cut the limes till the day of, or they will oxidize and dry out). Sodas, tonic and fruit juice are usually free for the asking on the plane and of course you can always buy their booze.
Another approach is to “batch” drinks at home before flying. “My standard move is pre-made juleps in vacuum-sealed mylar pouches (2.5 oz),” says Josh Mazza, the owner of several award-winning bars in New York including Seamstress and The Gilroy. “I carry them on in my dopp kit, and carry fresh mint to complete my drink. All I need to do is ask for ice. A little luxury goes a long way, and it’s a good ice breaker, if you’re down to share.” Here the key is a “professionally packaged” look and non-leaking pouches.
What Can’t I Bring?: In terms of cocktail tools, don’t try to carry on a paring knife, chopper, citrus peeler/zester, ice pick or lighter (for flaming citrus peels or high-proof alcohol). It’s best to leave any electrical items (immersion blender, milk frother) at home, and if you use a cocktail app, consider one that lives on your phone rather than being accessed through the Cloud, as you may not have decent WiFi. When bringing a muddler, consider wood instead of metal so as not to freak out the X-Ray machine.
Have Someone Else Do The Heavy Lifting: At least one company is offering the ingredients for higher quality airline cocktails, measured and pre-packaged in a neat Altoids-style tin. Think of it as Blue Apron in miniature.
Each Carry On Cocktail Kit ($24) from culinary creatives W&P Design (which also makes some of the best home ice molds I’ve ever tried) contains the ingredients (minus the booze) you need to make two specific drinks. The Old Fashioned comes with miniature bitters, raw sugar and a little mixing spoon and cloth coaster (which, of course you can reuse, along with the case). The Bloody Mary includes enough sauces, salt and seasoning (along with pickles!) to craft a perfect pick-me-up. There are five cocktail kits in all, and a seasonally-appropriate winter kit coming soon. Or buy the Travel Pack ($90) and make three different drinks (6 total).
There’s also hope on the horizon: More airlines are beginning to carry premium and craft spirits brands, or partner with star bartenders to create inventive drinks at 30,000 feet. New York’s Pamela Wiznitzer (The Dead Rabbit, Seamstress) recently announced she will be creating drinks for American Airlines. There will be more.
Obtain a cup of ice from your flight attendant. Combine tequila, ginger ale, bitters and juice from one lime wedge. Stir gently. Garnish with lime wedge.
Obtain one cup with ice, one without. In the cup without ice, add sugar, bitters and a very little bit of water. Crush with a spoon (or bring a small wooden muddler). Add bourbon and stir well. Add a little bit of ice. If you want to bring a couple of maraschino cherries and an orange slice, by all means do so. Top with airline club soda if desired.
In a cup with no ice, muddle the fruit, then add rum, lime juice and simple syrup. If you’ve brought a cocktail shaker, make it in there, add ice, shake and strain into a cup filled with fresh ice. If you haven’t, add ice to the cocktail and stir well. Add fresh ice, then garnish with mint sprig.