Can you take hair straighteners in hand luggage?
Yes. GOV.UK lists a hairdryer or straighteners as allowed in both hand luggage and hold luggage. Cordless (battery) and gas-powered stylers have extra points to check, covered below. Last checked 27 October 2026 against GOV.UK, the CAA and Jet2.
Quick answer
| Item | Hand luggage | Hold luggage |
|---|---|---|
| Plug-in hairdryer or straighteners | Yes | Yes |
| Gas-powered hair curlers or stylers | Yes, with the safety cover fitted at all times | Yes, with the safety cover fitted at all times |
| Separate gas cartridges | No: must not be taken on board | Not covered by GOV.UK on this page |
Source: GOV.UK: Hand luggage restrictions, Electronic devices and electrical items. Checked 27 October 2026.
Can you put straighteners in hold luggage?
Yes. The same GOV.UK table marks "Hairdryer or straighteners" as allowed in hold luggage as well as hand luggage. If your straighteners are cordless, read the battery section first: the CAA says lithium batteries should not go in checked luggage.
Cordless and battery-powered stylers
GOV.UK does not give battery details on its electronic devices page. It says: "Check the restrictions on certain types of batteries or contact your airline if you're not sure what you can carry." It also says to make sure your electronic devices are charged before you travel, and that a device which does not switch on when requested will not be allowed onto the aircraft.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority's Pack Right guidance does not mention cordless hair stylers by name. Its general rules for spare and lithium batteries are:
- Keep spare batteries with you in the cabin and protect them from damage.
- Never pack power banks or vapes in checked luggage, because they can overheat and cause a fire.
- If your cabin bag is taken at the gate to go in the hold, remove any batteries or lithium-powered devices first.
- Do not carry batteries that show signs of damage, overheating or swelling.
If a cordless styler has a removable battery, treat that battery as a spare battery under the CAA guidance. If you are unsure, ask your airline. Our power banks in hand luggage page sets out the CAA watt-hour limits.
Gas-powered curling irons and stylers
GOV.UK says you can take hair curlers containing a gas cartridge in hand or hold luggage as long as the safety cover is fitted at all times, and you must not take separate gas cartridges on board.
Airline differences
Jet2: on its restricted items page, Jet2 covers only gas-powered styling equipment (using a hydrocarbon gas cartridge). It says customers may take no more than one such item, in cabin or hold baggage, provided the safety cover is securely fitted over the heating element and it is not used onboard the aircraft. Spare gas cartridges are not permitted. Source: Jet2 restricted items, checked 27 October 2026. That page does not mention plug-in straighteners or hairdryers.
We could not open the equivalent pages for Ryanair, easyJet, TUI or British Airways when we checked, so we do not state their hair-styler rules here. Airlines can add their own limits, so check yours before you fly. For bag sizes see Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, TUI and British Airways.
At airport security
Airport security staff can refuse anything they consider dangerous, even if it is normally allowed. Follow the signs and staff instructions at your airport. Other countries have their own rules, so check your destination and any connecting airports too, including the return journey. Liquids such as hairspray have their own limits, which depend on the airport: see hairspray in hand luggage and which UK airports have scrapped the 100 ml limit.
Related questions
- Hairdryer in hand luggage
- Hairspray in hand luggage
- Electric razor in hand luggage
- Power banks in hand luggage
- All items: what you can take in hand luggage
- Electronics, power banks and medication
Frequently asked questions
- Can you take straighteners in hand luggage?
- Yes. GOV.UK lists a hairdryer or straighteners as allowed in hand luggage and hold luggage.
- Can you put straighteners in hold luggage?
- Yes. GOV.UK lists straighteners as allowed in hold luggage. Keep any removable lithium battery with you in the cabin, as the CAA advises.
- Can you take cordless straighteners on a plane?
- GOV.UK says to check the restrictions on certain types of batteries or contact your airline. The CAA says spare and lithium batteries should be kept in the cabin, and batteries or lithium-powered devices removed from any bag handed over at the gate.
- Can you take gas hair curlers on a plane?
- GOV.UK says hair curlers containing a gas cartridge can go in hand or hold luggage if the safety cover is fitted at all times. Separate gas cartridges must not be taken on board.
- Does Jet2 allow hair straighteners?
- Jet2's restricted items page covers gas-powered hair styling equipment only: one item, cabin or hold, with the safety cover on and not used onboard. It does not mention plug-in straighteners.
- Do straighteners count as electronics at security?
- GOV.UK files them under electrical items. Follow the signs and staff instructions at your airport.
Checked 27 October 2026 against GOV.UK, the CAA and Jet2. Rules change and airport staff have discretion, so confirm with your airline close to your travel date.