Pack for Pleasure: Flying with Sex Toys

By: Lisa Finn

Babeland: How to travel with your sex toys

Whether it’s a tropical vacation, a work trip, heading off to celebrate your bestie tying the knot, or just getting away for a weekend - chances are you’ve got travel plans on the horizon. But leaving home doesn’t have to mean leaving behind the things that help you unwind and feel good - and that absolutely includes your favorite pleasure products! From compact vibes to discreet accessories, plenty of toys make perfect travel companions and can help you stay connected to pleasure wherever you land.

We’re here to help make bringing your toys along for the ride smooth, simple, and stress-free. Let’s get into it!

How to travel with sex toys

If you’ve ever felt nervous about bringing sex toys through airport security, you’re definitely not alone. The good news? Traveling with toys is far more common (and TSA-friendly!) than you might think. With a little preparation and a few smart packing tips, you can avoid awkward surprises at security, keep your items safe and discreet, and travel with confidence.

Can you bring sex toys through TSA?

Yes, you can bring sex toys through TSA. In most cases, traveling with toys is no different than traveling with any other personal items. Sex toys are generally allowed in both carry-on and checked luggage, though there are important guidelines to keep in mind depending on what kinds of pleasure products you’re packing.

However, there is an exception to this. Some countries have restrictions on - or laws against - the possession of sex toys, including places like Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, and the UAE just to name a few. And yes, that unfortunately applies no matter how small or discreet your pleasure products may be. Before you fly, make sure you understand the laws and regulations of both the country you’re departing from and the one you’re traveling to - including any layovers - so you can avoid any issues.

Should I pack my sex toys in checked luggage or a carry on bag?

Factors like batteries, liquids, toy size, and materials can affect how to pack your toys so they pass security checks without a fuss - here’s what you need to know:

Motorized toys + toys with batteries:

If your sex toy is rechargeable, it most likely contains a lithium battery, which are prohibited from checked luggage. So, if you’re flying with sex toys that vibrate or any other motorized toy, it should go in your carry on bag.

If your toy has removable batteries (like AAA batteries or watch batteries), it can go in either checked or carry on luggage - though we recommend you take the batteries out of your toy before packing.

Liquids + lubes:

Many airlines restrict bringing liquids in containers over 3.4 ounces (100mL) in your carry on luggage, so if you’re bringing a bigger bottle of lube, massage oil, or any other liquid, pack that in your checked luggage, in a plastic zip bag to prevent spillage.

For carry-on friendly liquids - lots of great brands like Babelube and Sliquid offer handy 2oz sizes of many of their products, or you can get an empty travel container and fill it up with your favorite lubricant from home (just make sure it's sealed tight before take-off!) and pack it alongside your other liquid toiletries.

Hard materials + BDSM:

For glass or metal dildos or plugs, and many BDSM toys - like Wartenberg wheels / pinwheels, e-stim devices, or large-sized impact toys - these should always be packed in checked luggage. These items could be seen as potential weapons and be confiscated for safety from a carry on bag, and could even potentially compromise your travel plans. If you have the box your toy came in that shows what it is and its intended use, all the better to pack it in for full transparency.

How should I pack my toys?

If you don’t have the original packaging, or if those are too bulky for your bag - put your toys in a clear bag, on top of clothes and other items. This goes for checked luggage as well as carry on bags! This way, if they come up on the scanner, TSA doesn't have to go digging through your stuff, and having a container where the agent can see all of the contents without opening it can prevent direct handling of your precious bedside friends.

How to keep your vibrator from buzzing mid-flight

To make sure your toy doesn’t turn on and cause a scene mid-flight, prepare ahead! If your toy takes standard batteries, make sure that those batteries are taken out and stored separately.

For rechargeable toys, either wear out the charge before traveling (just don't forget to pack the charger!) or check out your toy’s included manual to see if it comes with a travel lock, which many now do! Travel locks prevent your toy from being turned on by an accidental bump to the power button, requiring that you press and hold down to unlock it. Just make sure you bring along or snap a pic of the instructions so you know how to engage and disengage it for when you’re ready to play.

How to make airport security less awkward

Simply? Own it.

TSA staff are trained to pick out travelers that seem extra anxious during screening, as this can be a red flag of a passenger trying to hide something. These agents are on guard to protect you and make sure that nobody is trying to bring through anything dangerous or illegal. With the exception of the restrictions mentioned above, sex toys are not one of those concerns.

Remember, TSA agents see the insides of a lot of luggage, and the chance of you being the first-ever person to bring a sex toy through the airport security line is extremely slim to none. As someone who has made direct eye contact with an agent looking at my carry-on filled with toy samples after an industry trade show - many times! - I can confidently say, they truly don’t care. (Except once, when my agent expressed being jealous of me having the new Magic Wand Waterproof, which - I know, girl, it’s great.)

So, if you do get questioned about the more personal contents of your bag - don't freak! Be chill, be honest, and own it - saying "yes, that's my vibrator" is basically saying "hell yeah, I deservingly prioritize my pleasure". There's no shame in self-care and self-love, babe.

What are the best travel-friendly sex toys to bring on vacation?

Discreet toys that don’t look like toys

If you're bringing your toys in a carry on bag and you do want to keep it on the DL - try a discreet vibrator that doesn't obviously look like a sex toy to the untrained eye, or opt for a smaller motorized toy that won't flag the security monitor.

Try these:

Vesper 2 Necklace Vibe: Literally looks like a pendant necklace rather than a multi-speed vibrator. I’ve even worn this one through security, just popping it off to throw on top of my jacket to go through the scanner. Vesper 2 is waterproof, making cleaning a breeze for before play. Bonus: it’s also super cute accessory for your vacation fits!

Hide & Play Rechargeable Lipstick Vibe: When it comes to hidden in plain sight, nothing tops the lipstick vibe. It’s the exact size and shape as a tube of lipstick, and can disguise itself right alongside your other makeup easily. Plus, the removable cap helps protect the silicone vibe to keep it clean and ready for play.

Romp Dash Stroker: The sleek design and minimal branding on the protective case of Romp Dash leave it to be easily mistaken for a portable speaker, tech accessory, or even a high-end travel mug rather than a masturbation sleeve, and no motor means it won’t flag on a scanner. The super-soft TPE is easy to clean, so you can use and reuse it throughout your travels.

Travel-friendly kink gear

As mentioned above, not all BDSM gear is carry-on friendly. So if you want to be prepared to get a little spicy on your getaway, try these toys that are designed with easy travel in mind:

Seated and Mistreated - Universal Under-Chair Restraint System: This fabric bondage set has minimal metal hardware to slip past security as easily as a belt or purse strap, and won’t take up a ton of your precious luggage space either! The best part? The system is designed to be super adjustable to fit a variety of bodies and a variety of furniture - meaning you can easily turn that hotel chair (you know the one) into a bondage playground.

Travel Pinwheel: Designed specifically for sensation play on-the-go, this petite pinwheel provides stimulation from a gentle tickle to a biting prickle depending on how much pressure you choose to apply. It’s metal free, which makes it able to be packed in your carry on without a fuss, and is only 4” long for packing away discreetly in a purse or overnight bag.

Mini Riding Crop: Don’t let the size fool you - this tiny crop may be compact, but brings big impact. Made of faux leather and plastic and clocking in at 12” in length, this little riding crop delivers a delicious sting so you can bring your spanking play wherever your travels take you.