5 Items TSA Confiscates Most At US Airport Checkpoints
Water bottles outrank every weapon TSA finds. Here are the five items most often surrendered at US checkpoints.
By Brandon ShawZimbabwe
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screens roughly 3.3 million carry-on bags every day, and officers say the overwhelming majority of prohibited items they find belong to travelers who simply forgot something was packed. The agency also does not technically confiscate most of what it takes. Items left at checkpoints are classified as voluntarily abandoned property, because passengers choose to surrender them rather than miss a flight and return to the ticket counter.
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About this article
- Length
- 72 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 17, 2026
- Byline
- Brandon Shaw
- Source
- Simple Flying