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Can you take glass bottles on a plane?

Glass bottles can go in both carry-on and checked bags in Japan. Carry-on: Yes. An empty bottle or jar is not dangerous goods. If there is liquid in it, the liquid decides the rule: on international flights the container must be 100ml or less. Checked baggage: Yes.

Updated

YesCarry-on in Japan
YesChecked bag in Japan
5countries compared

Carry-on: yesChecked bag: yes

Glass bottles on flights in and from Japan

On a domestic flight the 100ml liquid limit does not apply. On an international flight it does.

Glass bottles and jars: carry-on and checked baggage in Japan
WhereAllowed?What applies
In the cabinYesYes. An empty bottle or jar is not dangerous goods. If there is liquid in it, the liquid decides the rule: on international flights the container must be 100ml or less.
In checked baggageYesYes.
Domestic flights in Japan
The 100ml liquid limit does not apply.
International flights from Japan
Each container 100ml or less, all of them inside one transparent re-sealable bag of 1 litre or less, one bag per person.
Narita AirportNarita's FAQ says empty bottles are not dangerous goods and are permitted in carry-on baggage; number and weight limits depend on the airline.Narita International Airport FAQ
A clear empty glass bottle standing on a wooden rail with grass behind it
Photo: Clear empty glass bottle.jpg by Santeri Viinamäki (CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped), via Wikimedia Commons.

Jars of jam, empty bottles and glass with liquid sealed inside

Glass itself is rarely the issue. A jar or bottle is judged by what it holds, and by whether it has a sharp edge.

Jarred is a form Japan's list names
Many food rows on Japan's liquids list begin the same way: the items below, when canned, jarred or packed in plastic containers or tubes. Sesame oil, olive oil, peanut butter, jam and honey are restricted in that form. Sea urchin, salmon roe and caviar in jars are on the unrestricted list, unless they are packed with full liquid.
Empty glassware, entry by entry
The TSA lists Glass, Glass Vase (empty) and Glass Picture Frame, each allowed in carry-on and checked bags. Narita's FAQ deals with a traveller who wanted to keep empty pickling jars in carry-on baggage because they might break if checked. Its reply is that empty bottles are not regarded as dangerous goods and are permitted in carry-on baggage.
Packing a full jar for checked baggage
Taiwan's CAA advises passengers taking canned food, pickled food in bottles or jars, or alcohol abroad to hand them over as checked baggage. It adds a packing note: wrap them properly when packing the bag, to avoid breakage in transit. The advice comes from the authority's own Q&A on the carry-on liquid measures.

Glass bottles: the rule country by country

Extra conditions apply in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Glass bottles and jars: carry-on and checked baggage rules by country
Flying fromCarry-onChecked bagWhat the authority says
JapanCivil Aviation BureauYesYesAn empty bottle or jar is not dangerous goods. If there is liquid in it, the liquid decides the rule: on international flights the container must be 100ml or less. Source
United StatesTSAYesYesGlass is listed as allowed in both carry-on and checked bags.TSA entry: Glass Source
TaiwanCivil Aviation AdministrationWith limitsYesPickled food in bottles or jars and canned food usually contain liquid: on international flights a container over 100 ml cannot be carried on board. Putting them in checked baggage is advised. Source
Hong KongCivil Aviation DepartmentWith limits—Liquids or gels inside fall under the cabin liquid rule: containers of 100 ml or less (larger ones are refused even if only part-filled) in one transparent re-sealable bag of 1 litre or less. Source
AustraliaHome Affairs, CASAYesYesGlass and glassware, including bottles, are not considered dangerous goods and in most cases are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. Hardened glass with a sharp edge or point may have to be checked into the hold.CASA Pack Right entry: Glass, glassware, including bottles, wine glasses, vases, pipes etc Source

Each row comes from that authority's own page. Airlines can be stricter, and the screening officer has the final say.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take glass bottles on a plane?

On flights in and from Japan: Yes. An empty bottle or jar is not dangerous goods. If there is liquid in it, the liquid decides the rule: on international flights the container must be 100ml or less. In checked baggage: Yes.

Can you take a jar of jam or honey in your carry-on?

Only in a jar of 100 ml or less on an international flight. Japan's liquids list restricts jam and honey that are canned, jarred or packed in plastic containers or tubes. GOV.UK names jam and honey among liquid or semi-liquid foods, Australia's Home Affairs lists both as gels, and the TSA limits Jam and Jelly and Honey to 3.4oz/100 ml in carry-on.

Can you bring a snow globe in your carry-on?

Only a small one, going by the TSA, which is the one authority here with an entry for it. Snow globes that appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces of liquid, about the size of a tennis ball, can go in carry-on only if the whole globe, base included, fits into the quart-sized resealable bag. Larger snow globes must be packed in checked baggage.

What is the rule for glass bottles on flights from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia?

Taiwan: Pickled food in bottles or jars and canned food usually contain liquid: on international flights a container over 100 ml cannot be carried on board. Putting them in checked baggage is advised. Hong Kong: Liquids or gels inside fall under the cabin liquid rule: containers of 100 ml or less (larger ones are refused even if only part-filled) in one transparent re-sealable bag of 1 litre or less. Australia: Glass and glassware, including bottles, are not considered dangerous goods and in most cases are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. Hardened glass with a sharp edge or point may have to be checked into the hold.

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Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026