Can You Bring Candy on a Plane? (Answers for Sweet Tooths)

We headed back to the UK recently and stocked up on some of our favourite treats to bring back with us to Australia.

Whilst I didn’t think there’d be an issue, I did a bit of research on the subject as Australian customs can be a bit funny about what gets brought into the country. As I run a travel blog, I thought I’d share the research with you.

So, can you bring candy on a plane?

Yes, you can take candy on a plane. Solid food (which includes all types of candy) is allowed in both hold and carry-on bags. The only limits on this are the ones relating to either your bag weight or (if travelling internationally) on import quantities.

Here I share my full research for all your candy-related flight queries!

Interested in Australia? Check out my post 42 Things Australia is Famous For (12 Only Aussies Will Get!)

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Can You Bring Candy on a Plane?

Yes, you can bring candy on a plane.

If travelling domestically there are no limits on travelling with candy, outside of the weight limit of your bag. You can bring candy sealed or unsealed in both your hand luggage and hold luggage.

The only restrictions on candy are likely to come when travelling internationally and are imposed for tax purposes at the border.

For example, if you bring candy into Australia it is subject to a 10kg import limit.

But countries like Great Britain have no limits at all.

Can You Bring Gummy Candy on a Plane?

I’m not sure why gummy candy is so commonly asked about when it comes to plane travel, maybe because there’s a worry it might actually contain liquid and therefore contravene the 100ml or 3.4oz rule for hand luggage.

Good news for all you gummy bear lovers, gummy candy is definitely not considered to be a liquid, so there are no restrictions to bringing it on a plane in either your hold or hand luggage.

Can You Bring Open Candy Through Airport Security?

Yes, you can bring open candy through airport security.

As long as it’s a solid foodstuff, whether it’s open or not makes no difference to security procedures. Just make sure you’ve sealed the bag if it’s in your pocket so, when you take your jacket off, it doesn’t spill out everywhere (though you may make friends with the security staff that way!).

Can You Bring Mints on a Plane?

I’m not sure why this one came up so frequently, but yes, you can take mints on a plane, these fall under exactly the same regulations as the candy itself.

Why Might Candy Actually be Useful on a Plane?

There may actually be a practical reason to have candy with you on a plane.

We have a small tube that connects the back of our eardrums to the nose and mouth which is called the Eustachian tube. This helps to balance the air pressure coming inside your ear with the outside air which prevents loud sounds from bursting your eardrum.

The trouble is that flight is not natural for humans, so that fast rise in pressure when taking off can cause the eardrum to be pushed inwards, which is why many people yawn or open their mouths as planes are taking off, which opens the Eustachian tube and equalises the pressure with a little ‘pop’.

Candy can help this process, as we suck and chew the sweets it contracts the muscles at the top of our throat, which can help the tube top open and correct pressure imbalances – perfect for a young child who is struggling to understand why their ears are hurting all of a sudden.

Finishing Up

I hope you found this article useful – it falls in a series of different posts that answer all the questions about what you can and can’t take on a plane. The full list is here, some of them you might find a bit unusual!

Whilst you’re on the site, I specialise in writing about taking sabbaticals – extended periods of time off work.

The biggest barrier for most people is cost – so find out exactly how much a sabbatical costs here: Sabbatical Calculator: Discover Your Long-Term Travel Budget

Thanks for stopping by!

Ben