Anytime you’re going on a trip, it’s a good idea to bring your essential oils along with you so that you can benefit from them even when you’re away from home.

The actual process of bringing them is where things can get tricky… but know that it’s completely possible as long as you make sure that they’re safe and follow a few easy guidelines.

Today we’re going to discuss what you need to know if you’re going to fly with essential oils (good news, it’s not as bad as you think!). We’ll also touch on how to safely transport your essential oils on a long car trip. Finally, we’ll touch on a few of our favorite essential oils to bring along.

Can You Fly With Essential Oils?

Yes, as long as you follow a few guidelines.

If you’re going to check your luggage, you can legally bring along pretty much all the essential oil you’d reasonably want to travel with. Make sure that it’s in a strong storage case so that nothing breaks during the trip.

If you’re traveling light and only have a carry-on bag, things get a little more complex but are certainly doable.

The first thing to understand is the TSA’s “3-1-1” liquids rule. It’s a little difficult to understand at first glance (there’s a shocker!) but it’s not so bad once it clicks.

The general idea is that you can carry on a clear zip-lock bag with as many 3.4 ounce-or-less containers in it as you can reasonably fit in there. The “as many” portion of the rule is a little vague, so use your best judgement—if you’ve got a zip-lock bag with 10 or 15 essential oil bottles inside, you’re probably fine. If it’s at the point to where it’s going to burst open, you’re probably not. Just make sure that you can

Understanding the TSA’s 3-1-1 Liquid Rule for Essential Oils

The 3-1-1 rule is how the TSA regulates the amount of liquid any one passenger can bring onto a plane in their carry-on bag, including essential oils.

The “3” means that the maximum container size for any kind of liquid (like essential oils) cannot be larger than 3.4 ounces. This is roughly equivalent to 100 milliliters. There’s a pretty good chance your essential oil bottles are only 15mL each (it’ll say on the bottle), which is about half an ounce.

Note that you can’t have a bigger container with less than 3.4 ounces of liquid in it. So for example, say you had 3 ounces of liquid in a 6 ounce bottle—you can’t bring that on an airplane. The odds of anyone trying to transport their essential oils like this are pretty slim but we thought we’d mention it for clarity’s sake.

The first “1” is for one zip lock bag.

The second “1” is for one person.

So, you can have one zip lock bag per person filled with essential oils or whatever other liquids you want to carry on. If you’re traveling with your significant other, kids, friends, etc., each person is allowed to have their own bag. (Yes, my husband is my essential oil mule.)

To be double-extra sure about what you can take with you, take a look at the TSA’s official explanation of the 3-1-1 liquids rule here.

Tips for Traveling By Car With Essential Oils

If you’re on a long car trip, you’ll want two things:

• A sturdy carrying case to keep your essential oils safe from bumps, dips, and being jostled around in general.
• A car vent diffuser. Take a look at the ones we carry (they’re seriously awesome, I can’t even imagine driving without one anymore).

If you want to protect your investment, the case is basically non-negotiable. Don’t think that just by tossing your essential oils into the glove compartment or center console that they’ll be safe… when you’re on a long trip, things happen.

Whether or not you decide to get one of our essential oil cases, we suggest that you get a case that’s capable of fitting all your oils and above all is well padded.

What Essential Oils are Good to Have on a Trip?

Bring your favorites! Citronella, peppermint, lemon, and especially lavender are all great choices. If you need a little inspiration, we’ve got a few suggestions and recipes all ready to go for you:

• Reduce travel stress and improve focus with the recipes we discussed in the following post: Everyone is Talking About These Essential Oils That Improve Emotional Health
• Our non-toxic room spray recipe is great for hotel rooms or your car.
• Going camping? Check out our essential oils and camping post: These Essential Oil Recipes Will Make You Love Camping Again.

Safe Travels, Oilers!

If you’re anything like my family, you’ve worked hard to replace the store-bought stuff with all-natural DIY alternatives. With some careful planning, you don’t need to compromise your choices. Take the oils with you and be careful on the road or in the sky!