Yes. TSA allows cigarettes in both carry-on and checked bags. You can't smoke them on board: federal rules ban smoking on U.S. passenger flights, and your lighter is limited to one, carried in the cabin.
Carry-on bagAllowed
Cigarettes are allowed through the checkpoint with no quantity limit set by TSA.
Checked bagAllowed
Cigarettes are allowed in checked bags. Lighters and matches are a separate matter: they generally can't go in checked bags.
Checked against official TSA, FAA and government pages on . These are US rules unless we say otherwise; the TSA officer at the checkpoint makes the final call.
The rules in numbers
- Cigarettes: allowed in carry-on and checked bags
- Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is prohibited on scheduled U.S. passenger flights, lavatories included
- To light them later: 1 lighter or 1 book of safety matches, carried in the cabin
Packing tips
- Put your lighter in your carry-on or pocket, not your checked bag, along with your cigarettes.
- Smoking or vaping in an airplane lavatory is a federal violation, not just an airline rule.
- Bringing cigarettes into another country? Duty-free allowances are set by the destination's customs, not TSA.
Questions people ask
Can I bring cigarettes on a plane?
Yes, in your carry-on or checked bag. You just can't smoke them on the flight.
How many packs of cigarettes can I bring on a plane?
TSA sets no limit for screening. Customs limits may apply when you arrive in another country.