Our Guide To Bringing Candles On A Plane

If you are travelling abroad and want to carry some of your favourite scented candles with you, you might be wondering what the airline rules are surrounding candles, can you bring them on a plane?

You can bring most standard solid wax candles on board a plane in carry-on and checked luggage, however for gel candles, you will need to put them in your checked luggage due to the liquid allowance and risk of them exploding.

Down below, we’ve made a short guide which will take you through which candles are allowed on a plane, if you can bring matches on a plane, tips for packing candles on a flight and some other gift ideas you can bring on a plane.

Which Kind Of Candles Can I Take On A Plane?

As we mentioned above, you can bring most solid candles on a plane as long as the solid candles are just made from candle wax, gel candles are not allowed on a plane since they are potentially flammable and classed as a liquid, they can be checked in your hold, however.

Examples of some solid candles are beeswax, palm wax, and coconut wax which can be in any type of container. The candles can be any shape too and you can bring an unlimited amount in your bag.

Can I Bring Matches On A Plane?

Now we know you’re allowed candles on a plane as long they are just wax, you might be wondering about matches, are they suitable to take on a flight?

Strike anywhere matches are not allowed on a plane since they could cause a potential fire, they will not be allowed past security checks because of this. However, you can pack one box of safety matches on a plane without any issues.

Electronic lighters are not allowed in checked or carry on luggage due to the potential of them starting a fire.

Tips For Packing Candles On A Flight 

Candles are very fragile to take on a plane, even if your pack them in a candle box, therefore you need to be careful with how you are packing them. 

We’ve listed some essential tips for packing a candle for a flight below.

• Make sure your suitcase is full – Having a suitcase with minimal objects in can make them more likely to crash about and break, therefore make sure your suitcase is full.
• Put the candle in bubble wrap – Wrapping your candles with an inch or two of bubble wrap before flying can help to reduce the chances of it smashing. 
• Utilise clothing – Clothing can be a great material to wrap around your candles, clothing like coats and jackets are good sponging.
• Keep it in the centre – Having your candles in the centre of your suitcase reduces the chances of them crashing around at the sides.
• Put it in a zipper bag – You never know if gel or wax might drip during flight, therefore we suggest putting them in zipper bags to be on the safe side.
• Take more care with ceramic containers – If your candles are in ceramic or glass containers then you need to try and take more care with them while you are flying, use bubble wrap and clothes.
• Ask for a fragile sticker – You can ask for a fragile sticker at the airport free of charge if you are carrying delicate materials to avoid them breaking during transit.
• Avoid wrapping – We would avoid wrapping your candles in case security want to inspect them when flying.

Other Gift Ideas You Can Take On A Flight

If you’ve brought a ceramic candle as a gift or you’re bringing some of your favourite gel wax candles over for a friend, we’ve listed some other gift ideas which are allowed on a plane down below.

• Card games – Card games are a great lightweight gift to pack in your luggage and not to mention fun, they don’t take up too much space inside either.
• A mug – Mugs are a good gift idea which will please anyone, but you need to make sure you’re packing them correctly to avoid them bumping around too much.
• Socks – Fancy socks or funny socks are a good idea to pack as a gift, plus aren’t fragile.
• Headphones – Headphones are another easy gift idea to bring to a friend as a gift, if they are Bluetooth headphones with a lithium-ion battery you might need to pop them in your carry on luggage.
• Scented bath bombs – Scented bath bombs are good for friends who like smelly gifts, just make sure they have a bath first! You can pack them in both your checked and hand luggage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Candles & Planes 

How many candles can you bring on a plane?

There is no limit to the number of candles that you can bring on a plane, we suggest wrapping them well however since the more you have the easier the chance they could break. 

Can I bring soy wax candles in my hand luggage?

Soy wax candles are fine to take on board because they are solid wax, gel candles are the types of candles which are not allowed.

Is it allowed to bring candles on a Ryanair flight?

Yes, you can bring candles on a Ryanair flight you should make sure that they fit into your carry on however because the luggage allowance is restricted.

Final Words

Overall, candles are fine to take on a flight as long as they are solid wax candles, gel candles can only be packed into your checked luggage due to the risk of them exploding. 

Make sure to pack your candles well with bubble wrap and clothing to help minimise the chance of them breaking during flight.