TSA would like to help you get through the security checkpoint quickly and have a safe flight to your destination. Our Transportation Security Officers will be working around the clock to provide an efficient security process. We're asking you to become an active partner in your security experience by knowing the rules and carefully packing your carry-on bags.

Pack smart to get through faster. Keep luggage organized by layering items; this will increase visibility for the security officers. When approaching the checkpoint, be prepared. Boarding pass and ID should be ready for inspection, outer garments and shoes must come off, any loose metal items should be placed in your carry-on, and all liquids must come out of bags. All liquids must be kept in the 3-1-1 format unless needed for special medical purposes.

Here's how to SimpliFLY  your overall security experience:

• Pack an organized carry-on bag using layers – a layer of clothes, then electronic, more clothes, and then any heavier items. This will help security officers see what's in your bag.
• Have your boarding pass and ID ready for inspection when you get to the checkpoint.
• Remove your coat and shoes and place them in a bin.
• Place any oversized electronics (laptops, full-size video game consoles, DVD players and video cameras that use cassettes) in a separate bin. iPods and other smaller electronics can stay in your carry-on bag.
• Follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids and put your one quart baggie separately in the bin.
• When in doubt, leave it out. If you're not sure about whether you can bring an item through the checkpoint, put it in your checked bag or leave it at home. Click here to see the list of prohibited items.

Pack Simply to Fly Through Security

The images below show a group of items packed two ways: the items on the left are packed neatly and the items on the right are loose and cluttered. In these images, you can clearly see what all the items are, but our Transportation Security Officers don't see your bag like this - they see an X-ray image on a screen. And they have to quickly determine if your bag contains a potential threat. You know you're not a threat, but our TSOs don't know you, and seemingly innocent items can actually appear to be potential threats in an X-ray image, simply by the way they're packed.