Will Wine Explode on a Plane? (+ Packing Tips)

Now that you know your bottles of wine won’t explode mid-flight, it’s time to plan how to pack them safely.

7 steps to packing wine in checked luggage

1. Check your bottle and make sure it’s in good shape: completely closed, no cracks, and no leaking from the cork. Missing any of this could have your bottle break before you even get to the airport.
2. Place your bottle in a self-sealing bag. Even though your bottle isn’t going to explode during the flight, luggage gets tossed around at the airport every day – so if the bottle isn’t well protected, you’re risking a pretty messy accident. Considering the worst-case scenario of damaging practically everything in your luggage, you’ll want to start by protecting all of your stuff from possible leaking with an enclosed, self-sealing plastic bag.
3. Now’s your chance to give your bottle of wine some love and clothe it properly. This means covering it in bubble wrap, using a shirt you wouldn’t mind sacrificing, or a hefty towel. (Keep reading into the next section for more details on what to wrap the bottle with!) Also, if your wine comes with a box, you can place the wrapped bottle inside the box for even more shielding inside your luggage.
4. Find a strategic position inside your luggage for the bottle. Avoid the corners, bottom, and top – all of which are likely to take the hardest hits as your luggage gets tossed around. Your best bet is to create a cushion with your clothes to give your sealed-and-wrapped bottle that last level of protection.
5. Strap up the interior of your luggage. After placing everything where it belongs and building a solid fortress around your bottle of wine, make sure to immobilize the interior as much as possible by using the bag’s included straps.
6. Repeat this process (steps 1–4) with as many bottles of wine as you need.
7. Enjoy your wine-full worry-free flight!

So we’ve determined that your bottle of wine won’t explode on a plane, and how to best package it to protect its delicious contents. But what exactly can you use to package and protect it?

You can now buy gadgets specifically for keeping your wine safe during travel. In this section, I’ll cover several options you can pack when you want stronger protection than a sock-and-prayer strategy.

Inflatable Bags for Packing Wine

Best Overall Wine Protection

Inflatable Wine Travel Bags

Reusable air-cushion sleeves that protect bottles from impact without adding much weight to your checked bag.

ProtectionAir Cushion

Best ForChecked Bags

VerdictBest Overall

Check Price

$8.98 on Amazon, price may vary

Inflatable bags wrap around your bottle and create an air cushion that absorbs impacts. They’re lightweight, easy to pack, and useful for travelers who regularly bring bottles home from trips.

You just place the bottle inside, inflate through the valve, and the bag expands to fit snugly around it. The air layer does all the heavy lifting if your suitcase takes a hit. They’re also reusable, which makes them a solid long-term investment for anyone who brings wine home from trips regularly.

WineSkin to Cover Wine Bottles

2

Best Padded Sleeve

WineSkin Bottle Transport Bag

PaddedWaterproofNo inflation

$27.99Check live price

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WineSkin is a flexible, padded envelope built specifically for wine bottles. It’s got a waterproof exterior, so even if the bottle cracks somehow, the liquid stays contained and doesn’t ruin everything else in your suitcase.

Slide the bottle in, seal it shut, and you’re good. The padding absorbs impacts, and the waterproof layer acts as a failsafe. It’s one of the simplest options – no inflating, no fuss.

Wine Diaper to Keep Your Wine from Losing it

3

Best Leak Backup

Wine Diaper Bottle Protector

AbsorbentPaddedReusable

$19.99Check live price

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The Wine Diaper works differently from the options above – instead of just padding, it’s made of a soft, absorbent material that actually soaks up liquid if a leak happens. Think of it as a safety net for worst-case scenarios.

Place the bottle inside, seal it, and the padded exterior handles impact protection while the absorbent lining handles leaks. If your main concern is keeping the rest of your luggage dry even if something goes wrong, this is the option to go with.

Bubble Wrap to Keep Your Wine in One Piece

4

Best Budget Padding

Bubble Wrap Cushioning Rolls

Low costCustom wrapMultipurpose

$21.99Check live price

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Bubble wrap is the simplest budget option. You can buy it in all shapes and sizes, and it’s easy to find at dollar stores or convenience stores.

You can go with the classic rounded bubble wrap and roll it as many times as you want around your bottle so it becomes the exact shape you need.

Clothing (the DIY Method)

Covering your bottle of wine in clothes is the DIY, at-home method that many travelers have used at least once. It is not glamorous, but it works: wrap the bottle in soft clothing, keep it centered in the suitcase, and use enough layers that glass never sits directly against a hard corner.

There isn’t much to this technique: roll your bottle of wine in as many layers of clothes as you can (ideally, not your favorite attire) and for extra protection, “seal it” with a large rubber band or hair tie so the clothes don’t come apart.

This is the riskier option for your clothes, but if you want to save money, it’s definitely better than nothing.

Wine Bottle Protection at a Glance

RankProductProtectionBest UseReusablePrice

1

Inflatable Wine Bags

Best Overall

Air cushion

Checked bags

Yes

$8.98

View

2

WineSkin Transport Bag

Best Padded Sleeve

Padded sleeve

Quick packing

Limited

$27.99

View

3

Wine Diaper Protector

Best Leak Backup

Absorbent liner

Leak control

Yes

$19.99

View

4

Bubble Wrap Rolls

Best Budget Padding

Cushion wrap

Budget trips

No

$21.99

View

This is a specific question, but one we’ve seen and heard often: will sparkling wine explode on a plane?

No – when it comes to wine bottles breaking on a plane, there’s no difference between sparkling wine and any other kind.

As I mentioned earlier, airplane compartments are pressurized and climate-controlled so they maintain constant pressure and temperature. Your bottle of wine (sparkling or not) doesn’t need to fear spontaneously spilling its goods.

Also, don’t forget to weigh your bag! Adding liquids to your luggage might increase the weight considerably, so make sure you don’t exceed the limits. Here are a few options for weighing your luggage.

Can you take alcohol on a plane in hand luggage?

Although this might be a bit obvious for frequent travelers, there are limitations to the liquids you can take on a plane in hand luggage.

Travelers are limited to 3.4-ounce bottles, and only the amount that fits in a quart-sized, clear zip-top bag. So the only way to take wine with you onboard is to buy mini-size bottles of wine (1.7 ounces).

How many bottles of alcohol can you bring in checked luggage?

Good news! In the US, according to the TSA, alcoholic beverages with alcohol levels under 24% aren’t subject to quantity limitations when in checked luggage. For reference, wine typically falls between 9% and 16%.

Alcoholic beverages between 24% and 70% are a different story. Per the TSA:

“Alcoholic beverages with more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol are limited in checked bags to 5 liters (1.3 gallons) per passenger and must be in unopened retail packaging. Alcoholic beverages with 24% alcohol or less are not subject to limitations in checked bags.”

Different countries have different rules about how much alcohol you can carry in checked luggage, so keep that in mind when you travel internationally.

So how many bottles can you bring?

In the cabin, effectively none. A standard 750ml bottle is more than seven times the 3.4 ounce limit, so the only wine that clears a checkpoint is miniatures small enough to share the quart bag with everything else you are carrying. Duty-free bought after security is the exception, though the allowance is set by your destination and by any country you connect through, and a connection can put the bottle back through screening.

In the hold, the limit is not a bottle count at all. Wine sits under 24 percent ABV, which the TSA does not cap, so what actually stops you is weight. Most airlines allow 50 pounds per checked bag and charge somewhere between $25 and $100 for going over. A 750ml bottle with its packaging runs roughly 3 pounds, so a case of twelve is about 36 pounds before you add a single item of clothing. That arithmetic decides the number, not a rule.

Can I buy alcohol in duty-free stores and take it on the plane? (+ connecting flight warnings)

Of course! You can buy your bottles of wine or alcohol in duty-free shops while you’re waiting for your plane and bring them with you onboard.

Here’s the catch though: if you have a connecting flight and need to pass through a TSA security checkpoint again, your bag will be subject to the normal carry-on restrictions and you won’t be able to access your checked luggage to pack it.

If you’ve got any kind of connecting flights, buy the alcohol at the last duty-free stop before arriving at your final destination.

Will Prosecco Explode on a Plane?

It’s highly unlikely. While changes in air pressure can affect the pressure inside a sealed bottle, they won’t cause it to explode. The bigger risk is the bottle breaking or leaking from rough handling during travel, so pack it carefully using one of the methods above.

Will Alcohol Explode on a Plane?

It’s safe to travel with alcohol on a plane. A sealed bottle could potentially break or leak from rough handling, but it won’t explode from cabin pressure changes. Pack it carefully and you’ll be fine.

Can I Take an Unopened Bottle of Wine Through Airport Security?

Yes, but only in checked luggage. The TSA allows up to 5 liters of alcohol per passenger in checked bags (for bottles with no more than 24% alcohol content, like wine). Higher-alcohol bottles may be allowed but they’ll go through additional screening. You can’t bring a full-size bottle through the carry-on security checkpoint. For the bottle-by-bottle math, we break down how many wine bottles are allowed per passenger.

Wine in Checked Baggage on an International Flight

You’re usually fine to pack wine in checked luggage on an international flight. Check the rules of your specific airline and the laws at your destination – some countries restrict how much alcohol you can bring in. And pack it carefully to avoid breakage or leaks.

Can You Bring a Wine Glass On a Plane?

No matter how much you love your favorite wine glass at home, it’s not recommended to bring it on a plane. Airlines don’t allow glass items including wine glasses due to safety concerns. Even if the glass is packed with enough cushion to prevent breakage, airport security checkpoints don’t accept glass for travel and will have it removed.

Will a Champagne Bottle Explode on a Plane?

It’s highly unlikely for a champagne bottle to explode on a plane from pressure changes. The real risk is the same as with any glass bottle – rough handling during travel can cause it to break or leak. Pack it using one of the protection methods above (inflatable bags, WineSkin, Wine Diaper, or bubble wrap) and it should arrive intact.