The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) warns that passengers carrying decks of playing cards in their hand luggage may face additional screening at airport security. The common travel item, often seen as harmless, can appear suspicious on X-ray scanners, leading to manual bag searches that can cause delays.
Why Playing Cards Trigger Security Alerts
According to TSA spokesperson Ian Cava, when cards are stacked tightly together—such as in decks, binders, or graded slabs—the X-ray image can make it difficult for officers to confirm there are no prohibited items concealed in or around them. The dense block of cards can appear “too solid,” prompting staff to open the bag and inspect it by hand. This applies to traditional playing cards, game packs like UNO, and collectable trading cards such as Pokémon.
UNO decks, with 112 cards, are thicker than standard 52-card decks and more likely to set off an alert. The dense organic mass on the X-ray requires additional checks to rule out prohibited items.
Impact on Travel Time
A routine hand search can take around 15 minutes once your bag reaches the inspection point. In busy periods, the queue of bags waiting for manual checks can build up, adding extra time to your journey through security. While the advice comes from the TSA, similar screening principles apply at UK airports.
Many UK airports are rolling out newer 3D security scanners that can reduce false alarms and the need to unpack. However, not all lanes have been upgraded, so older machines may still flag dense items like cards.
Tips to Speed Up the Process
To avoid delays, treat a deck of cards as an item you might need to present separately. Place it in a screening tray at the start rather than waiting for an alert. Avoid metal tins or hard cases, which are common with collectables; a basic cardboard box or plastic case is easier to scan. If you want to eliminate any chance of delays, put cards and games in hold luggage, though checked bags risk being knocked about or misplaced.
Other Surprising Items: Snow Globes
Another item that can cause issues at UK airport security is a snow globe. Most UK airports completely prohibit them in hand luggage because they lack an official manufacturer's volume label on the glass, making it impossible to confirm the liquid volume is under 100ml. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) enforces stricter regulations than the US TSA, which permits small snow globes about the size of a tennis ball.
If you are pulled aside, try not to panic or argue with staff, as this can only slow things down further. Keeping the deck near the top of your bag makes it quicker to show and re-pack.
