Many are asking whether it’s legal to fly with Hemp D9 THC drinks. The short answer is yes, but it’s complicated.
Airlines prohibit illegal drugs in both carry-on bags and checked luggage. However, hemp-derived products with no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis are not federally illegal (the 2018 Farm Bill declared hemp-based products legal).
This technically means that you can travel legally with hemp-derived Delta 9 THC / CBD drinks, IF your airline policy and the states you’re traveling from/to allow it.
Which airlines allow flying with Hemp products?
This is where it gets complex as most airlines are not weed-friendly. To simplify operations across varying cannabis laws, they play it safe with nationwide bans on THC/CBD products.
As of January 1, 2024, only United Airlines allow passengers to bring Hemp products containing low levels of THC in their checked luggage, and flying within states where both THC and CBD are legal.
We called United to double check our research and their response was “You can travel domestically with hemp products, but they must be placed in your checked bag”
No other major airlines in the US explicitly call this out (at least we couldn’t find any). Delta and American Airlines, have a strict no-THC/CBD policy that applies to all flights. This means you cannot bring any THC or CBD products, including Delta 9 THC, even if you have a medical marijuana card or the product is legal in your origin or destination state.
A few other airlines are hinting at potential future changes, including Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, but they are not there yet.
Please check your airline’s policies before packing! You can also get the latest information on what you can fly with from TSA: TSA website
Carry-on or Checked Baggage
We do not recommend adding your THC drinks to your carry-on luggage. TSA only allows 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item in your carry-on (the only exception would be taking drink mixes and powders like from Cann and Realize). Anything larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) must go in your checked bag.
Here are the latest TSA liquid rules.
State laws
States with potentially legal hemp-derived products include: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New, Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Missouri.
All other states have unclear or potentially illegal hemp D9 but things are changing fast.
How many Hemp D9 THC drinks can you fly with?
Generally, there is no limit to the amount of non-alcoholic liquid that can be brought, you just need to make sure you do not exceed the maximum weight limit for your check-in luggage.
So, you could comfortably take a 6, 12 or even an 18 pack of Hemp D9 THC drinks with you in your checked bag. Most D9 THC drinks are between 8oz – 12oz.
Let’s assume you pack 18 x 12oz cans in your checked bag. That would be the equivalent of 13.5 pounds, well under the weight limit for most airlines.
Checklist before flying
- Does your airline have any restrictions prohibiting hemp products? Give them a call if you are unsure.
- Does the State you’re traveling from and to allow you to bring hemp products?
- If you use CBD or THC products for medicinal purposes, bring your medical card
- Keep your products in their original packaging, unopened, which provides transparency to airport staff and security
- If you want to be extra cautious, print out the COA (certificate of analysis) for the product you’re planning on taking with you. All decent THC drink brands have COAs on their website detailing exactly what is in each drink.
- Decide how many THC drinks you’re going to take that keep you under the weight limit.
In summary, make sure you understand the state laws you’re traveling from/to, and your airline policies before flying with Hemp D9 THC drinks. United Airlines seem to be the best airline at present for domestic travel within the US, and hopefully, more airlines will follow suit.
If you’re looking for some great-tasting THC drinks, read our key takeaways from 50 THC drink reviews or check out all our drink reviews to help you decide which is best for you.
Published: January 2024
If you are aware of any airline policy updates, please let us know at support@thcdrinkreviews.com so we can keep this article up to date.
