Cabin Bag Liquid Rules for Flights from Bali 2026

On international flights from Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS), every container of liquid, gel or aerosol in your cabin bag can hold at most 100 ml, and all of them must fit in one clear plastic bag with a total capacity of 1 litre (about 30 x 40 cm), one bag per passenger. The legal basis is Director General of Civil Aviation Regulation No. SKEP/43/III/2007 on liquids, aerosols and gels on international flights, as summarised by Hukumonline's legal clinic (updated 7 November 2024, checked October 2026). Domestic flights are a different story; see point 2.

Before you head to the airport: 9 things people miss

• 1. The container size counts, not what is left inside. A 200 ml bottle that is three-quarters empty is still refused on the international lane. Screeners go by the capacity printed on the pack.
• 2. Domestic or international? The title of SKEP/43/III/2007 limits it to international flights. When checked in October 2026, no published Ministry of Transport regulation was found that applies the same 100 ml cap to domestic routes such as Denpasar to Jakarta. That does not mean anything goes: flammable liquids remain banned, and screeners may refuse items they consider dangerous. If you are carrying a large amount of liquid on a domestic flight, ask your airline first.
• 3. Balinese arak. Souvenir arak bottles are almost always far above 100 ml, so on the international lane they will be confiscated at security. Put them in checked luggage, wrapped in clothes. IATA dangerous goods rules ban drinks above 70% alcohol entirely and cap those between 24% and 70% at 5 litres per person in retail packaging. Duty-free limits at your destination are a separate matter; see what Australian airports confiscate from Bali for one example.
• 4. Bottled sambal, jam and honey. Pastes, sauces and spreads count as gels. A 200-250 g glass jar of sambal will not pass in an international cabin bag. Check it in, tape the lid and double-bag it.
• 5. Oils. Virgin coconut oil, spa massage oil and traditional rubbing oil all fall under the liquids rule. Souvenir shops mostly sell 250-500 ml bottles; those go in the hold.
• 6. Perfume, sunscreen and sprays. A 100 ml perfume fits in the clear bag; a 150 ml one does not. Family-size sunscreen and spray mosquito repellent face the same limit.
• 7. Medicine and baby milk are exempt. Article 3(2) of SKEP/43/III/2007 exempts medicines, baby food, drinks and milk, and food or drink for special diets. Carry what you need for the journey, bring a prescription or doctor's letter for liquid medicine, and take these items out at screening so your bag is not unpacked.
• 8. Power banks are checked at the same table. Not a liquid, but often confiscated at the same point. Watt-hour limits and the checked-bag ban are covered in power bank rules on flights from Bali.
• 9. Bring your own clear bag. A 1-litre zip-lock bag costs very little at any minimarket. At the airport, your options shrink to buying one or binning things.

Duty-free after security: how far is it safe?

Article 2 of SKEP/43/III/2007 says liquids bought at airport duty-free shops after screening, or on board, are not subject to the 100 ml limit. A bottle of perfume or spirits from the DPS departure duty-free can come on board with you.

The risk is at your connection. If you change planes and go through security again at another airport, that country's rules apply. Ask the shop to pack the item in a STEB (security tamper-evident bag), a sealed bag with the receipt inside, and do not open it until your final destination. ICAO guidance notes that a broken seal means the liquid can no longer be verified, and it is usually taken. Not every transit airport accepts STEBs, so check your transit airport's website before you buy.

How much alcohol you may bring into Bali on arrival is a separate customs question, covered in how many litres of alcohol you can bring into Bali.

If you are over the limit at screening

Staff will ask you to choose: go back to check-in and put the item in the hold, if the counter is still open and you have time, or leave it behind. Items left at screening are not returned. At DPS, international security comes after immigration, so going back to check-in means repeating part of the process; there is rarely time for that.

One open question: some airports abroad have started relaxing the 100 ml rule thanks to CT scanners. As of October 2026 no official announcement was found that DPS has done the same, so assume the 100 ml limit still applies to every international flight out of Bali.

In short, for your suitcase: arak, sambal and oils go in checked luggage; perfume and skincare at 100 ml or less per container go in one clear bag; medicine and baby milk stay in your hand luggage, with a prescription if you have one.