Yes — tablets, inhalers, insulin and other medicines can go through Bristol Airport security in your hand luggage. Because Bristol uses CT scanners, the usual 100ml liquids cap doesn't apply here: liquid, gel or aerosol medicines are allowed up to 2 litres per container with no paperwork needed. Only above 2 litres do you need to show a prescription label or a letter from your doctor. Checked against Bristol Airport's own security page, 2026.
The quick answer
- Tablets and capsules: no restriction, no proof needed, in hand or hold luggage.
- Liquid, gel or aerosol medicines up to 2 litres per container: allowed in hand luggage with no paperwork, thanks to Bristol's CT scanners.
- Liquid medicines over 2 litres: allowed, but you must carry proof — a prescription label or a signed letter from your doctor naming you as the patient — and present it to a security officer before screening.
- Insulin, hypodermic needles and asthma inhalers: allowed; insulin in liquid form needs a prescription if you're carrying more than you'd use on the flight.
- Medical equipment (CPAP, TENS machines, heart monitors): allowed, screened separately from your bags.
Why Bristol's rule is different from most UK airports
Most UK airports still enforce the older 100ml-per-container liquids limit, which means medicines over 100ml normally need a doctor's letter or prescription to pass through hand luggage. Bristol Airport finished rolling out CT (computed tomography) security scanners, which image liquids in far more detail than older X-ray machines, so it can safely raise that limit. Bristol's own security page confirms the airport's current maximum for any single liquid container is 2 litres, and you don't need to separate liquids into a clear plastic bag either.
That 2-litre ceiling applies to medicines too. In practice this means most people travelling with liquid medication — eye drops, cough syrup, a large bottle of a prescribed liquid, baby Calpol — can simply keep it in their normal hand luggage at Bristol without hunting for a doctor's letter, as long as each container is under 2 litres. The paperwork requirement only kicks in for genuinely large volumes above that.
One thing to plan for if you're flying onward: if you're connecting through another airport, that airport's own liquids rule applies on the next leg, and many UK and European airports still cap hand-luggage liquids at 100ml for anything without proof. Keep any prescription or doctor's letter with you for the return leg or a connection, even if Bristol itself didn't ask for it.
Carrying specific types of medication
Insulin and diabetes supplies
Insulin, needles, blood glucose monitors and other diabetes equipment are allowed through Bristol Airport security. If your insulin is in liquid form and you're carrying more than a single flight's worth, bring your prescription or a letter from your GP or diabetes team confirming what you carry and why — it speeds up the conversation if a security officer asks, even though Bristol's 2-litre allowance means you may not strictly need it for the volume involved.
Inhalers and asthma medication
Inhalers are allowed in hand luggage without restriction, in any quantity reasonable for your trip.
Liquid or syrup medicines (including for children)
Cough syrup, liquid paracetamol and similar over-the-counter liquid medicines are treated the same as any other liquid medicine: fine up to 2 litres per container at Bristol, with proof only required above that.
CPAP machines, oxygen and mobility equipment
CPAP machines, portable oxygen concentrators and mobility scooters have their own rules on batteries and airline approval as well as security screening — see our CPAP, oxygen and mobility scooter guide for the full picture.
What to do at the security line
You don't need to remove medicines from your bag or put them in a separate clear bag at Bristol. If you're carrying a liquid medicine over 2 litres, or if a security officer asks, be ready to show:
- A prescription label with your name on it, or
- A signed letter from your doctor or medical practitioner naming you and stating you need the medicine.
You shouldn't carry medication prescribed to someone else. Equipment like heart rate monitors or a sharps container for used needles is screened separately and is fine to bring.
Related reading
For the general liquids allowance that isn't medicine-specific, see our 100ml liquids rule at Bristol Airport guide (updated for the 2-litre CT scanner change). If you're flying with a baby, our flying with a baby from Bristol guide covers baby milk and food allowances specifically. Rules and screening technology can change; this page is checked against Bristol Airport's own published security guidance, 2026.
FAQs
Do I need a doctor's note for medication at Bristol Airport?
Only if your liquid, gel or aerosol medicine is over 2 litres in a single container. Below that, Bristol's CT scanners mean no paperwork is required.
Can I bring insulin through Bristol Airport security?
Yes. Insulin, needles and diabetes monitoring equipment are allowed. If your insulin is liquid and the quantity is large, bring a prescription or GP letter in case it's asked for.
Do I need to put my liquid medicine in a clear plastic bag at Bristol Airport?
No. Bristol doesn't require liquids, including medicines, to be bagged separately — keep them in your normal hand luggage.
What's the liquid medicine limit at Bristol Airport?
2 litres per container without any proof needed, higher than the 100ml most UK airports still enforce, because Bristol uses CT security scanners.
Can I take tablets through security without a prescription?
Yes. Tablets and capsules have no restriction and need no proof, whether or not they're prescribed to you.
Will the liquid rule be different if I'm connecting through another airport?
Yes, possibly. Other airports, including ones you connect through, may still cap liquids at 100ml without proof, so keep any prescription or doctor's letter with you for the rest of your journey.