Can You Bring a Vibrator on a Plane? A Canadian Guide to Travelling With Sex Toys

Yes, you can travel with pleasure. You just need to know how to pack it.

There are things you expect to think about before a trip: passport, charger, shoes you probably won't wear. Whether your vibrator can go through airport security usually isn't one of them. But if you're travelling from Canada with a sex toy, a little preparation can save you from an awkward suitcase shuffle at security and make sure your favourite travel companion arrives with you.

So, can you bring a vibrator on a plane in Canada? Generally, yes. The more important questions are how it's powered, where you pack it and where you're going.

CAN YOU BRING A VIBRATOR IN YOUR CARRY-ON IN CANADA?

For most ordinary personal electronic devices, Canadian aviation guidance allows and in the case of lithium-battery devices, recommends carrying them in your cabin baggage.

Transport Canada advises travellers to keep lithium batteries and lithium-battery-powered devices in carry-on baggage rather than checked luggage, and to check individual airline requirements before flying. Transport Canada

Since many modern rechargeable vibrators and pleasure devices contain lithium-ion batteries, your carry-on is generally the better place for them. That also means there's a possibility your bag could receive additional screening. CATSA notes that carry-on baggage passes through X-ray screening and may be searched if an item requires further inspection. CATSA

Our advice? Pack accordingly and don't panic. Airport security has seen luggage far more interesting than yours.

USE THE TRAVEL LOCK

This tiny feature suddenly becomes very important at 30,000 feet.

If your vibrator has a travel lock, use it before packing. It prevents accidental activation while the device is tucked inside your bag and helps conserve its battery.

The Womanizer Liberty 2, for example, was designed specifically with travel in mind: compact dimensions, a travel lock and a protective case that keeps the toy covered while packed.

For devices without a travel lock, make sure they're fully switched off and protected from accidental activation.

Because there are few sounds less welcome from the overhead compartment.

WHAT ABOUT LUBRICANT?

This is where the familiar airport liquid rules apply.

For flights departing from Canadian airports, CATSA states that liquids, aerosols and gels in carry-on baggage must generally be in containers of 100 mL or less, with the containers fitting inside a single clear, closed and resealable bag with a maximum capacity of 1 litre. CATSA

So if lubricant is joining you:

Carry-on: choose a container of 100 mL or less and include it with your other liquids.

Checked baggage: larger containers can generally be packed there, provided the item itself isn't otherwise prohibited. CATSA

And perhaps put it inside another sealed bag. That's not an aviation regulation. That's us caring about your clothes.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TRAVEL SEX TOY?

Technically, plenty of toys can travel. That doesn't mean you'll want to pack them. For something genuinely travel-friendly, we look for:

• Compact size. It shouldn't require sacrificing half your wardrobe.
• Travel lock. Particularly useful for rechargeable toys.
• Protective case or cap. Better for hygiene and easier to pack.
• Rechargeable design. No collection of loose batteries rolling around your luggage.
• Easy cleaning. Especially useful when you're moving between destinations.
• Discreet design. Sometimes you simply don't need your entire suitcase knowing what's inside.

This is why products such as Womanizer Liberty 2 and the lipstick-inspired Womanizer Beauty make particularly good travel companions: they're compact by design rather than merely small enough to squeeze into a bag.

CAN YOU PUT A RECHARGEABLE VIBRATOR IN CHECKED LUGGAGE?

This is where we would err on the side of the carry-on.

Transport Canada's current passenger guidance says lithium batteries should travel with you in your carry-on baggage rather than checked luggage. It also recommends checking your airline's specific rules because carriers may impose additional requirements. Transport Canada

Spare lithium batteries and power banks receive particularly strict treatment and should be carried in the cabin and protected against short circuits. Transport Canada

If you're unsure what battery your device contains, check the manufacturer's specifications before you pack.

WHAT ABOUT AIRPORT SECURITY?

Your carry-on goes through security screening just like everyone else's. Could a screening officer need to inspect your bag? Yes. CATSA says bags can require additional searches when screening officers need to examine an item more closely. CATSA

Is owning a vibrator unusual? Not remotely. Pack it clean, switched off and preferably inside its own pouch or case. If additional screening is required, deal with it exactly as you would any other personal item.

No elaborate explanation necessary.

TRAVELLING INTERNATIONALLY? CHECK BEFORE YOU PACK.

This is the part we'd take more seriously. Airport security rules in Canada don't determine what another country allows you to bring across its border.

Local laws and customs apply once you travel internationally, and they can differ significantly from Canadian rules. The Government of Canada recommends checking the Travel Advice and Advisories for your destination before travelling, particularly the information on local laws and customs. CATSA

That matters with intimate products. Before packing a sex toy for an international trip, check the rules for both your destination and any country where you'll transit. Don't assume that something legal and ordinary in Canada will be treated identically everywhere else.

BEFORE YOU ZIP THE SUITCASE

A quick check:

• Clean and completely dry your toy.
• Activate the travel lock if it has one.
• Use a protective cap, pouch or case.
• Check whether the device contains a lithium battery.
• Keep lithium-battery devices in your carry-on according to current Canadian guidance.
• Keep carry-on lubricant at 100 mL or less and inside your liquids bag.
• Check your airline's battery and baggage requirements.
• Check local laws before travelling internationally.

Then pack the passport.

PLEASURE, PACKED.

The best travel-friendly sex toys don't need to be compromised versions of what you'd use at home. They're simply designed to go places.

Compact Womanizers, mini vibrators, discreet wearable toys and app-controlled couples devices can all earn their place in the suitcase — particularly when they're easy to clean, easy to store and impossible to accidentally switch on somewhere over the Atlantic.

Explore the Smukke House edit of Travel-Friendly Sex Toys →

PLEASE NOTE

Travel, airline, security and customs requirements can change and may vary by airline, airport, destination and connecting country. This guide is provided for general information only and should not be considered legal or travel advice. Before travelling with intimate products, batteries, liquids or other restricted items, always confirm current requirements directly with your airline, CATSA or the applicable security authority, and the government or customs authority for your destination and any transit countries. Smukke House cannot guarantee that a particular product will be permitted in carry-on or checked baggage.