Flying Home From MSY With King Cake, Hot Sauce and Mardi Gras Souvenirs

New Orleans is a city people take home with them. A box of pralines for the office, a bottle of hot sauce for a friend who cooks, a king cake for the family, a bag of beads from a parade route. The trouble starts at security at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, when a souvenir turns out to be a liquid, a gel or something the TSA officer wants to look at more closely. Here's how the rules generally apply to the things visitors most often try to bring home, and how to pack so you don't have to leave anything behind.

The One Rule That Matters Most: 3-1-1

The TSA's liquids rule for carry-on bags is usually summarized as 3-1-1: liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less, all fitting in one quart-size bag, with one bag per passenger. Anything bigger has to go in a checked bag. Solid foods, by contrast, are generally allowed in carry-on bags, though they may be inspected.

The simplest test for any souvenir: can you spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it? If yes, treat it like a liquid. TSA officers make the final decision at the checkpoint, and the TSA's online "What Can I Bring?" tool, also in the myTSA app, lets you search specific items before you pack.

King Cake

Plain king cake is a bread-like pastry, and as a solid food it's generally allowed in a carry-on bag. Filled king cakes are trickier. Cream cheese, fruit or custard fillings, and extra containers of icing, can be treated as gels, and a past MSY advisory warned travelers that filled cakes might not be allowed through the checkpoint. If you're carrying a filled cake, the safer choice is a checked bag or shipping it from the bakery.

• Keep it in its box and pack it last, on top, so it doesn't get crushed.
• Expect inspection. Boxed baked goods often get a second look on X-ray.
• Don't forget the baby. The small plastic baby is often packaged separately — pack it with the cake so it doesn't get lost.

Hot Sauce and Other Bottled Sauces

Hot sauce is a liquid, so the 3-1-1 rule applies. Most standard bottles sold in shops are larger than 3.4 ounces, which means they belong in a checked bag. Small sample-size bottles can go in your quart-size bag. The same goes for remoulade, cane syrup, barbecue sauce and any jarred seasoning paste.

When checking bottles, wrap each in a zip-top bag and then in clothing, and pack them in the center of the suitcase. Spilled hot sauce in a suitcase is a memorable way to end a vacation.

Pralines, Candy and Baked Goods

Pralines are solid candy, so they're generally fine in a carry-on. The same is true for cookies, bread, boxed candies and most baked goods. Keep them in their original packaging when possible; it helps at screening and protects them from crumbling.

Coffee, Spice Blends and Beignet Mix

Ground coffee, Cajun seasoning blends and beignet mix are popular take-homes. Spices are generally allowed in carry-on bags, but TSA asks that powder-like substances over 12 ounces in carry-on bags be placed in a separate bin for screening, and they may require additional screening. To keep things simple, put large bags of coffee or mix in your checked luggage.

Gumbo, Jambalaya and Other Prepared Foods

Soups, sauces, gumbo and étouffée are liquids or gels for screening purposes. In general, they need to go in checked bags unless they're in small containers. Dishes like jambalaya and red beans may be inspected and could be judged by the officer depending on their consistency. If you're determined to take a favorite dish home, consider buying it frozen and checking it, or ask the restaurant or market whether they ship.

Beads, Masks and Other Mardi Gras Throws

Beads, doubloons, plush toys and masks are fine to fly with. The real challenge is volume and weight — a serious parade haul can be surprisingly heavy, and strings of beads make a dense lump on X-ray. A few tips:

• Bag them separately. Packing beads in their own bag makes screening easier if an officer wants to check.
• Watch your bag weight. Airlines charge for overweight checked bags, and beads add up fast.
• Be selective. Keep the special throws and leave the rest with friends or donation programs that collect beads for reuse.

Visiting for Carnival? Our guide to Mardi Gras dates and parade schedules covers planning around the season, including getting to and from the airport.

Alcohol and Drink Mixes

Bottles of liquor, cocktail mixes and other drinks larger than 3.4 ounces need to go in checked bags. The FAA and TSA allow most alcoholic beverages in checked luggage within certain limits based on alcohol content, and very high-proof spirits are restricted entirely; check the TSA website for the current rules. Wrap glass bottles carefully, and remember that alcohol bought at a shop after you clear security is a separate matter.

When Shipping Makes More Sense

If your souvenirs won't fit the rules or your suitcase, shipping is often the easiest answer. Many New Orleans bakeries, candy shops and specialty food stores ship king cakes, pralines, coffee and sauces across the country, especially during Carnival season. Shipping also solves the fragile-item problem for glass bottles and delicate pastries. Ask at the shop before you buy — it may save you a checked bag and a worried look at the scale.

Leave Time at MSY's Single Checkpoint

MSY's terminal has one consolidated security checkpoint serving all gates. That makes navigation simple, but it also means everyone flying out passes through the same place, and lines grow during busy periods — especially Sunday afternoons after festivals, conventions and Mardi Gras weekends. If you're checking a bag full of souvenirs, you'll also need time at the airline counter first. Our guide to the MSY terminal layout covers where everything is.

As a general guideline, airlines recommend arriving at least two hours before a domestic flight, and more when you're checking bags on a busy travel day.

Pack Before You Leave the Hotel

The best place to sort out your souvenirs is your hotel room, not the security line. Before your ride arrives:

1. Pull out anything liquid or gel that's bigger than 3.4 ounces and pack it in your checked bag.
2. Put small liquids in your quart-size bag.
3. Box or wrap baked goods so they survive the trip.
4. Weigh your checked bag if you can — many hotels have a luggage scale at the front desk.

Getting to the Airport

A departure ride with a professional chauffeur means you're not wrestling a heavy suitcase, a king cake box and a bag of beads onto a shuttle. Our MSY departure drop-off service takes you directly to the departures curb for your airline. A Lincoln Nautilus carries three passengers with four bags, a Chevrolet Suburban five passengers with five bags, and a Mercedes Sprinter up to thirteen passengers with thirteen bags — handy for a group heading home together. Call (877) 609-1919 or book online.