Airport Do’s and Don’ts: A First-Time Traveller’s Guide 

At Uvagai Ulaa, we want every journey to start stress-free. An airport feels confusing the first time: check-in, baggage drop, security, immigration and gate changes. A little preparation makes it far smoother. 

Before You Leave Home 

Do: 

• Check your flight status. 

• Complete web check-in, which usually opens 48 hours before departure. 

• Check your airline’s cabin and checked baggage allowance. 

• Keep medicines, valuables and electronics in your cabin bag. 

• Charge your phone and power bank. 

• Save hotel, transport and emergency contact details. 

Don’t: 

• Pack at the last minute. 

• Rely only on digital copies of documents. 

• Put valuables in checked baggage. 

When to Reach the Airport 

• Domestic: about 2 hours before departure. 

• International: about 3 hours before departure. 

Know your airline’s counter cut-off. Air India closes domestic check-in 60 minutes before departure and the gate 20 minutes before. International counters close 60 minutes before, or 75 at Delhi. Miss the cut-off and you can be refused boarding. Add extra time on weekends, holidays and festival periods. 

Documents to Carry 

• Domestic: valid government photo ID, ticket and boarding pass. 

• International: passport (check its validity), visa if required, ticket, boarding pass, insurance, accommodation details and destination-specific documents. 

Power Banks: The Rules Have Changed 

• Carry them in your cabin bag only, never checked baggage. 

• Under 100 Wh (roughly 27,000 mAh) is allowed without approval. 100–160 Wh needs airline approval, and Air India doesn’t allow it. Above 160 Wh is banned. 

• Usually a maximum of two per passenger. 

• No use in flight in India, including charging devices from it or charging it from the aircraft’s USB port. 

• Don’t store it in the overhead bin. Keep it under the seat in front of you or on your person. 

• Tell the crew immediately if it gets hot or smokes. 

Liquids, Pickles and Powders 

At Indian airports, cabin liquids, gels and aerosols must be in containers of 100 ml or less, all fitting in one clear 1-litre re-sealable bag. This includes pickles, sauces, oils, ghee, creams and water. 

Prescription liquid medicines and baby food are exempt. Declare them at screening. Pack pickles, ghee and oils in checked baggage. 

Cosmetic powders, kumkum and spices are generally fine in personal quantities. On US-bound flights, powders over 350 ml (12 oz) in cabin baggage can face extra screening or be refused. 

Carrying Money, Gold and Silver 

Personal jewellery and cash are allowed, but paperwork matters. Wear jewellery or keep it in your cabin bag, never checked baggage. Carry purchase bills, hallmark invoices and ID. 

Domestic flights 

• There is no fixed legal limit on gold or cash, but CISF or Income Tax officials may ask about the source of large amounts. 

• Media reports cite an Income Tax guideline of 500 g for a married woman, 250 g for an unmarried woman and 100 g for a man, above which you should carry bills. It’s a guideline, not a law. 

• Reports commonly cite ₹50,000 in cash as the point where you may be asked about the source. 

Leaving India 

• Residents can carry up to ₹25,000 in rupees and USD 3,000 in foreign currency cash, within a USD 10,000 total foreign exchange limit. Use a forex card for the rest. 

• Declare high-value items such as jewellery, cameras and laptops at departure and get an Export Certificate (Form CBD-III) to ease re-import. 

 Returning to India 

• After more than one year abroad, gold jewellery is duty-free up to 40 grams for women and 20 grams for men, by weight. With less than a year abroad, the allowance is zero. 

• Gold bars and coins are always dutiable. This allowance is separate from the ₹75,000 general duty-free allowance. 

• Foreign currency has no upper limit, but file a Currency Declaration Form if notes exceed $5,000 or total foreign exchange exceeds $10,000. 

• Residents may carry ₹25,000 in or out. NRIs, OCIs and foreigners cannot carry rupee notes across the border. 

• Silver has no separate allowance in the sources I found. It generally counts towards your general allowance, so confirm with customs. 

Items You Should Not Carry 

In India, commonly restricted items include firearms, explosives, fireworks, flammable liquids, gas cylinders, pepper spray, knives, scissors and tools in cabin bags, lighters, matches, and e-cigarettes, which are banned. Rules differ by airline, airport and country, so check BCAS or your airline first. 

Items Banned in Popular Countries 

Airport rules and destination rules are different. Something allowed at Indian security can still be banned on arrival. Popular destinations: 

• Singapore: Chewing gum import is banned (therapeutic dental or nicotine gum excepted). Vapes are illegal, with fines up to S$2,000. Durian isn’t banned in the country, but it’s prohibited on MRT trains and buses (fines up to S$500). 

• Thailand: Importing vapes, e-cigarettes and IQOS is illegal, and declaring them doesn’t make them legal. Fines reach 30,000 THB, and jail is possible. 

• UAE: Medicines such as codeine and tramadol need Ministry of Health approval, and a foreign prescription alone isn’t enough. Paan, gutka and supari are banned. Pork and poppy seeds are reported as restricted. Transit passengers must comply too. 

• Maldives: Alcohol, pork, idols of worship and vapes are banned, including duty-free liquor bought en route. Resorts serve alcohol, but local islands don’t. Leave pooja idols at home. 

• Australia and New Zealand: Fresh fruit, meat, eggs, dairy, seeds and wooden items are tightly controlled. Honey is allowed but inspected. Declared goods draw no penalty, while undeclared ones can cost up to A$2,664. 

• USA: Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fresh dairy are banned. Dry spices and commercially sealed pickles are usually fine, but homemade pickles may be seized. Undeclared food can cost up to $1,000. 

• Japan: Medicines with pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Vicks inhaler) or codeine are banned, as are ADHD drugs like Adderall, even with a prescription. Prescription supply is limited to one month. 

• Nepal: ₹500 notes are prohibited. 

For every country: check the customs and embassy websites before you fly, carry medicines in original packaging with a prescription, declare all food, plants and seeds, and leave doubtful items at home. 

Check-In, Security and Immigration 

• Show your documents, drop checked bags, collect the baggage tag and boarding pass. 

• Never leave bags unattended, and don’t accept packages from strangers. 

• At security, follow staff instructions, remove laptops when asked and keep your boarding pass handy. Be ready to show bills for valuables. 

• Don’t argue with staff, joke about weapons or bombs, or leave belongings behind. 

• For international flights, keep your passport, boarding pass and visa ready for immigration. 

Airport security rules and destination customs rules are different. Something allowed through security may still need declaring on arrival, especially food, plants, medicines, currency and gold. 

Find Your Gate and Board 

Check the screens for your gate and boarding time. Gates change, so recheck before you settle in. Before boarding, confirm you have your passport or ID, boarding pass, phone and valuables. 

Don’t Carry These Without Proper Documents 

Often legal, but never without paperwork, and never in checked baggage: 

• Large amounts of cash: withdrawal slips or bank statements. 

• Gold, silver and jewellery: purchase bills and hallmark invoices. 

• Gold bars, coins and bullion: invoices and a customs declaration. 

• Foreign currency: forex receipts, plus a Currency Declaration Form when required. 

• High-value electronics and cameras: an Export Certificate (Form CBD-III). 

• Prescription medicines: original packaging and a doctor’s prescription. 

• Food, plants and animal products: check destination biosecurity rules and declare them. 

• Commercial goods and samples: invoices, as personal allowances don’t cover trade quantities. 

• Other people’s parcels or jewellery: never, without knowing what’s inside and having proof of ownership. 

If you’re unsure, declare it. Declaring may mean paying duty, but hiding items can mean penalties, confiscation and delays. 

Follow the Rules and Regulations 

Several authorities set the rules: your airline (baggage, batteries, cut-offs), BCAS and CISF (security), Indian Customs (allowances and declarations), RBI (currency limits), the Income Tax Department (source of cash and gold) and your destination country. Rules change often, so check official sources before you fly. 

Final Checklist 

• Passport or ID, visa, ticket and boarding pass 

• Hotel and transport details 

• Money, cards and forex cards 

• Bills for jewellery and valuables 

• Medicines and prescription 

• Phone, charger and power bank under 100 Wh 

• Liquids in 100 ml containers in one clear bag 

• Cash, jewellery and valuables in the cabin bag 

• Destination’s banned-items list checked 

• Bags within weight limits 

Rules change often. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current requirements with your airline, BCAS, Indian Customs, RBI and your destination’s customs authority before you fly. 

Prepare well, travel happy. Happy travels from all of us at Uvagai Ulaa.