YES — Allowed in Carry-on Bags on American Airlines
Passports are allowed in checked baggage, but you should NEVER check your passport as you will need it for boarding, customs, and identification.
Can you bring passport on American Airlines?
Quick Answer
Yes — Passport is allowed in carry-on bags on American Airlines flights. Passports are allowed in checked baggage, but you should NEVER check your passport as you will need it for boarding, customs, and identification.
Also known as: visa book, id book, passport booklet
What is passport?
Yes — Passport is allowed in carry-on bags by TSA. Passport is also permitted in checked luggage.
Allowed In Cabin
Passports are allowed in checked baggage, but you should NEVER check your passport as you will need it for boarding, customs, and identification.
Allowed In Hold
Passports are allowed in checked baggage, but you should NEVER check your passport as you will need it for boarding, customs, and identification.
Airline & country baggage checker
Pick your airline or destination to see the limits that apply to Passport.
American Airlines Carriage & Security Policy
49 CFR § 1540.111 — IATA & Aviation Standards
Carriage of passport is governed by TSA security directives under 49 CFR § 1540.111 regarding passenger screening and baggage security. Security rules distinguish sharply between accessible passenger cabin space (where items that could serve as weapons or hazards are prohibited) and cargo hold baggage (where items are safely stowed during flight).
Security Checkpoint Screening Procedure
At the airport screening lane, passport will pass through standard X-ray or CT scanning equipment. Keep passport neatly arranged in your luggage so officers can get a clear image. If an item appears opaque or clustered with wires or dense materials on the monitor, a secondary manual bag search will be conducted. Cooperate with TSA personnel and allow them to inspect the item without opening sealed packaging yourself.
Step-by-Step Packing Guide for American Airlines Passengers
Keep passport and all critical travel documents in a dedicated document organiser in your carry-on — never in checked luggage.
Use a RFID-blocking passport holder to protect chip-enabled documents from electronic skimming at busy airports.
Make digital copies of all important documents and store them securely in cloud storage accessible offline on your phone.
Keep photocopies of key documents separate from the originals — store one set in your carry-on and one in your checked bag.
At security, leave documents in your bag unless an officer specifically requests them; avoid placing passports loose in trays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Verified travel information
This document has been reviewed and verified by our travel reference editors. All statuses, notes and guidelines are checked against live security feeds from the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and CBP (Customs and Border Protection).