BOISE, Idaho – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today displayed a collection of the Top 10 prohibited items found by security screening officers in carry-on luggage at five different Idaho airports in 2024. All of the items were discovered during routine X-ray screening in the security checkpoint.
Here is a description of Idaho’s Top 10 prohibited items for 2024:
| #10 | Idaho Falls | AR-15 magazines | These magazines are designed for use with a rifle and come in various capacities. Bring one, let alone two, to the checkpoint and you will be questioned by law enforcement and likely fined. January 2024 |
| # 9 | Boise | Large hunting knife | TSA officers always ask passengers before a bag check if there is anything in the bag that is sharp or could injure them. Hope the passenger said yes! March 2024 |
| # 8 | Lewiston | 19 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition | Whether traveling with a single round - or 19 of them - ammunition must be transported in checked baggage and declared to the airline. Don’t forget to make sure it is packaged properly. February 2024 |
| # 7 | Idaho Falls | Sledgehammer | This item is used to break through concrete, brick and other hardened surfaces. Did the passenger forget that no inflight construction projects are allowed? May 2024 |
| #6 | Boise | Bowie knife | Named after frontiersman Jim Bowie, this knife can be used for many purposes. Regardless of how it is used, knives, including this one with a clip point perfect for piercing and precision work, are never allowed in carry-on luggage. May 2024 |
| # 5 | Sun Valley | Large slingshot | This one hits the bullseye on our prohibited items list! Guidance on how to travel with various sporting equipment is available on the “What Can I Bring?” tool at TSA.gov. August 2024 |
| # 4 | Twin Falls | Double-edged knife | Any way you slice it and despite its unique decorative handle, this double-edge knife can’t travel in carry-on luggage. Next time, check it. July 2024 |
| # 3 | Boise | Knife and firearm magazine | Two wrongs didn’t make a right. That’s what a passenger found out when they brought this knife and a Sig Sauer 9 mm magazine in a single carry-on. September 2024 |
| # 2 | Idaho Falls | Handsaw | Handsaws are handy, but no DIY projects are allowed post-security or onboard an aircraft. Please place anything with a blade in checked baggage. Every time. November 2024 |
| # 1 | Boise | Firearms of all types | A .6 mm BB gun, a non-functional 3-D printed Glock, a pepper spray infused replica firearm and two loaded handguns all came to the BOI security checkpoint in December. Thank you to the TSA officers who intercepted these items and kept them off the plane. December 2024 |
Earlier this week, TSA revealed its national list of Top 10 prohibited items from 2024. You can see the full list on the agency’s X account.
When a TSA officer discovers a prohibited item in carry-on luggage, they offer the traveler the opportunity to place that item in checked luggage, turn it over to a non-traveling family member or friend or return it to their vehicle if it is parked nearby. If the traveler opts not to do any of the above, they can abandon the item to TSA for disposal. Anything that resembles an explosive, whether inert, active or a replica, is never allowed in carry-on or checked baggage.
TSA officers are never permitted to allow a prohibited item into the sterile area of the airport. If the item is illegal locally, TSA will notify airport law enforcement to resolve the matter. Some items are not allowed to travel on an aircraft because they are considered an explosive or hazardous materials.
TSA officers encounter prohibited items daily at the security checkpoint and each discovery slows down the security screening process for all travelers. Just this week, TSA announced its annual Top 10 list of items discovered during screening in 2024 at airports nationwide.
In addition to these prohibited items, TSA officers discovered a record 64 firearms at Idaho’s six airports in 2024`. Every one of these firearms was discovered during the routine X-ray screening of carry-on property in the security checkpoint.
Below is a summary of TSA firearm discoveries by airport for the past six years. Not only was a record set for TSA Idaho, TSA officers at two airports - BOI and IDA – discovered a record number of firearms in 2024.
2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Boise Airport (BOI) | 19 | 22 | 34 | 40 | 42 | 49 |
| Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 13 |
| Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport (LWS) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Magic Valley Regional Airport (TWF) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Idaho total: | 24 | 24 | 40 | 49 | 47 | 64 |
When a TSA officer sees the image of a firearm on the X-ray screen, TSA immediately notifies the local airport law enforcement agency, which responds to the security checkpoint. A law enforcement officer removes the firearm from the X-ray tunnel and makes contact with the traveler. What happens to the firearm and the traveler is up to the discretion of the airport law enforcement agency.
In addition to potential criminal citations for bringing a firearm in carry-on luggage, TSA can levy a civil penalty against the traveler of up to $14,950. Among the factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition. Even if a traveler has a concealed weapons permit, firearms are not permitted in carry-on luggage.
Individuals who violate rules regarding traveling with firearms will have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck® expedited screening benefits revoked for a period of time. The duration of the disqualification will depend upon the seriousness of the offense and if there is a repeated history of violations. They will also receive enhanced security screening during their travels.
Firearms can be transported on a commercial aircraft only if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage. Any type of replica firearm is prohibited in carry-on baggage and must be transported in checked luggage.
At the airport during the check-in process, a passenger needs to go to the airline ticket counter to declare the firearm, ammunition and any firearm parts. Prior to traveling, passengers are encouraged to check gun laws and regulations at their destination to ensure they are in compliance with local and state laws. TSA also recommends travelers check with their airline prior to their flight to ensure they comply with any airline-specific requirements.
TSA has additional traveler information specifically related to the transportation of firearms and ammunition. A full summary of TSA’s civil penalties for prohibited items is also available.
TSA has multiple resources available to passengers to help them determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage or not at all. Travelers can use TSA mobile app, myTSA, or message “@AskTSA” on X or Facebook if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance daily from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST.