Yes, but you must clearly distinguish between carry-on and checked baggage, and some food items are prohibited entirely. For domestic flights within China, whether food may be brought on board mainly depends on its physical state (whether it contains liquids or pastes), odour, and whether it is self-heating or fresh raw produce. In general, solid cooked food with no soup or broth is usually permitted as carry-on, while liquid, paste-like, raw fresh and self-heating food is subject to strict restrictions or a ban.
Food permitted as carry-on (subject to conditions)
Dry, non-runny solid food with little or no strong odour is normally allowed through security into the passenger cabin.
- Soup-free cooked food and staple foods: On domestic flights, broth-free cooked items (such as vacuum-packed marinated meat, sesame flatbread, bread, sandwiches and pastries) are generally acceptable for carry-on. Foods with soup or broth (e.g. noodle soup, stewed dishes) must be checked in and cannot be taken into the cabin.
- Certain fruits: Common fruits (apples, oranges, etc.) may be carried on, provided they do not exceed the baggage weight limit. High-liquid fruits such as coconuts usually have to be packed and checked in, as they cannot pass liquid screening.
- Snacks: Sealed potato chips, biscuits, nuts, sweets and other solid snacks have no restrictions.
Prohibited for carry-on — must be checked in
Any food that is liquid, paste or sauce at room temperature, or contains free-flowing liquid, is forbidden in carry-on baggage and must go into checked luggage.
- Drinks and liquid food: Water, beverages, milk, yoghurt, congee in cans, honey, etc., cannot be carried on.
- Sauces and canned goods: Chilli sauce, broad bean paste, jam, fermented bean curd and all canned food (fruit cans, meat cans) must be checked in because they contain liquid or are paste-like.
- Perishable raw produce: Seafood (fish, shrimp, crabs), raw meat, Chinese mitten crabs and other raw fresh items cannot be carried on. If checked in, they must be securely packaged with no leaks or blood seepage, and you are advised to add your own insulation. Some airports offer paid packaging service but do not provide insulation.
Food completely banned for both carry-on and checked baggage
Certain foods are forbidden in all baggage for safety and cabin environment reasons.
- Self-heating food: Self-heating rice, self-heating hot pot, etc. They contain heat packs that trigger an exothermic reaction when exposed to water and are classified as dangerous goods for aviation, banned both as carry-on and checked items. If you remove the heat pack beforehand, the remaining food components are normally permitted.
- Strongly pungent food: Durian, for example. Due to its intense odour and the enclosed cabin space, durian may neither be brought into the cabin nor checked in.
- Alcoholic beverages: Alcohol may not be carried on board (except purchases made inside the sterile departure lounge after security). Strict limits apply for checked baggage: beverages with ABV ≤24% have no quantity limit; for 24% ＜ ABV ≤70%, the total amount per passenger may not exceed 5 litres; anything over 70% ABV is banned entirely. Homemade distilled spirits are also prohibited.
Key notes and practical tips
- Liquid screening rule: Security officers judge by whether the substance flows or is paste-like. Jelly, pudding, Lao Gan Ma chilli sauce, and even some vacuum-packed meat products with lots of juice may be required to be checked in during inspection. When in doubt, check the item in for safety.
- Dry ice: You may use dry ice in checked baggage to keep food (seafood, certain pastries, etc.) chilled. The regulation limits each passenger to a maximum of 2.5 kg of dry ice. Packaging must have vent openings to release carbon dioxide and avoid explosion hazards.
- Difference between international connecting and domestic flights: If you arrive in China from overseas and transfer to a domestic flight, you must comply with China Customs entry quarantine rules. As stipulated by the General Administration of Customs of China, raw or cooked meat, eggs, dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables are generally prohibited from being brought into the country. If you fail to dispose of these restricted items at the port of entry, they may be seized during security or quarantine checks for the domestic connecting segment.
