Should You Wrap Your Christmas Presents Before Flying This Christmas?

The festive season is one of the busiest – and most exciting – times of the year to travel. Whether you’re heading abroad to visit family, flying home from university, or jetting off for a Christmas getaway, chances are you’ll be carrying a few gifts in your luggage. But a common question we hear from travellers at I Love Meet and Greet Parking is: Should you wrap your Christmas presents before taking a flight?

While beautifully wrapped gifts look wonderful, they’re not always the best idea when you’re travelling through an airport. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your journey smooth, stress-free and festive.

Airport Security May Need to Open Wrapped Gifts

The biggest reason to think twice about wrapping presents before you fly is airport security. All bags must pass through security screening, and occasionally an item inside your luggage may need to be inspected more closely. If security officers cannot identify an object through the scanner, they have the right to open your case or hand luggage and check it manually.

That includes unwrapping gifts.

Imagine spending an evening carefully wrapping presents with fancy paper and ribbon, only for them to be opened and inspected at security. It’s not only disappointing but also time-consuming – and security will not re-wrap them for you.

To avoid the frustration, it’s best to travel with gifts unwrapped, no matter how strong the temptation is to arrive with everything ready for Christmas morning.

Wrapped Gifts in Hand Luggage Can Cause More Delays

When you place gifts in your carry-on bag, the chance of them being unwrapped increases. Security officers may need to check what you’re carrying, especially if the contents are irregularly shaped or difficult to see clearly on X-ray.

Sharp objects, liquids over 100ml, batteries, and electronics inside gifts may also trigger additional checks. For example:

• A toy with batteries
• Beauty gift sets containing perfume or lotions
• Kitchen gadgets
• Electrical items in bulky boxes

If these are wrapped, they may need to be opened during screening. To save yourself the hassle, keep gifts unwrapped until you arrive at your destination.

Liquids and Christmas Gifts

Many Christmas presents include liquids – aftershave, perfume, alcohol, skincare sets, candles or food items. Anything over 100ml cannot be taken through security in carry-on baggage. If you’ve wrapped such a gift and placed it in your hand luggage, you may be asked to unwrap it and either discard the liquid or check your bag in.

One of the most common causes of unnecessarily stressful travel is forgetting about the rules around liquids. If you’re gifting something that contains a liquid, the safest option is to:

• Put it in your checked luggage, unwrapped
• Buy the item after security in Duty Free
• Order it online and ship it to your destination

Travelling With Fragile or Valuable Gifts

Some presents – jewellery, electronics or sentimental items – are too valuable or delicate to leave unprotected. However, wrapping paper doesn’t offer real protection. If you’re carrying something fragile, wrap it securely in bubble wrap or padding instead of decorative paper. Save the festive packaging for when you arrive.

If the item is valuable, you may prefer to keep it in your hand luggage. Again, leave it unwrapped to avoid delays in screening.

The Best Alternatives to Wrapping Before You Fly

You don’t have to sacrifice the magic of unwrapping just because you’re flying. Here are some traveller-friendly alternatives:

1. Use Gift Bags Instead of Wrapping Paper

Gift bags are easy to open and re-close. If security needs to check inside, they can do so without tearing anything apart.

2. Pack Wrapping Supplies and Wrap on Arrival

Take a small set of travel-friendly supplies: a folded sheet of wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape. They add almost no weight and mean you can wrap everything beautifully when you reach your destination.

3. Ship Gifts Ahead of Time

If you want to avoid carrying bulky, fragile or valuable items altogether, consider posting them ahead of your flight. Many retailers will also gift-wrap items for you and deliver directly.

4. Buy Gifts at the Airport or Destination

Most airports have excellent shopping options, especially around Christmas. Buying gifts after security means no wrapping concerns – plus, Duty Free offers some great discounts.

Travelling This Christmas? Let Us Handle the Parking

At I Love Meet and Greet Parking, we know that Christmas travel can feel hectic. That’s why we aim to make the journey as easy as possible, as recognised by us being recommended by consumer champions Which? for two years running. With our stress-free airport meet and greet parking, you can drive straight to the terminal, hand over your keys, and walk into departures while we park your car safely for you.

It’s one less thing to worry about during a busy festive season.

So, should you wrap your Christmas presents before flying?
In most cases, no. Leave them unwrapped to avoid delays, disappointment and security issues. Pack smart, wrap on arrival, and keep your holiday travel merry and bright.