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UAE travel rules: List of surprising items you cannot carry in your luggage
While many rules follow international aviation standards, others may surprise even frequent travellers
- PUBLISHED: Tue 28 Jul 2026, 1:13 PM
Packing for a holiday may feel routine to some, but items in your luggage could land you in trouble at airport security or customs. From toy guns to poppy seeds, the UAE has aviation and customs rules to ensure the safety of passengers and residents.
While many rules follow international aviation standards, others may surprise even frequent travellers. It may shock some that Etihad Airways prohibits strong-smelling perishable fruits onboard to protect other travellers' comfort. Restricted fruits include durian, jackfruit, champedek, pedalai and marang.
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Here are some of the lesser-known restrictions listed by Dubai Airports.
1. Measuring tapes
It may seem harmless, but measuring tapes are not permitted in hand luggage at Dubai airports because they can be used as weapons.
2. Cricket bats, skateboards and fishing rods
Sports equipment, including cricket bats, fishing rods and skateboards, is prohibited in cabin baggage due to security concerns.
3. Toy guns, arrows and darts
Children's toys can also cause problems at airport security. Replica firearms, toy guns, bows, arrows and darts are prohibited in hand luggage and may be confiscated if carried through security screening.
4. Poppy seeds
Poppy seeds — a common spice in Indian households — are banned at Dubai International Airport and throughout the country. They are classified as a derivative of the opium poppy and treated as a narcotic substance. The UAE enforces a strict zero-tolerance drug policy where even trace amounts or processed seeds in food are illegal.
5. Specific food items
Pork products are strictly prohibited from being brought through customs into Dubai International Airport.
Under UAE customs regulations, non-Halal meat and pork products (including bacon, ham, lard, and pork gelatine) are classified as banned items with zero tolerance and will be confiscated upon arrival.
6. Some medications
Medicine legal in one country may be tightly controlled in another.
Most prescription and over-the-counter medicines can be brought into the UAE for personal use. However, medicines containing narcotic, psychotropic or other controlled substances that may be legal abroad can require additional documentation, with some requiring prior approval from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP).
Similarly, cannabis and CBD products, including oils, remain prohibited in the UAE despite being legal in several other countries.
Other banned items at Dubai Airport
Dubai Customs lists prohibited goods passengers should not carry into the UAE. These include:
Narcotic drugs, including hashish, cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogenic pills
Goods intended for import from boycotted countries
Crude ivory and rhinoceros horn
Gambling tools and machinery
Three-layer fishing nets
Original engravings, prints, lithographs, sculptures and statues in any material
Used, reconditioned or inlaid tyres
Radioactive or radiation-contaminated substances
Printed publications, photographs, paintings, books, magazines, sculptures and mannequins that violate UAE laws or public decency
Forged or counterfeit currency
Any other goods prohibited under UAE customs or other applicable laws
Banned items at Sharjah Airport
Sharjah Airport prohibits some items in both cabin and checked baggage, including the following:
Knives with blades 6cm or longer, as well as knives prohibited under UAE law, sabres, swords, box cutters, hunting and souvenir knives, and martial arts weapons
Firearms and weapons of any description, including starter and flare pistols
Fire extinguishers, compressed oxygen and ammonia solutions
Explosives and ammunition, including fireworks, firecrackers, blasting caps, detonating fuses and distress signals
Ice picks, alpenstocks, straight razors and long scissors
Toy, dummy or replica weapons and grenades that could be mistaken for or used as weapons
Banned items at Abu Dhabi Airport
Abu Dhabi Airport says certain items are strictly prohibited in both hand luggage and checked baggage for safety reasons.
These include:
Weapons and imitation weapons: Firearms, ammunition, sharp objects and replicas.
Explosives and flammable materials: Items that could cause serious injury or pose a risk to the aircraft
Chemicals and toxic substances: Including corrosive materials and compressed gases
