From 26 June 2026, passengers starting their journey at Zurich Airport can keep liquids of up to two litres as well as laptops inside their hand luggage thanks to a fleet of 26 computed-tomography (CT) scanners that generate high-resolution 3-D images for security staff. The CHF 34 million upgrade brings Zurich in line with Heathrow, Schiphol and Madrid, which have already relaxed the two-decade-old restriction introduced after the 2006 liquid-explosives plots. The new rule applies only to origin-departing travellers screened in the main Security Control Building; transfer passengers must still respect the 100 ml limit until the transit checkpoints are refitted later this year. No changes are planned yet at Geneva, Basel-Mulhouse or Bern airports, so return legs may still be subject to traditional rules—travellers should check local regulations.
![Zurich Airport scraps 100 ml rule: travellers allowed up to 2 litres of liquids in cabin bags from today]()
To help travellers keep track of these shifting security and entry requirements, VisaHQ’s dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) compiles the latest airport rules, visa obligations and transit restrictions in one place, delivering timely alerts that can simplify trip planning for both individual flyers and corporate travel teams.
Airport operator Flughafen Zürich AG expects the scanners to cut average security-queue times by 30 percent during the July-August peak and reduce plastic-bag waste by 400 tonnes a year. Airlines welcomed the move: Swiss International Air Lines predicts faster boarding and fewer flight delays caused by secondary bag searches, while easyJet aims to re-time ground-handling windows. For corporate travel managers, Zurich’s change simplifies packing guidelines for road warriors bringing product samples, medical devices or baby food. However, duty-of-care policies should remind staff that other European hubs may still confiscate large bottles on the return trip. Travel-approval workflows and mobile booking tools must therefore flag airport-specific rules until CT technology is standard across Schengen. The step also signals an acceleration of security modernisation in Switzerland ahead of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS roll-outs. CT lanes generate richer data, enabling algorithmic risk-profiling and potentially integrating with biometric border-controls, which could further streamline—but also scrutinise—frequent flyers.
To help travellers keep track of these shifting security and entry requirements, VisaHQ’s dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) compiles the latest airport rules, visa obligations and transit restrictions in one place, delivering timely alerts that can simplify trip planning for both individual flyers and corporate travel teams.
Airport operator Flughafen Zürich AG expects the scanners to cut average security-queue times by 30 percent during the July-August peak and reduce plastic-bag waste by 400 tonnes a year. Airlines welcomed the move: Swiss International Air Lines predicts faster boarding and fewer flight delays caused by secondary bag searches, while easyJet aims to re-time ground-handling windows. For corporate travel managers, Zurich’s change simplifies packing guidelines for road warriors bringing product samples, medical devices or baby food. However, duty-of-care policies should remind staff that other European hubs may still confiscate large bottles on the return trip. Travel-approval workflows and mobile booking tools must therefore flag airport-specific rules until CT technology is standard across Schengen. The step also signals an acceleration of security modernisation in Switzerland ahead of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS roll-outs. CT lanes generate richer data, enabling algorithmic risk-profiling and potentially integrating with biometric border-controls, which could further streamline—but also scrutinise—frequent flyers.
