Published in: Where to Buy

Bringing Olive Oil Home from Greece: Luggage Rules and Packing Tips

You can usually bring Greek olive oil home. What matters is how you carry it and what your own country’s border rules say. In short, anything over 100 ml goes in your checked suitcase unless you bought it airside in a sealed duty-free bag. Pack it so it cannot leak, and declare food when you arrive if your country asks you to.

Airport security and customs rules change, sometimes at short notice. This guide sums up official guidance at the time of writing. Check before you fly, with your airline and with your departure airport.

Cabin baggage: the 100 ml rule

Greek airports apply the standard EU limits on liquids in hand luggage. Athens International Airport’s security page says liquids must be in containers of 100 ml or less, all packed in one transparent, resealable plastic bag of up to 1 litre, with one bag per passenger. Liquids over 100 ml that are not in a security tamper-evident bag are removed at the checkpoint. Medicines and baby food needed during the flight are exempt, but olive oil is not.

You may have read that the 100 ml rule is ending. Some EU airports installed newer explosive-detection scanners for cabin bags and began allowing larger containers. In July 2024 the European Commission announced a temporary measure that brought back the 100 ml limit at those airports from 1 September 2024. In July 2025 the Commission was reported to have approved a change allowing larger containers at airports with suitable 3D scanners. Even so, the rules still vary from airport to airport and depend on the equipment each one has.

The safe approach is to assume the 100 ml limit applies unless your departure airport, and any airport where you are screened again on a connection, clearly says otherwise on its own website. A small 100 ml bottle can go in your liquids bag. Anything bigger belongs in the hold.

Duty-free purchases and sealed security bags

Oil bought airside after security can go in your hand luggage, as long as you follow the rules for security tamper-evident bags (often called STEBs). Athens Airport says liquids bought duty-free may be carried in hand luggage if they are screened with the newer equipment. They must stay sealed in the tamper-evident bag with the original receipt until you reach your final destination.

If you are changing planes, especially outside the EU, you may be screened again at the transfer airport. Do not open the bag, and check that airport’s rules before you buy. Airport shops have a small range, so for more choice shop in town before your flight. Athens has specialist shops such as The Olivest and Ariana, and you can find more among the olive shops in Athens.

Packing olive oil in checked luggage

No general security rule stops you packing olive oil in checked luggage. Your real limits are the airline’s weight allowance and the risk of a leak. Oil weighs a little under a kilo per litre, so a few tins quickly add up. A few tips that work:

Choose tins where you can. Tins are lighter than glass and will not shatter. They also keep light out, which helps the oil keep its quality. Many Greek shops sell oil in 500 ml, 1 litre and larger tins.
Seal every cap. Wrap tape around the cap or spout, then put each tin or bottle in its own zip-lock bag. Use a second bag for glass.
Wrap glass well. Use bubble wrap or a padded wine sleeve, then roll the bottle in clothes and place it in the middle of the case, away from the edges and wheels.
Use a hard-shell case if you are carrying several bottles.
Ask the shop. Many olive shops that sell to visitors keep bubble wrap or travel boxes behind the counter.

Once you are home, store the oil somewhere cool and dark. Our guide to storing Greek olives and olive oil properly explains how.

Arriving in the UK

GOV.UK lists processed and packaged plant products among the foods you can bring into Great Britain from any country without restrictions. It also lists fruit and vegetables among the foods you can bring in from EU countries for personal use. Olive oil is not named on these pages, but sealed oil and jarred olives fit these categories.

Leave the feta behind. GOV.UK says travellers from the EU cannot bring in cheese, milk or dairy products such as butter and yoghurt, or beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat or venison products. Northern Ireland has separate rules.

For tax, GOV.UK says you can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (£270 if you arrive by private plane or boat). If you go over this, you pay tax and duty on the total value, not just the amount above the allowance.

Arriving in the US

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says all travellers must declare agricultural products when entering the United States. Civil penalties for failing to declare prohibited items can reach $1,000 for a first offence involving non-commercial quantities, and commercial cases are treated more severely. A USDA notice for travellers lists condiments such as oil and vinegar among items that are generally allowed, but they still have to be declared and presented for inspection. Tick yes for food on your declaration and show the oil if asked.

The difference between personal and commercial imports matters. The FDA’s prior notice rules exempt food carried in your baggage for your own use, meaning for yourself, family or friends. That exemption does not apply to food meant for sale or distribution. If you plan to sell Greek oil in the US, you will need to import it through the commercial route.

Arriving in Australia

Australia has some of the strictest biosecurity rules in the world. The Australian Border Force says food items must be declared on your Incoming Passenger Card, even small amounts. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) advises: if you are unsure, declare it. It adds that declaring an item does not automatically mean it will be confiscated, while failing to declare risk goods can lead to a fine or prosecution.

The official traveller pages we checked do not name olive oil or olives specifically, so we cannot promise that a particular product will be allowed through. Check the product in DAFF’s Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) before you buy, keep it in its sealed commercial packaging, and declare it on arrival.

Travelling within the EU

If you are flying from Greece to another EU country, customs is rarely an issue. The EU’s Your Europe portal says you can carry plants or plant products that were grown in an EU country and are free from pests or disease. Meat and dairy can be carried for your own consumption. Restrictions can apply during local animal disease or pest outbreaks. Goods must be for your own use, not resale, and the 100 ml cabin rule still applies.

Shipping it home instead

If you want more than a couple of litres, shipping is often easier than carrying it. Many mills and shops in our directory of Greek olive shops sell online, and our guide on where to buy Greek olives online covers the options. Some points to check first:

UK: For goods bought online worth £135 or less, GOV.UK says the seller usually includes VAT at checkout and no customs duty is charged on non-excise goods. Gifts worth more than £39 sent by someone else are charged VAT. Any charges are collected by Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier.
US: The FDA exempts only food made at home and sent as a personal gift from prior notice. Oil you bought and then post to the US needs prior notice, so it is easier to buy from a seller that already ships to the US.
EU: Shipping between EU countries involves no customs. Just check the shop’s delivery charges.

Before you buy, our Greek olive oil label guide helps you read the tin. If you are heading to the producing regions, the shops listed under Kalamata and Crete often have the best selection of tins.

FAQ

Can I take a 250 ml bottle of olive oil in my hand luggage?

Not through standard security in Greece. Containers must be 100 ml or less unless the oil was bought airside and stays sealed in a tamper-evident bag with its receipt. Put larger bottles in your checked bag.

Is a tin or a glass bottle better for travel?

Tins are lighter and will not break, which makes them the safer choice for a suitcase. If you buy glass, tape the cap, bag it twice and wrap it in clothes in the middle of the case.

Do I have to declare olive oil at US or Australian customs?

Yes, declare it. CBP requires travellers to declare agricultural products, and Australia requires food to be declared on the Incoming Passenger Card. As Australia’s agriculture department puts it, declaring an item does not automatically mean it will be confiscated.

Can I bring Greek cheese back to the UK?

No. GOV.UK says travellers from the EU cannot bring in cheese, milk or other dairy products. Olive oil and olives are fine.