Girls Get Off Co-Founder Viv Conway comes to you from the sex toy trenches in Getting Off, where no topic is off the table, no chat is taboo and everything is just a little unhinged. This week Viv walks you through how to confidently travel with your special little friend with no dramas – here are her tips for how to travel with a sex toy!
Warning: it’s adults-only chat ahead!
One of life’s most humbling experiences is standing barefoot in an airport security line praying to every good lord in the universe that your bag doesn’t get flagged – because you know full well that there’s a very spicy ‘lil surprise sitting inside it.
As someone who constantly travels with sex toys and always gets asked by friends or members of our community, “Should I put them in my carry-on or checked baggage?”, I’m basically an expert in advising how to travel with vibes.
We’re all in different stages of our vibrator journey. Some of us are loud and proud, others are like, ‘whoa, that’s a me and me only piece of information’ and look, both attituedes are completely valid.
But before you write a big ol’ box office-topping airport horror story in your head, let me save you the stress: you can absolutely travel with your vibrator. Hand on heart I have never had an issue.
So, here’s how to travel with sex toys:
Do sex toys go in carry on or check in?
The confusion surrounding this question is usually because of batteries. It’s no secret that batteries are an iffy airport security item, and considering most modern sex toys run on lithium batteries, it feels like a grey area.
Thankfully, the batteries are usually so tiny that most of the time, you can get away with packing your vibrator in your carry-on and no one – except maybe the x-ray machine tech – will ever know.
If you’re someone who likes to err on the side of caution (hello type A, queens), you can always check your airline’s specific rules. Generally speaking, though, your plus-one is cleared for takeoff.
How do I get past the stress of taking my vibrator carry-on?
As with anything stress related, a good place to start is figuring out where that stress comes from. For a lot of us, the panic/stress in this case comes from the idea that sex toys should stay hidden, only to appear under the cover of darkness, with just ourselves or our partner present, which means the second your bag disappears into that X-ray machine, your brain goes full panic mode.
What if it gets flagged? What if they open it? What if it starts vibrating?
Seen, heard, and oh so understood. You can’t really get past the machine seeing your spicy pal, so it’s best to own it or pretend it isn’t happening. As for random vibes, you can protect yourself by making sure you travel lock with your vibrator before you pack it.
What should I do if my bag does get flagged?
Oof, super annoying but not the end of the world. Airport security has literally seen it all; they probably don’t even blink twice when they see sex toys, and chances are, it’s not even about your toy anyway.
Luckily, you’ve got options. Those little booths near the scanners aren’t for VIP use; they’re actually private screening areas, and you are well within your rights to ask to have your bag checked there, so if the idea of a public unzipping moment makes you want to spontaneously combust, just say the word.
What not to do:
I cannot stress this enough: do not try to outsmart the system by wearing your toy through security.
Wearable vibes are fun. They’re cheeky. They make you feel like you’ve got a super naughty secret, especially when you wear them out to dinner, and your partner gets to control the remote (which by the way, we actually have a toy for that if you’re interested).
But airport scanners do not under any conditions belong in that fantasy, so don’t even think about it. Or okay, think about it, but don’t actually do it.
Final thoughts from someone who packs vibes a lot:
Travelling with a vibrator feels like a big deal, until you realise it really isn’t.
So pack it, zip it, and walk through that airport knowing you’re well within your rights, and if your bag does get stopped, just ask for a private booth for the search, take a deep breath and remember, it’s completely normal to prioritise your pleasure.
