TSA liquids rule: Is it next to go after the shoes policy ended?

Imagine walking through airport security with a full water or shampoo bottle you brought from home without getting stopped.

After the Transportation Security Administration ended its unpopular and long-standing shoe-removal policy last week, travelers have rightly wondered: Could an end to the TSA's limits on liquids be next?

I've taken that question to higher-ups at the TSA many times over the years, including to its top leader last fall.

Yes ... the long-term plan is to end "3-1-1." But when that might happen is another story.

Read more: 'Game-changer' alternative to Global Entry now available at 8 US airports this summer

Shoe-removal is history — what about 3-1-1?

The TSA announced the end to the nearly 19-year-old shoes-off policy for passengers passing through its checkpoints, and leaders at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security cited improved technology since the agency first enacted the rule in August 2006 as a reason for the change.

But the TSA made no changes to its crackdown on liquids, which started that same summer, in the wake of a second thwarted terror attempt on a separate flight.

Read more: 8 ways to get free or discounted TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear

Today, "3-1-1" remains the TSA's policy: For carry-on liquids, gels and aerosols, you're limited to no more than 3.4 ounces per container, which must fit in one clear, resealable bag.

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Just how often do passengers forget?

Look no further than the massive bins full of discarded toiletries and water bottles found at nearly every major airport security checkpoint.

While safety considerations are the obvious priority, the policy has its inconveniences and costs — from buying pricey bottles of water on the airport concourse to purchasing travel-size toiletries ahead of time.

However, the policy may not be around forever.

Read more: What to pack in a carry-on bag every time you travel

TSA is open to ending its liquids ban … eventually

In an exclusive interview last year with TPG, then-TSA administrator David Pekoske told me his goal was to end the liquids policy "earlier rather than later." However, he warned that change was "not around the corner."

A big part of ending "3-1-1" would require rolling out the big, blue CT scanners to more airports across the country. As of last year, these weren't slated to be fully deployed until the 2040s.

"I'm hoping we can get to a point where we make some partial changes along the way," Pekoske told me last September, citing other countries that are already moving toward ending similar restrictions. The most notable country doing this is the U.K., though it has hit a few snags in its plans to end its large-liquids ban.

Related: Global Entry gets a high-tech, 'on-the-move' upgrade at 7 US airports

Trump administration 'evaluating' all TSA rules

Pekoske is no longer the TSA's top leader, though, having left his post in January when the Trump administration took office.

However, speaking to reporters last week, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signaled a continued openness to relaxing the TSA's liquids rules in the future.

"I would say every rule is being evaluated," Noem said, speaking at a news conference July 8.

"With removing your technology, the liquids, your belts, your shoes, all of them are being evaluated and looked at," she continued. "But it can only be accomplished if we have the adequate technology to make sure we're doing this safely and still keeping our systems hardened."

Bottom line

Relaxing the TSA liquid policy would arguably be a more significant change for more travelers than the shoe policy. Passengers with TSA PreCheck were already allowed to keep their footwear on at checkpoints, which means millions were already exempt from the rule that ended this month.

Yet, every passenger — regardless of TSA PreCheck access — must still comply with the agency's ban on larger liquids, gels and aerosols.

Many millennial and Gen Z travelers, despite being adults, may hardly remember a time when they could bring a full bottle of sunscreen in a carry-on bag, as this mid-30s traveler can attest.

Then again, every passenger can now keep their shoes on at airports — so, it's a start.

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• The best travel credit cards
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