Why Bringing Whole Bean Coffee To The Airport Could Make You A Target For Customs

For some, a cup of coffee is just a beverage that gives you the energy to explore while traveling, but for others, tasting new coffee is the incentive to travel in the first place. If you're planning a trip to the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia (an overlooked country with breathtaking landscapes), or planning to taste authentic Costa Rican Coffee straight from the farm, getting one good cup probably won't be enough. While bringing bags of green and roasted whole bean coffee through American airports in your luggage is completely allowed by the TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you might find that your bags get a little extra attention as they go through security screenings.

The main reason for this is that coffee is an agricultural product. If you're bringing bags of coffee through customs, you're supposed to declare them. There are no actual restrictions on bringing coffee into the U.S. for personal use, but it still has to be declared. An agriculture specialist might want to examine your coffee for signs of pests or disease, but typically, you will just be waved through. Still, it's important that you follow the regulations to avoid getting a fine and spending a lot more time in customs than you need to.

While coffee is totally legal to bring into the U.S., it could be why you are slowed down at airport security. One reason is that there's a common misconception that the smell of coffee can mask the scent of contraband that airport sniffer dogs are trained to seek out. In reality, trained dogs have no problem detecting what they're looking for over the smell of the beans, but security may be suspicious that you're hiding something else in your coffee.

A less exciting but more likely reason coffee might hold you up at security is that densely packed bags of coffee beans can make it tricky for TSA to get a clear image of your bag on their X-rays. This doesn't mean you won't be able to bring your coffee on the plane, but the agent may just ask you to take the coffee beans out so they can get a good look at them and everything else inside your bag.

Even if you're allowed to bring everything in your luggage through customs or other security screenings, it can be frustrating to have to open your bag and pull everything out. To make the process a little easier if you are stopped for extra screening, one user on Reddit says, "To keep things fast and easy, I've started to pack my coffee separately." This way, you can easily pull it out and place it in a separate bin without being slowed down or dislodging everything else in your bag. 

If you truly want to be transported back to your vacation with your first sip of morning coffee, you're going to want to protect the flavors. Since flights can involve a lot of changes in temperature and air pressure, consider putting the beans in a separate airtight container. Not only will it be easy to remove if anyone wants to check your coffee, but it will also protect those flavor notes all the way home.