Juneau International Airport now has two Transportation Security Administration computed tomography scanners at its passenger checkpoint. The equipment changes the packing routine for most departing travelers because laptops, other electronics and permitted travel size liquids can usually remain inside carry on bags while they pass through screening.
The TSA announcement identifies the units as Analogic ConneCT systems and says both checkpoint lanes have the new technology. The agency announced the installation on July 13, 2026, while direct local reporting says the machines were installed in April and are now part of the normal passenger process.
- What changed: Both Juneau checkpoint lanes now use Analogic ConneCT scanners that create rotatable three dimensional bag images.
- What stays packed: Most travelers can leave laptops, electronics and permitted travel size liquids inside carry on bags.
- What still applies: The normal federal liquids limit remains in force, so a full bottle of water cannot pass through simply because the scanner is newer.
- Large bag warning: The scanner tunnel is slightly smaller, and TSA recommends checking large carry on items that may not fit.
- Arrival plan: Travelers should still arrive early and follow the officer’s instructions because a bag can be selected for additional screening.
What the new Juneau scanners change
Traditional checkpoint machines produce a flatter view that can make overlapping objects difficult to interpret. Computed tomography equipment builds a three dimensional image that an officer can rotate on screen, making it easier to inspect areas that would otherwise be hidden behind a laptop, cable bundle, camera or another dense object.
That additional view can reduce the need to open a bag merely to identify an unclear shape. It does not eliminate physical bag checks, prohibited item rules or an officer’s authority to ask a passenger to remove something when the image needs closer examination.
The practical benefit begins before a passenger reaches the belt. Instead of unpacking a laptop and a permitted liquids bag into separate bins by default, most travelers can place the closed carry on into a bin and move through the lane with fewer loose items to collect afterward.
The airport also has new, larger bins intended to hold a traveler’s belongings together. TSA recommends putting keys, phones, coins and other pocket contents into the carry on before screening, which reduces the chance of leaving a small item behind and keeps the belt area less cluttered.
What can remain inside a carry on
TSA says passengers using the Juneau systems may keep laptops, other electronics and containers that comply with the federal liquids rule inside their bags. That instruction is a local checkpoint process change, not an expansion of what the agency allows through security.
Liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in a carry on still generally must be in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters and fit inside the permitted quart size bag. A normal bottle of water remains too large unless it is empty, and officers may still ask a traveler to remove an item during a specific inspection.
Medical liquids, infant feeding items and other recognized exceptions continue under their separate TSA procedures. Travelers using an exception should tell the officer at the checkpoint and allow extra time rather than assuming the new scanner will make the declaration or additional review unnecessary.
The larger carry on limitation
The Analogic ConneCT units at Juneau have a slightly smaller entry tunnel than some older checkpoint equipment. TSA cautions that not every large carry on will fit and recommends checking oversized items with the airline instead of reaching the belt and discovering that the bag cannot enter the scanner.
That advice does not create a new universal airline bag limit. Each carrier controls its own cabin and checked baggage rules, so passengers should verify their airline’s dimensions and fees before departure; travelers using the airport’s main carrier can review the Deep Arrival Alaska Airlines guide as a starting point.
A bag that meets an airline’s published cabin dimensions may still be awkward for a particular checkpoint machine if it is overfilled or unusually shaped. Keeping soft sided luggage within its intended outline and moving nonessential items to checked baggage can prevent a last minute repack at the security entrance.
Why the checkpoint may not always feel faster
Fewer objects need to be removed, but that does not guarantee a shorter line on every departure. The more detailed image can take an officer longer to review, and local officers told the Juneau Independent that they had not seen a clear crowd speed difference even though passengers appreciate leaving laptops packed.
Queue time still depends on passenger volume, staffing, bag contents and how many items need another look. Juneau travelers should treat the machines as a simpler preparation process, not as permission to arrive later than they normally would for a flight.
TSA says more than 1,150 CT units are installed at nearly 300 United States airports, so the general process will already be familiar to many passengers. Procedures can still vary by lane and airport, making the officer’s instruction at the belt more reliable than a routine learned on a previous trip.
How to prepare for the Juneau checkpoint
Pack permitted liquids where they can be reached if an officer requests them, even though they can usually stay inside the bag. Remove water and other oversized liquids before entering the queue, empty pockets into the carry on and make sure the bag can close without straps or loose objects catching on a bin.
Travelers with a large cabin bag should compare its packed size with the airline’s current rules before leaving home. Anyone carrying medical items, film, sensitive equipment or something unusual should review TSA guidance in advance and tell the officer before the item reaches the scanner.
The new process also makes it important to listen at the belt rather than copying the passenger ahead. An officer may direct a particular bag or item differently based on current lane conditions, image review or the equipment being used at that moment.
Decision matrix
| What you are carrying | Normal Juneau approach | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop or standard electronics | Leave them inside the carry on unless instructed otherwise | Listen for a lane specific officer instruction |
| Travel size liquids | Keep compliant containers packed | Every container still must meet the federal liquids limit |
| Full water bottle | Empty it before screening | The newer scanner does not waive prohibited item rules |
| Large or overfilled cabin bag | Consider checking it with the airline | The smaller scanner tunnel may not accept the bag |
| Medical liquid or special item | Declare it to the officer | Allow time for the applicable exception procedure |
- Expect a simpler unpacking routine, but keep laptops and liquids reachable in case an officer requests them.
- Do not bring oversized liquids through the checkpoint on the assumption that CT technology changes federal limits.
- Check large carry on dimensions before departure because the Juneau scanner tunnel is slightly smaller.
- Arrive on the airport’s normal timetable since more detailed image review can offset some of the time saved by leaving items packed.
Can laptops stay inside bags at Juneau Airport?
Yes. TSA says most passengers using the new Juneau CT scanners can leave laptops and other electronics inside their carry on bags unless an officer gives a different instruction.
Can liquids stay inside a carry on?
Permitted travel size liquids can usually remain packed, but the federal container size and quart bag limits still apply. A normal full water bottle remains prohibited through the checkpoint.
Why might a large carry on need to be checked?
The Analogic ConneCT scanners have a slightly smaller entry tunnel. TSA says not every larger carry on will fit and recommends checking large items with the airline.
Will the new scanners make the line faster?
Not necessarily. Passengers have fewer items to remove, but officers may spend more time examining the detailed three dimensional images and can still select bags for additional screening.
How many new scanners are at Juneau Airport?
TSA says Juneau International Airport has two Analogic ConneCT units, one serving each checkpoint lane.
When were the scanners installed?
Local direct reporting says the equipment was installed in April 2026. TSA publicly announced the two unit deployment on July 13.
