- The carrier split
- Ghee: checked yes on both; cabin differs
- Air India ghee/oil
- Checked up to 5 kg/l per passenger
- IndiGo ghee
- Checked yes; row has no quantity note
- The cabin jar
- Ghee: AI cabin 100 ml LAG; IndiGo no cabin
- Packing
- Tape, double-bag, cushion; steel beats glass
The short answer: yes, and the hold is exactly where ghee belongs on both big Indian carriers. Air India's restricted-items page, checked on 24 October 2026, lists ghee (clarified butter) and cooking oil as allowed in both cabin and checked baggage, with cabin carriage subject to the LAG restrictions and the checked quantity limited to 5 kg/l per passenger. IndiGo's dangerous goods table, checked the same day, gives ghee a cross for the cabin and a check for checked baggage, with no quantity note attached to the row.
So the family jar survives the trip; it just does not get to sit under your seat. Here is what the two pages actually say, and how to pack the thing so your clothes do not find out what was in it.
What Air India and IndiGo actually say
Air India puts ghee and cooking oil on one row: allowed on both, cabin and checked. Two conditions ride with it. In the cabin, the LAG rules apply, which in practice means small containers of 100 ml or less inside the single 1-litre transparent resealable bag. In checked baggage, the quantity is limited to 5 kg/l per passenger, which is generous enough for any reasonable supply run to a hostel, a nephew, or a daughter who insists the store-bought version is not the same.
IndiGo's dangerous goods table is stricter at the front of the plane: ghee gets a cross for cabin baggage and a check for checked baggage. The row carries no quantity condition, so the honest statement is that IndiGo's table attaches no ghee-specific limit; the ordinary checked baggage weight allowance still applies. The cited IndiGo row covers ghee; other oils are not separately listed on that table, so it says nothing about them either way. Neither page is a general Indian rule; the operating carrier's page is the one that decides your booking, and on international routes airline acceptance is not food-import clearance: the destination country's rules are a separate check.
The cabin is possible on Air India, barely
Air India's note says cabin ghee rides under the LAG restrictions. Oils appear on the LAG list by name, along with anything of similar consistency at room temperature, and containers over 100 ml are not accepted through screening even if they are almost empty. That makes cabin ghee a small-jar situation: a 100 ml dab for a long stay abroad, wedged into the one resealable bag with the toothpaste. The page gives ghee no exemption beyond that, and the security screener decides the item on the day.
Packing a jar that will be thrown
Checked bags are thrown, stacked and occasionally stored upside down, and ghee turns liquid at temperatures an Indian summer considers mild. Tape the lid shut, put the jar in a zip-lock bag, put that in a second bag, and cushion it in the middle of the suitcase between clothes. If the jar is glass, IndiGo's table has a separate row for glass items: checked baggage, on the condition that they are properly packed to prevent damage. A steel dabba avoids that problem entirely and survives the belt better. Your baggage allowance counts the weight either way, and 5 litres of ghee weighs about what you think it does.
Common questions
Is ghee allowed in checked baggage on Air India? Yes. Air India's restricted-items page, checked on 24 October 2026, lists ghee (clarified butter) and cooking oil as allowed in both cabin and checked baggage, with the checked quantity limited to 5 kg/l per passenger.
Is ghee allowed in checked baggage on IndiGo? Yes. IndiGo's dangerous goods table, checked on 24 October 2026, gives ghee a check for checked baggage and a cross for the cabin. The row attaches no ghee-specific quantity condition, so the ordinary checked baggage weight allowance is the limit that applies.
Can I carry ghee in cabin baggage at all? On Air India, yes, but only within the LAG restrictions: containers of 100 ml or less inside the single 1-litre transparent resealable bag. On IndiGo, no: its table marks ghee with a cross for cabin baggage. The screener decides the item on the day either way.
Does the 5 kg limit apply to cooking oil too? On Air India, yes: the page's row covers ghee and cooking oil together, so the same 5 kg/l per passenger checked limit and the same cabin LAG restrictions apply to both. IndiGo's table lists ghee without a quantity note; other oils are not separately listed on the cited table.
How do I stop the jar leaking in the hold? Tape the lid, seal the jar in a zip-lock bag, add a second bag, and cushion it between clothes in the middle of the suitcase. Ghee liquefies in the heat, so pack for a liquid even if the jar looks solid at home. Glass jars add a packing condition on IndiGo's table; a steel dabba avoids it.
Sources checked on 24 October 2026: Air India: restricted baggage, IndiGo: dangerous goods. The airport screener has the final word on the day.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
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