Apple Watch and passing through security -- Your experiences
 

I have done some research and it seems like there is a bit of a gray area on this one. Some say they've passed through security without taking off the Apple Watch, some say they set off the alarm. It's hard to find a good answer on this topic.

So what are you experiences? It would be great if you listed the airports you frequent.

I've had the watch for about a month and have put it in my carry on like any other watch. If I could keep it on it would be one less thing to do after passing through security!

Moving this to the Practical Travel Security forum.

my home airport is PHL and I frequent ORD and SFO - I never take my Apple Watch off through security and have had no issues. Just traveled to LHR and CPH and also had no issue. For what it's worth, I have the Sport - so the band may make a difference.

Same here, never had to take it off. Also have the sport, so there's less metal to trigger the detector.

Trying to think which airports I've been through with it lately....STL, DTW, DFW, SYD, AKL, MEL, ATL, PUJ. Maybe one more I'm forgetting....but no issues with it yet.

Thanks. Also have the sport. Going to try it tonight, see what happens.

I don't have an apple watch, but I've always been allowed to wear my "smart watch" through ;)

I opt out, never been an issue. Metal detectors don't seem to mind it either.

http://i.imgur.com/LXVkMn4.jpg

There's nothing special about Apple watches. It's all about the volume of "stuff" on you. Add a watch, a belt buckle and one more thing and you will alarm in some places.

Once you know roughly what you can carry through the mag (presuming pre-check), you can decide what's easiest to toss in your carry-on.

I have gone through checkpoints with people wearing wrist-watches weighing upwards of 300 grams and they did not suffer alarms. I suspect your Apple watch will be fine, too.

I've only taken one trip since I've had mine and only in one airport did they ask me to take it off but they were telling everyone they saw with a watch on to remove it. On that trip I went through my hometown SUX (yes I've heard every joke about it), ORD, and CUN. I think it was in Cancun they asked me to take it off along with my belt. FWIW it wasn't an issue when I went to the Sears, erm Willis Tower Skydeck and went through the WTMD with it on.

Wore it passing through JFK. Went I passed through screening, the watch came up yellow on the screen. The agent patted me down and asked me if I was wearing a watch. I said, yes and he told me I was good to go.

It's been a problem a few times for the full-body scanners but never the metal detector. That's not unique to the Apple Watch. They sometimes have wristwatch obsessions for everyone with the full-body scanners.

I love having my boarding card on there. It makes the document check and boarding especially easy.

300 grams? Seriously? That's over half a pound!

It depends on the scanner. I went through the scanner at our local courthouse with metal that I knew was acceptable at the airports--and set it off.

yeah, it's a bit ridiculous; they collect these "super" dive watches but they don't dive. But they do have Popeye-size forearms. :)

I can imagine. I take off my watch before the WTMD (Omega Seamaster) because it's set off the WTMD in the past - I believe it's around 150g. Just goes into my bag with my wallet.