It's not airtight, but holds two 55 pound bags of flour or sugar comfortably with easy access. I use this in my home so I can cut down the size of my grocery list and store flour and sugar securely against pests. The bulk purchases allow me to order on-line at an advantageous price and have it delivered, free from Amazon. It's useful for retired persons, stay-at-home moms or just frugal folk who want to reduce the cost of breads, rolls, biscuits, cookies, cakes and other baked goods. It will save me lugging around some groceries from the store.