Yes, power banks on planes belong in carry-on only; most up to 100Wh are fine, 101–160Wh need airline OK, and bigger units aren’t allowed.
Portable chargers keep phones, earbuds, and cameras alive on long days. Air travel adds rules, though, because external battery packs count as spare lithium cells. Here’s a clear, traveler-friendly guide that shows what capacity limits mean, how to pack the right way, and where airline quirks show up so you sail through screening without drama.
Power Bank Rules At A Glance
External battery packs are treated like loose lithium cells rather than devices with batteries installed. That label drives where they can ride and how many you can carry. Use the table below as your quick reference before you zip your cabin bag.
| Capacity (Wh) | Where It Can Go | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–100Wh | Carry-on only | No airline approval needed; isolate terminals; keep out of checked bags |
| 101–160Wh | Carry-on only | Ask your airline for pre-approval; many carriers cap at two spares |
| >160Wh | Not permitted | Too large for passenger carriage; cargo rules apply to shippers, not travelers |
Why Power Banks Stay Out Of Checked Bags
Lithium cells can overheat if crushed, shorted, or built with poor components. In the cabin, crews can spot smoke fast and use specialized gear to cool or contain a failing pack. In the hold, detection and access drop. That gap is the reason spare cells and external packs must ride with you and why gate agents will ask you to remove them if a cabin bag gets tagged for the hold at boarding.
Bringing A Power Bank On A Flight: What Airlines Allow
Aviation agencies on every continent align on capacity bands. Most everyday phone chargers sit far below the top limit. Laptop bricks, camera packs, and drone batteries often push into the mid-tier, which triggers a “call us first” step with many carriers.
Understanding Watt-Hours (Wh)
Screeners and airline staff use watt-hours to judge size, not milliamp-hours (mAh). Convert with a simple formula: Wh = (mAh × 3.7) ÷ 1000. A 10,000mAh pack equals about 37Wh; 20,000mAh equals about 74Wh; 26,800mAh lands near 99Wh. Quality packs print Wh on the label. If yours shows only mAh, carry a small sticker or a photo of the spec sheet so you can show the Wh figure on request.
Approval For The 101–160Wh Tier
Once a pack crosses 100Wh, many airlines ask you to get approval before travel. The process is simple: a chat or a call, a note added to your booking, and a reminder that the limit is usually two spares. If a label hides the Wh or uses vague marketing claims, staff may refuse it at the gate. Clear labeling avoids that headache.
How Many Power Banks You Can Bring
For sub-100Wh packs, agencies set no strict count for personal use, though some airlines still set a practical cap. For mid-tier packs, two is common. Keep your haul lean: bring what you’ll use, pack them neatly, and skip large bundles of loose cells that look messy on x-ray.
Packing Method That Passes Checks
Good packing speeds your trip through the checkpoint and keeps cables from pressing buttons in your bag. A slim pouch for all battery items works wonders and signals care to screeners.
Step-By-Step Packing
- Find the Wh on the label. If missing, do the mAh conversion and jot the result on a small sticker.
- Place each unit in a small sleeve or zip bag; insulate any exposed metal with tape or a terminal cover.
- Put the pouch near the top of your cabin bag. If officers ask to see it, you can present it in seconds.
- Disconnect cables so buttons won’t get pressed in a tight compartment.
- Don’t bury packs under sweaters or pillows where heat can build up.
What To Do At Security
Keep power banks in your cabin bag unless officers ask to tray them with laptops. If asked about size, show the label or your conversion note. If a full flight forces a gate check of your cabin bag, remove external packs, loose cells, vapes, and e-cigs before handing it over.
Country And Agency Rules You Can Rely On
Across regions, the core rule repeats: external battery packs count as spare lithium cells and must ride in the cabin with short-circuit protection. Two pages anchor these limits and are worth saving on your phone for quick reference during trips:
- FAA PackSafe lithium batteries — outlines the carry-on only rule, watt-hour bands, and when airline approval applies.
- TSA “What Can I Bring” for power banks — treats portable chargers as spare cells and bars them from checked bags.
Airline Nuances You Might See
Cabin carriage is allowed across the board, yet some carriers now restrict use of external packs during flight. Wording you may spot: “carry, don’t use,” “no charging from personal battery packs,” or “one pack per person.” Those steps aim to cut the tiny chance of a charging-related fire while still letting travelers bring backup power. If your seat has power, plug in there and leave the pack stowed.
Gate Checks And Last-Minute Swaps
Full flights mean cabin bags sometimes get tagged for the hold at the gate. Before surrendering a bag, pull out battery items and carry them on by hand. If staff already rolled the bag down the jet bridge, ask for a quick grab to remove spares; agents do this many times a day.
International Trips
Wording changes by region, but watt-hour bands and the cabin-only rule are the same in practice across the US, Canada, the UK, and most of Europe and Asia-Pacific. Pack as if you’ll face the strictest read: label visible, terminals insulated, and no spare cells in the hold. If you change airlines mid-trip, recheck the booking email for any carrier-specific caps or “no in-flight use” clauses.
Safe Use On Board
Charging in the cabin is common now, so use habits that keep temps low. Run short, intact cables with strain relief. Keep a pack on a hard, open surface instead of burying it in a seat pocket. Unplug once your device tops off. If anything smells odd, hisses, swells, or runs hot, stop using it and alert the crew at once.
Signs Of Trouble
- Sharp smell, wisps of smoke, or popping sounds
- Case swelling or a seam that splits
- Heat that lingers after unplugging
If a warning sign shows up, set the pack on a hard surface away from flammables and signal the crew. Flight attendants carry kits and know the procedure.
Types Of Cells Inside Portable Chargers
Most consumer packs use 18650, 21700, or flat pouch cells. The chemistry is lithium-ion, often labeled Li-ion or Li-poly. The chemistry label doesn’t change the carry rule for personal packs; watt-hours do. Medical mobility devices follow a different section in airline manuals and may allow a larger energy content when the battery remains attached to the device, but that pathway doesn’t apply to standalone packs.
Specs, Labels, And Buying Tips
Clear labeling makes travel smoother. Look for a printed Wh figure, model ID, nominal voltage (usually 3.7V), and a link or QR to the UN 38.3 test summary. Better makers list cell type and realistic mAh. A graceful safety cut-off and temp monitoring matter more than flashy peak-watt numbers. If a brand hides Wh or claims cartoonish mAh in a tiny shell, skip it.
How To Read The Label
Scan for Wh first, then input/output ratings (USB-C, USB-A, PPS). Those port specs don’t affect carriage rules. Watt-hours control which tier you fall into, and that’s what staff care about at the checkpoint and gate.
Region-By-Region Reference Table
Use this mid-trip cheat sheet to match what agents say at the checkpoint. It condenses the cabin-only rule and the same capacity bands you’ll see worldwide.
| Authority | Rule Snapshot | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| FAA PackSafe | Spare lithium packs in cabin only; 0–100Wh allowed; 101–160Wh with airline approval; >160Wh banned | United States |
| TSA “What Can I Bring” | Portable chargers treated as spare cells; carry-on only; no checked bags | United States |
| IATA Guidance | Power banks classed as spare batteries; insulate terminals; carriage limited to cabin | Global baseline |
Common Mistakes That Trigger Confiscation
No Watt-Hour Label
Some low-cost packs print only mAh. That invites scrutiny. Bring the conversion written on a sticker or show a photo of the spec page with Wh. Better yet, pick a model with the Wh printed in clear text.
Loose Packs Tumbled With Metal
A handful of packs tossed in a backpack with coins and keys looks risky on x-ray and can cause a short. Use sleeves, small bags, or purpose-built organizers with soft dividers.
Trying To Check A Spare Battery
Spare lithium cells and external packs in the hold risk a denial at bag drop. If your cabin bag gets checked at the gate, remove the packs and carry them on. Agents will ask you to do this, and they’ll wait while you pull them out.
How To Choose A Travel-Ready Pack
- Size sweet spot: 10,000–20,000mAh (≈37–74Wh) keeps you under the simplest band while giving phones and small tablets multiple top-ups.
- Clear Wh print: A crisp label speeds interactions with officers and airline staff.
- Safety design: Look for over-current cut-offs, thermal protection, and a well-vented shell.
- Realistic ratings: Specs that match weight and size point to honest cells inside.
- UN 38.3 summary: Reputable brands publish a short test summary; keep a PDF or link handy on your phone.
Real-World Scenarios And Answers
My Cabin Bag Was Gate-Checked
Pull the battery pack out before the handoff. If staff already rolled it down the jet bridge, ask for a quick grab. You’ll get a nod and a minute to remove spares.
My Pack Has 26,800mAh Printed, No Wh
Convert it: 26,800 × 3.7 ÷ 1000 ≈ 99Wh. That lands under the 100Wh band. Add a tiny label with “≈99Wh” near the ports so it’s easy to read.
I Carry A Laptop Power Bank
Many laptop packs sit near 100–150Wh. If yours exceeds 100Wh, contact your carrier for approval and bring no more than two of that size. Keep them in your cabin bag with terminals insulated.
Can I Charge During The Flight?
Some airlines now say no to in-seat use of external packs. If seat power is live, plug in there. If you must use a pack, keep it on a tray table in plain sight and unplug once your device tops off.
Pre-Flight Checklist
- Confirm watt-hours on every pack.
- Stay under 100Wh when you can for the smoothest screening.
- For 101–160Wh, get airline approval and stick to two.
- Carry-on only; never in checked bags.
- Isolate terminals; use sleeves or small zip bags.
- Skip damaged, swollen, or unbranded cells.
Why These Limits Make Sense
Battery incidents are rare, yet crews prepare for them. Cabins offer eyes on the source and gear within arm’s reach. The cargo hold doesn’t. Keeping spare cells near people who can respond keeps risk low across millions of flights each year, which is why agencies repeat the same rules over and over.
Quick Math: Converting mAh To Wh
Not all labels show watt-hours. Use the easy math and keep a note on your phone. Here are common sizes and their energy at 3.7V:
- 5,000mAh → ≈18.5Wh
- 10,000mAh → ≈37Wh
- 20,000mAh → ≈74Wh
- 26,800mAh → ≈99Wh
- 30,000mAh → ≈111Wh (ask your airline)
Sources You Can Trust
The links above are the two pages crews and screeners point to most. The FAA page sets watt-hour bands and approval steps, and the TSA page classifies portable chargers as spare cells and bars them from checked bags. Industry guidance through IATA mirrors both and adds clear packing instructions like insulating terminals and keeping spares in cabin bags.
Pack neat, label clearly, and keep external packs in the cabin. With that, you’ll cruise through security, avoid surprises at the gate, and land with juice to hail a ride or load maps right away.