Can We Take Power Bank In Hand Luggage? | Cabin Rules Guide

If you’re carrying a portable charger on your next flight, here’s the short version: it belongs in the cabin with you. Aviation safety rules treat a power bank as a spare lithium battery, which means it must stay out of checked baggage. Below you’ll find the limits, packing tips, conversion math for watt-hours, and a clear table so you can check your model at a glance.

Taking A Power Bank In Your Hand Luggage – Practical Rules

Airline and regulator guidance lines up around three capacity bands measured in watt-hours (Wh). Up to 100 Wh is fine in the cabin. Between 100 and 160 Wh usually needs airline approval and may be capped at two spares. Anything above 160 Wh isn’t allowed in passenger baggage. Keep terminals covered, pack it where you can reach it, and never charge the bank on board if the crew asks you not to.

Quick Capacity Rules For Travelers

Most phone-sized power banks sit well under 100 Wh, which makes boarding simple. Larger laptop bricks can creep toward the 100–160 Wh band. Very high-capacity units meant for camping or photography rigs can exceed 160 Wh, and those aren’t permitted in passenger bags.

At-A-Glance Table: Where Your Power Bank Goes

Battery Size (Wh)	Where It Goes	Notes
0–100 Wh	Carry-on only	Pack in cabin; protect terminals; keep accessible.
100–160 Wh	Carry-on only	Often needs airline approval; max two spares per passenger.
160+ Wh	Not permitted	Use cargo channels or leave at home; not for passenger bags.

Why Power Banks Stay Out Of Checked Baggage

Lithium cells can enter thermal runaway if damaged, shorted, or poorly made. If a battery vents in the hold, crew can’t reach it fast. In the cabin, trained staff can spot smoke early, use containment tools, and cool the device. That’s the logic behind “cabin only.”

How To Read Labels And Find Your Watt-Hours

Look for a printed Wh rating on the case. If you only see milliamp-hours (mAh) and voltage (V), do a quick conversion:

• Formula: Wh = (mAh ÷ 1000) × V
• Most power banks use 3.7 V cells.

Example: a 20,000 mAh unit at 3.7 V is about 74 Wh. That’s below 100 Wh, so it belongs in the cabin and doesn’t need special approval.

Regional Norms And Airline Nuances

Rules are broadly aligned in the U.S., Europe, and many other markets: cabin only for spares and power banks, capacity caps as shown above, and terminal protection. Some airlines also ask passengers not to use or charge power banks during the flight. When in doubt, check your carrier’s page the week you fly.

What Security Officers Look For

Security agents care about size, labeling, and safe packing. A unit without any specs can draw extra screening. If the label shows the Wh figure or the mAh and V so they can do the math, screening goes faster. Keep the bank in your personal item so you can pull it out if asked.

Safe Packing Checklist For Power Banks

• Carry it in your cabin bag, not in checked baggage.
• Cover exposed terminals with caps or tape, or keep the bank in a padded sleeve.
• Pack it where you can reach it during boarding checks.
• Avoid pressing power buttons in a tight pocket or overstuffed pouch.
• Do not place it next to metal items that could bridge the terminals.
• If it swells, smells, or runs hot, stop using it and tell the crew right away.

When You Need Airline Approval

Banks between 100 and 160 Wh often require pre-clearance. Airlines may limit you to two spares at this size. Approval can be as simple as a note on your booking, but carriers set their own process. Plan ahead if you carry a larger pack for laptops or cameras.

Cabin Behavior: Charging And In-Flight Use

Many carriers ask passengers not to use power banks during the flight, even though carrying them in the cabin is permitted. If your airline or the crew bans in-flight use, unplug it and stow the bank until landing. Crew directions outrank any general rule.

Smart Luggage And Built-In Power Banks

Some suitcases ship with an integrated battery. Most carriers require you to remove the battery module before checking the bag, then carry that module in the cabin. If the battery can’t be removed, you may be blocked from checking the bag. Check the bag maker’s instructions and your airline’s page before you head to the airport.

Labeling, Quality, And Counterfeits

Buy from known brands with clear labels and protection circuits. Look for over-charge, over-current, and short-circuit safeguards. Cheap knockoffs raise screening risk and safety risk. If your unit has no specs or looks tampered with, leave it home.

What Happens If The Gate Checks Your Bag

Gate agents sometimes tag cabin bags for the hold on full flights. If that happens, remove any power banks and other spare lithium batteries before handing the bag to the agent. Keep them with you in your personal item until you board.

Conversion Guide: Common Sizes And Cabin Rules

Use this guide to map typical mAh sizes to Wh and see the usual cabin outcome. The math assumes 3.7 V cells, which fits most consumer banks.

Label (mAh @ 3.7 V)	Approx Wh	Allowed In Cabin?
5,000 mAh	18.5 Wh	Yes (carry-on only)
10,000 mAh	37 Wh	Yes (carry-on only)
20,000 mAh	74 Wh	Yes (carry-on only)
26,800 mAh	99 Wh	Yes (carry-on only)
30,000 mAh	111 Wh	Carry-on; airline approval may be required (limit two)
40,000 mAh	148 Wh	Carry-on; airline approval may be required (limit two)
50,000 mAh	185 Wh	Not permitted in passenger baggage

Handy Math And Edge Cases

What If The Label Only Shows USB Output?

USB ports list output voltage (5 V, 9 V, 12 V), which doesn’t change the battery’s Wh rating. The internal cells are still about 3.7 V, and that’s the figure you use with mAh to compute Wh for airline rules.

Multiple Cells Inside One Pack

Many packs are a bundle of 18650 or 21700 cells. Makers calculate the Wh across the whole pack and place that single figure on the label. If you’re building a pack yourself, total the energy of all cells and keep it under the relevant limit.

Two Small Banks Or One Big One?

Two 10,000 mAh banks (about 37 Wh each) are simpler to carry than one 30,000 mAh bank (about 111 Wh) that might need airline approval. Smaller units also spread heat and are easier to stow safely.

Official Guidance Worth Bookmarking

You can see the cabin-only rule spelled out on the TSA power bank page. The FAA’s PackSafe lithium battery guidance also lists carry-on only for spare batteries and power banks, with the same Wh bands used by airlines worldwide. These two pages are updated often and are the best quick checks before you fly.

Simple Preflight Checklist

• Confirm your power bank’s Wh rating from the label or by conversion.
• If it’s between 100 and 160 Wh, contact your airline to log approval.
• Pack it in your cabin bag with terminals protected.
• Keep it where you can reach it during screening and boarding.
• Follow any crew instruction about stowing or switching it off during the flight.

Bottom Line For Stress-Free Boarding

A portable charger is fine to bring when it rides with you in the cabin. Keep within the Wh limits, pack it neatly, and label clarity will save time at the checkpoint. With a bit of prep, you’ll breeze through screening and keep your devices powered on arrival.