Last checked: July 2026 — sourced against TSA “What Can I Bring?” and FAA PackSafe. Battery/vape rules change fast; re-verify before you fly.
The verdict, in one line
Bring your power bank in your carry-on or on your person — never in a checked bag. This is not an airline preference; it is a federal rule. TSA’s “What Can I Bring?” power banks page and FAA PackSafe both state that spare lithium batteries, which include power banks and portable phone chargers, are prohibited in checked baggage. If your suitcase gets gate-checked, pull the power bank out and keep it in the cabin with you.
Why checked bags are off-limits
A power bank is a lithium-ion battery, and lithium cells can enter “thermal runaway” — a self-feeding fire that is hard to extinguish. In the passenger cabin, a crew member can see smoke and respond in seconds. In the cargo hold, no one is watching. That single difference is the whole reason for the rule. The FAA logged dozens of lithium-battery smoke, fire, or extreme-heat events on U.S. flights in 2025 alone, which is why enforcement has only tightened.
The watt-hour limits that decide everything
What matters is the battery’s energy rating in watt-hours (Wh), not its physical size. Most consumer power banks are well under the free limit, but larger “camping” or laptop-grade packs are where people get caught. Here is how the FAA tiers it:
| Capacity | Carry-on | Checked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 100 Wh | Yes | No | No airline approval needed; reasonable quantity for personal use. |
| 101–160 Wh | With airline approval | No | Maximum 2 spare batteries per passenger. |
| Over 160 Wh | No | No | Banned from passenger baggage entirely; ships as cargo only. |
To convert to watt-hours if your pack lists only milliamp-hours (mAh): Wh = (mAh ÷ 1000) × voltage. A typical 3.7° V cell means a 20,000 mAh bank is about 74 Wh — comfortably under 100. A 27,000 mAh bank at 3.7 V is roughly 100 Wh, right at the line. Anything advertised as 25,000 mAh or higher is worth checking, because the printed Wh figure is what a screener reads.
How to pack one safely
- Keep the power bank in your carry-on bag or personal item, ideally somewhere you can reach it in flight.
- Protect the terminals and ports from short-circuiting — leave it in retail packaging, cap the ports, or drop it in its own pouch away from keys and coins.
- Don’t pack a swollen, damaged, or recalled battery. Airlines can refuse it, and it is the one most likely to fail.
- Under the newest rules, don’t stow it in the overhead bin — keep it within reach at your seat.
The airline and international layer (this changed fast in 2025–2026)
The FAA/TSA rules above are the floor. Airlines have piled stricter limits on top, and 2025–2026 brought a wave of them:
- ICAO (international standard): passengers are limited to two power banks in the cabin, and charging them in flight is banned, effective 27 March 2026.
- American Airlines: from 1 May 2026, only two lithium-battery items up to 100 Wh, the pack must stay visible to crew and within reach (not in the overhead bin), and you may charge your phone from a power bank but may not charge the power bank itself.
- Asian carriers: Korean Air, Asiana and others banned in-flight power bank use in early 2026; Singapore Airlines and Scoot cap it at two and ban in-flight use/charging; India’s DGCA banned in-flight charging on its flights from January 2026.
- Emirates: one power bank under 100 Wh, no in-flight use, since October 2025.
Before an international or connecting itinerary, check each operating carrier’s website — the strictest airline on your ticket wins. And remember: the TSA officer at the checkpoint, and separately your airline at the gate, always has the final say, regardless of what any chart says.
Sources & verification
Each rule on this page was checked against the primary sources below and last verified July 2026. The federal carry-on/checked and watt-hour rules come from TSA and the FAA; the ICAO and per-airline in-flight-charging and cabin-quantity limits noted above are set by ICAO and each carrier individually — confirm them with your operating airline before you fly.
- TSA — “What Can I Bring?”: Power banks (spare lithium batteries, including power banks, are prohibited in checked bags; allowed in carry-on). tsa.gov/…/items/power-banks
- TSA — “What Can I Bring?”: Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours (101–160 Wh need airline approval, max 2 spares; over 160 Wh not permitted in passenger baggage). tsa.gov/…/lithium-batteries-more-100-watt-hours
- FAA — PackSafe: Lithium batteries (watt-hour tiers, spare batteries carry-on only, terminal-protection requirement). faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries
Related rules: Lithium batteries & power banks · Disposable vape · Lighter
FAQ
Can I put a power bank in my checked suitcase if it’s turned off?
No. Power off makes no difference — spare lithium batteries and power banks are banned from checked bags in every case. It must travel in the cabin.
How many power banks can I bring?
Federal rules allow a reasonable quantity of sub-100 Wh packs for personal use, but many airlines now cap it at two in the cabin. Assume a limit of two unless your carrier says otherwise.
Can I charge my phone from a power bank during the flight?
Usually yes, but a growing number of airlines require the pack to stay visible to crew, and several now ban charging the power bank itself mid-flight. Check your airline.
My power bank only lists mAh — how do I find the watt-hours?
Wh = (mAh ÷ 1000) × voltage. At the common 3.7 V, a 20,000 mAh bank is about 74 Wh, safely under the 100 Wh free limit.
What if it’s between 100 and 160 Wh?
You can carry up to two, but only with airline approval before you fly. Over 160 Wh is banned from passenger baggage entirely.