Yes, in most cases you can take a power bank on a plane. The catch is where you pack it and how big it is. Power banks contain lithium batteries, so airlines and airport security treat them differently from your other electronics.
This guide covers the general rules. Airlines can set stricter limits of their own, so always check with yours before you fly.
Pack it in your hand luggage
Power banks must travel in your hand luggage, never in checked baggage. That applies at UK airports and on flights to and from the US, where the TSA follows the same rule. If a battery overheats in the cabin, the crew can deal with it quickly; in the hold, nobody can.
If your cabin bag is taken from you at the gate to go in the hold, take the power bank out and keep it with you.
Check the watt-hours
The limit that matters is the battery’s energy in watt-hours (Wh), which is usually printed on the back of the power bank. The common limits are:
- Up to 100 Wh: allowed in hand luggage on most airlines.
- 100 Wh to 160 Wh: you’ll normally need your airline’s approval first.
- Over 160 Wh: not allowed on passenger planes.
If your power bank only shows a mAh rating, you can work out the watt-hours: multiply the mAh by the voltage (usually 3.7 V) and divide by 1,000. A typical 20,000 mAh power bank works out at about 74 Wh, comfortably under the 100 Wh limit.
Using it during the flight
More airlines now limit charging from a power bank on board, and some don’t allow it at all. Others ask you to keep it where you can see it rather than in the overhead locker. Check your airline’s rules before you fly, and listen to the crew’s announcements.
Tips for going through security
- Keep the power bank somewhere easy to reach, as you may be asked to take it out.
- Cover exposed contacts or keep it in its own pouch, away from coins and keys.
- Don’t take a power bank that’s damaged, swollen or gets unusually hot.
- Charge it before you leave home, so it’s ready when you need it.
Before you head to the airport
Travel days are long and phones work hard, with boarding passes, live departure updates and messages to whoever is picking you up. Starting the day fully charged, and topping up wherever you can along the way, makes the whole trip easier.
