Portable Chargers and Power Banks on a Plane: FAA Rules

Where these numbers come from

Portable chargers are lithium batteries, and lithium batteries fail in a way that can start a fire. That is why the FAA keeps power banks out of the cargo hold. They must travel in carry-on baggage or on your person, where the crew can reach them fast.

Capacity is measured in watt-hours. Most power banks print milliamp-hours instead, so convert: multiply mAh by the voltage, usually 3.7, then divide by 1,000. A 20,000 mAh bank works out to 74 watt-hours, under the 100 Wh limit. A 30,000 mAh bank is 111 Wh, which needs airline approval and counts toward a limit of two spares.

If your carry-on is gate-checked, the power bank has to come out and stay with you in the cabin. The same goes for spare camera and laptop batteries. Cover exposed terminals with tape or keep each battery in its own pouch so metal objects cannot bridge the contacts.

Devices with batteries installed can be checked when switched fully off and protected from accidental activation, but a laptop or phone is safer with you. A power bank is never allowed in the hold, even inside a device case.

Airlines can be stricter than the federal baseline. Some carriers abroad now restrict using a power bank in flight or limit how many you carry. Check your airline before you go, especially on overseas routes. Lighters with lithium cells follow related rules on the lighters page, and the lithium batteries page covers spare cells more broadly.

For screening, a power bank goes in the bin or stays in your bag as your checkpoint officer directs. It is not a liquid, so it does not need the quart bag. Use the can I bring it finder to check other electronics. A small worked example shows how quickly limits add up. Two 20,000 mAh banks are 74 Wh each, so both fit under the per-battery cap, and no approval is needed. A 27,000 mAh bank is about 100 Wh, right at the line, so check the label. Airlines also publish their own battery rules, and some limit how many banks you carry or forbid using them in flight, so read your carrier's policy before you fly.

Sources

• FAA lithium batteries in baggage
• FAA PackSafe airline passengers and batteries
• Anker: portable chargers on planes

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.