Can you take a power bank on a flight? Yes, and here’s how to do it safely
Everything you need to know about travelling with a power bank
Travelling with a power bank? While it might sound near impossible, it’s actually very easy to take a power bank with you on your next holiday – as long as you keep these things in mind.
It seems like it’s become increasingly harder to travel with a power bank nowadays. For example, in October 2025, a viral video showed a huge fire in an overhead locker on an Air China Flight. The fire was reportedly caused by a lithium battery which is what most power banks use.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the average person takes four different lithium-powered devices with them on a flight, as they’re commonly used in items like power banks, laptops, phones, smartwatches and even vapes. But before you start getting scared that your phone will explode on you, it’s important to understand why these potential hazards can happen.
As you may have guessed, it’s all down to overheating. If the battery in your power bank overheats, it becomes defective and can cause a fire. How you pack and take care of your power bank can affect this, so here’s exactly what you need to do to travel safely with a power bank.
How to travel with a power bank
This is the most important thing to remember when travelling with a power bank – always pack them in your carry-on luggage. A power bank should never go in your checked bag as the lithium battery could potentially short circuit and catch fire.
It’s not a guarantee that a fire won’t happen to a power bank in your carry-on bag, but its presence in the cabin means if it does, flight staff can access it and extinguish it quickly. However, if this happens in a checked bag, the cargo hold cannot be accessed during a flight and this could lead to serious problems.
Another important thing to remember is that you should never use a power bank during a flight. Not only does this refer to using a power bank to charge your devices, but you also shouldn’t recharge your power bank using the plane’s USB ports.
Most airlines limit passengers to two power banks in their carry-on luggage, capped at 100 watt-hours (Wh). If your power bank is between 100 to 160Wh, you'll need prior approval from the airline to travel with it. Anything over 160Wh is strictly prohibited from all flights.
If your power bank meets this watt-hour requirement, you should be fine to fly with it. Before packing it in your carry-on, though, make sure to check it’s in top condition to avoid any hazards or damages. It’s also recommended to place power banks in separate padded pouches in your bag, especially if you’re travelling with more than one.
