Can You Bring a Power Bank on a Plane? Rules by Airline

Yes. A power bank can fly with you, but only in your carry-on bag, never in checked luggage. The size limit is 100 watt-hours (Wh) per battery without airline approval, which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says covers “nearly all types of lithium batteries used by the average person.”

The bigger questions now are how many you can bring and what you can do with them on board. American, Delta, Alaska, Hawaiian and JetBlue cap power banks at two per person. Southwest allows one, according to FOX Business and ConsumerAffairs reports on its April 20, 2026 change. All six, Southwest by those reports, bar recharging a power bank from seat power and keep it out of the overhead bin.

Power bank rules by airline (as of October 21, 2026)

Each airline name in the table links to that airline’s own policy page, which is the one to check before you fly. A few details the table can’t hold:

• American lists the rule as “Limit 2 portable chargers per passenger while onboard,” and tells you to keep them in a personal item under the seat or the seatback pocket.
• Delta’s wording is: “No more than two power banks may be carried per person, and they may not exceed an aggregate total of 100 Wh each, with no exceptions.” Its in-flight rule reads: power banks “must not be recharged on board the aircraft or be used to recharge a portable electronic device during taxi, take-off, landing.”
• Alaska and Hawaiian share one page, which forbids power banks rated 101 to 160 Wh or higher on their flights and says they must be kept “within arm’s reach of guest while onboard.”
• Southwest’s own hazardous-materials article says power banks are “prohibited in checked baggage.” The one-charger limit comes from an internal message to employees that FOX Business reviewed, which also said Southwest would tell customers about the policy before the trip and at check-in. ConsumerAffairs reported that Southwest “does not plan to aggressively enforce the policy through bag searches.”
• United’s dangerous-items page bans power banks from checked bags, including ones built into smart bags, and gives the general lithium battery limits shown in the table. It does not list a power bank count, a power bank size or an in-flight rule, so check with United before you fly, and get its approval for anything over 100 Wh.

Flying a US carrier that isn’t in the table? The FAA’s rules are the floor, and the FAA warns that “many airlines, both domestic and international, may have stricter quantity and Wh limits.” Abroad, check the 2026 international rules below as well.

The rules that count are those of the airline flying each leg. Alaska’s ban on bigger packs, for example, covers “AAG operated flights,” and Delta asks you to “review the portable charger requirements of the countries you are visiting as some countries and airlines limit how many portable chargers or watt hours are allowed.” ANA puts it plainly: “If a codeshare flight or flight operated by another airline is included in the itinerary, the baggage rules of the other airline may apply.” On a trip with connections, pack for the strictest airline on the ticket.

Why the rules changed in 2026

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) added power bank rules to its Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, effective March 27, 2026. According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), power banks must “not be recharged on board the aircraft,” “should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft,” and are limited to “two power banks per person.” The International Air Transport Association (IATA) labels the no-recharging rule a “new requirement” and the no-charging-devices rule a “new recommendation.”

The FAA’s own page, last updated August 11, 2026, still says “Quantity limits: None for most batteries.” IATA notes that “the enforceability of the change depends on the State’s process for adopting that change.” So on a US flight, the FAA and TSA set the floor (carry-on only, 100 Wh without approval), and your airline’s policy sets the count and the in-flight rules.

What size power bank can you take on a plane?

Up to 100 Wh with no paperwork. The FAA lets you carry up to two larger lithium-ion batteries of 101 to 160 Wh with airline approval. For power banks, though, American, Delta and Alaska set the ceiling at 100 Wh. Delta says any lithium-ion battery over 160 Wh “is prohibited from carriage on all passenger aircraft.”

The FAA says newer batteries have the Wh rating marked on them, and that you can work it out by multiplying the battery’s voltage by its amp-hours. If your pack lists only milliamp-hours (mAh), American gives the shortcut “Wh = mAh × 3.7 / 1,000,” so a 10,000 mAh charger “equals 37 Wh.”

The voltage varies by pack, which is why the printed Wh figure is the one that counts. Macworld’s list of 10,000 mAh magnetic packs runs from 36 Wh to 39.5 Wh. The table below runs the formula at 3.7 volts (V), the figure American uses, and at 3.6 V, 3.85 V and 3.95 V to show how much the answer moves. The 3.95 V column matches Macworld’s 39.5 Wh for a 10,000 mAh pack.

Can you bring a 20,000 mAh power bank on a plane?

Yes. At any of the voltages above it lands between 72 and 79 Wh, under the 100 Wh limit. Two of them fit the two-bank rule on American, Delta, Alaska and JetBlue; Southwest’s reported limit is one.

Can you bring a 30,000 mAh power bank on a plane?

Usually not on the big US airlines. At 3.6 V or more a 30,000 mAh pack is over 100 Wh, and American, Delta and Alaska don’t allow power banks above 100 Wh. Under the FAA’s rules a pack rated 101 to 160 Wh needs the airline’s approval, but JetBlue, Southwest (as reported) and Emirates also stop at 100 Wh. IATA also plans to drop that approval route from January 1, 2027, as the section below explains.

Does your gear count as a power bank?

The FAA’s battery rules cover power banks, phone battery charging cases and portable rechargers alike, so all of them go in your carry-on. Here is where some common gear lands, from the makers’ and reviewers’ published capacities.

Portable power stations are a different category. American’s ban on “Large portable power banks or lithium ion generators” names brands including Bluetti, EcoFlow and Jackery. If you are sizing a station for camping or outages, the what size power station guide covers that, but it stays home or goes by car. For a phone, a magnetic pack is the easy fit: the MagSafe power banks guide lists packs well under the limit.

Can you use a power bank during the flight?

On most US airlines, yes, with conditions. American allows it if the charger stays within reach and visible, and FOX Business reported a similar visibility rule at Southwest. Delta and Alaska rule out taxi, takeoff and landing. JetBlue says power banks “should not be used to charge or power other devices during flight.”

Recharging the power bank itself is the line every airline here that states a rule draws. American, Alaska, JetBlue and Southwest bar plugging it into seat power, and Delta says it “must not be recharged on board the aircraft.”

Why airlines worry about them

The FAA says any lithium-ion battery can overheat in a process called thermal runaway, which “can occur without warning” after damage, overheating, water, overcharging, improper packing or a manufacturing defect. Spare batteries ride in the cabin, where, the FAA says, flight crews “are trained to recognize and respond to lithium battery fires.” IATA calls wireless power banks “an emerging concern,” and says several passengers have reported them “entering thermal runaway.”

Power bank rules on international airlines

Several airlines abroad go further and ban using a power bank at all. Check your carrier’s page before an international trip.

• Lufthansa Group says power banks “may neither be used nor charged on board,” and may only be kept in the seat pocket, on you, or in carry-on luggage under the seat.
• Emirates announced its rule on August 8, 2025: customers “may carry one power bank that is under 100 Watt Hours,” and power banks “must have capacity rating information available.” Its dangerous-goods page now words the limit as “one power bank with a maximum capacity of 100 watt-hour,” with “clearly visible capacity rating information,” and bans both charging devices from it and charging it from the aircraft’s power.
• Japan: the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) says the rules come from Japan’s transport ministry, points JAL and ANA passengers to those rules, and tells passengers on non-Japanese airlines to check their airline’s own page. JAL’s notice says “The use of power banks for the purpose of charging other electronic devices is prohibited while onboard the aircraft,” and that charging a power bank “via in-seat power outlets or USB ports is prohibited.” ANA prohibits charging a power bank from the in-flight outlet and says to “Refrain from using power banks to charge other electronic devices.”
• Korea: International Airport Review reported that Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul banned using or charging power banks on board from January 26, 2026, reporting that “their use and charging on board will be strictly prohibited,” and that power banks “must not be stored in overhead bins under any circumstances.”

What changes on January 1, 2027?

IATA plans to end the 100 to 160 Wh approval route in its own rulebook. IATA says the ICAO change still lets an airline approve power banks of 100 to 160 Wh, but that “this provision will not be carried into the 68th edition” of its Dangerous Goods Regulations. That edition “will come into force on 1 January 2027.” JAL already warns that “Due to anticipated changes to International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, the limit may be reduced to 100Wh from January 2027.” IATA also notes that enforcement “depends on the State’s process for adopting that change,” and the FAA’s page still lists the approval route. If your power bank is rated above 100 Wh, the safe plan for flights from January is to leave it at home.

How to pack a power bank for a flight

• Carry-on only. TSA says power banks are “prohibited in checked luggage.”
• Take it out of a gate-checked bag. The FAA says all spare lithium batteries and power banks must be removed from a carry-on that is checked at the gate “and kept with the passenger in the aircraft cabin.”
• Cover the ports. The FAA lists retail packaging, tape over the terminals, a battery case or a plastic bag as ways to prevent a short circuit.
• Keep it out of the overhead bin. American, Delta, Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Lufthansa Group and Emirates say so, and news reports say the same of Southwest and the five Korean airlines.
• Make sure the rating is readable. American notes that the Wh rating “is usually printed on the back or base of the charger.”
• Leave damaged or recalled packs at home. The FAA says they “must not be carried aboard an aircraft” unless the battery has been removed or made safe.
• Tell the crew right away if a battery is “overheating, expanding, smoking or burning.”

Want one charger for the hotel room instead of another battery? The 3-in-1 chargers guide has foldable travel picks for an iPhone, watch and earbuds.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put a power bank in checked luggage?

No. TSA lists power banks as allowed in carry-on bags and not in checked bags. A power bank built into a smart bag counts too: United, for example, bans those from checked bags.

Does TSA limit how many power banks you can bring?

TSA’s power bank page sets no number. The FAA says there is no quantity limit for most batteries, but warns that airlines may be stricter. American, Delta, Alaska, Hawaiian and JetBlue allow two, and Southwest one, according to news reports; Southwest’s own help page does not list a number.

Can you charge your phone with a power bank on the plane?

On American, Delta, Alaska, Hawaiian and Southwest, yes, with conditions: Delta and Alaska rule out taxi, takeoff and landing, and American and Southwest want the power bank in view. JetBlue says you should not. On Lufthansa Group, Emirates, JAL and the five Korean airlines (as reported), no, and ANA asks you to refrain.

Can you bring a portable power station on a plane?

Not a full-size one. Jackery lists the Explorer 1000 v2 at 1,070 Wh, far past the 160 Wh ceiling, and American names Jackery, EcoFlow and Bluetti among the banned “Large portable power banks or lithium ion generators.”

Sources (23)

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• tsa.gov Power Banks
• tsa.gov Lithium batteries with 100 watt hours or less in a device
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• iata.org Changes Regarding Power Banks, Guidance Document for Operators
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• delta.com Delta Air Lines: Battery or Fuel-Powered
• united.com United Airlines: Dangerous items
• alaskaair.com Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines: Flying with batteries and electronics restrictions
• jetblue.com Batteries
• support.southwest.com Southwest Airlines: What do I need to know about hazardous materials?
• foxbusiness.com Southwest Airlines limits passengers to 1 portable charger per person over fire concerns
• consumeraffairs.com Southwest Airlines tightens rules on portable chargers on aircraft
• business.lufthansagroup.com Lufthansa Group: Power banks on board, updated regulations starting 15 January 2026
• mediaoffice.ae Dubai Media Office: Emirates makes changes to safety rules for customer usage of power banks onboard
• japan.travel JNTO: New Carry-on Power Bank Regulations are Coming into Effect from Apr 24, 2026
• emirates.com Dangerous Goods Policy
• jal.co.jp Updates to the Handling of Power Banks Onboard Aircraft (From April 24, 2026)
• ana.co.jp Carry-on baggage rules for international flights
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• macworld.com Best MagSafe battery packs and power banks for iPhone
• anker.com Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W)
• jackery.com Explorer 1000 v2 product page