Power banks go in your carry-on, never in checked bags. Under US rules a power bank rated 100 watt-hours (Wh) or less needs no approval, one between 100 and 160 Wh needs your airline's approval, and anything above 160 Wh cannot fly on a passenger plane. On top of that, most major airlines tightened their own rules in 2025 and 2026: many now cap how many you can carry, ban them from overhead bins, and stop you from using or recharging them in flight. Here is what applies as of November 2026, and what to check before you pack.
The US baseline: what the FAA requires
The FAA's PackSafe guidance treats power banks and phone charging cases as spare lithium batteries. The core rules:
- Carry-on only. Spare lithium batteries and power banks must travel in carry-on baggage. If your carry-on is taken at the gate or planeside, take the power bank out first and keep it with you in the cabin.
- 100 Wh per battery for rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which covers nearly every phone and laptop power bank sold to travelers.
- 101 to 160 Wh needs airline approval, and you can carry at most two of these larger spares. Above 160 Wh is not allowed.
- Protect the terminals from short circuit: keep the battery in its retail packaging, a case, a pouch or a plastic bag, or tape over exposed contacts.
- Damaged or recalled batteries may not be carried at all, in either carry-on or checked bags, unless the battery has been removed or made safe.
The FAA also says plainly that many airlines set stricter quantity and Wh limits than these, and tells passengers to check with their carrier. In 2026 that advice matters more than ever.
How to read your power bank's rating
Most power banks print the Wh rating on the case. If yours only shows milliamp-hours (mAh), the FAA's formula is voltage multiplied by amp-hours. Lithium ion cells are usually rated around 3.6 or 3.7 volts, so divide the mAh figure by 1,000 and multiply by the voltage. A 20,000 mAh bank at 3.6 V works out to 72 Wh, comfortably under 100. A bank with no readable rating is a problem: Emirates, for example, requires capacity information to be available on any power bank it accepts, and airport screeners in some countries may refuse an unmarked one.
What changed in 2026: the new global floor
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced new power bank restrictions that took effect on March 27, 2026: on international flights, passengers are limited to two power banks, and recharging them during flight is prohibited. Airlines can be stricter than this, and many are.
US airlines: rules as of November 2026
All of these build on the FAA baseline above. Policies have changed several times in two years, so read your airline's restricted-items page the week you fly.
Delta
Delta's own baggage page says no more than two power banks per person, each no more than 100 Wh, with no exceptions. Power banks may not go in an overhead bin; keep them somewhere easy to reach, such as the seat pocket or under the seat in front of you. Power banks must not be recharged on board, and must not be used to charge a device during taxi, takeoff or landing. Delta also warns that some countries limit how many chargers you may carry, and that in South Korea not complying can bring significant fines.
American Airlines
According to news reports of American's announcement, its updated policy took effect May 1, 2026: two portable chargers per passenger, each 100 Wh or less, not stored in overhead bins, not recharged during the flight, and kept visible and within reach while in use. Check American's restricted-items page before you fly.
Southwest
Southwest was the first US airline to require power banks to be visible while in use, a rule that started in May 2025. From April 20, 2026, according to news reports of the airline's announcement, it went further: one power bank per passenger, kept out of overhead bins and checked bags, visible while charging a device, and not recharged from in-seat power. Check with Southwest before you fly.
United
United says portable chargers and spare batteries travel in cabin baggage only, protected from short circuit, and must be taken out if a carry-on bag is checked. We could not confirm its current rules on how many you may carry or on using one in flight, so plan on the FAA baseline and the ICAO two-bank limit on international flights, keep the bank out of the overhead bin to be safe, and check United's electronic devices and batteries page before you fly.
International airlines with in-flight use bans
If you connect onto a foreign airline, its rules apply for that flight, and several ban using a power bank on board entirely. You may still carry one; you just cannot switch it on.
- Emirates (since October 1, 2025): one power bank under 100 Wh may be carried, but it may not be used on board, either to charge a device or to be charged from aircraft power. It must sit in the seat pocket or a bag under the seat in front, not in the overhead bin.
- Singapore Airlines (since April 1, 2025): cabin baggage only, approval needed for 100 to 160 Wh, no use or charging for the whole flight, and storage in the seat pocket or under the seat, never in the overhead compartment.
- Cathay Pacific (since April 7, 2025, following Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department requirements): no charging the power bank from in-seat power and no using it to charge a device. Power banks go in carry-on only; check Cathay's own page for how many it currently allows.
- Korean Air and its sister airlines in the Hanjin Group (Asiana, Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul): no using a power bank on board since January 26, 2026, on domestic and international flights. Carrying is still allowed within the usual limits, with terminals taped or individually bagged, and the bank kept in the seat pocket or under the seat.
Because of these bans, charge everything to full before boarding a long-haul flight on one of these airlines, and use seat power for your devices where the aircraft has it.
A packing checklist that works on any airline
- Carry no more than one or two power banks. One satisfies every airline above, including Southwest and Emirates. Two satisfies Delta, American and the ICAO limit; check other airlines' own pages.
- Check the Wh rating is printed and under 100 Wh. Leave larger banks at home unless you have written airline approval.
- Keep it in your personal item, not the bag that goes in the overhead bin, so it can travel under the seat and you can reach it.
- Pull it out before a gate check. If your roller bag is tagged at the gate, the power bank stays with you.
- Charge it before the airport, since recharging on board is banned on most international flights now.
- Tell the crew at once if a battery gets hot, swells, smokes or smells. The FAA notes that crews are trained to handle lithium battery fires, and speed matters.
Laptops, phones, cameras and tablets with the battery installed are covered by different rules from spare batteries and can generally fly in the cabin as normal. For the rest of your bag, see our guide to airline baggage rules and our carry-on packing list for a two-week trip.
Connections and mixed itineraries
On a trip with more than one airline, the strictest airline sets your packing list. A Delta flight to Seoul connecting onto Korean Air means two banks are allowed but neither can be used on the Korean Air leg. A trip to Asia via Dubai on Emirates means one bank, unused. If you are booking a connection, our layover guide covers how much time to leave at the big hubs, and you can compare nonstop options on routes such as San Francisco to Singapore.
Rules shown are as of November 2026. Airlines change battery rules often, so check with the airline on its own restricted-items page before you fly.
