Are power banks allowed on planes? TSA and FAA rules

Power banks are allowed on planes, but the rules are specific and some changed in 2026. Here is what you need to know before you pack.

The carry-on rule is absolute

No spare lithium battery or portable charger is permitted in checked baggage. This applies on every passenger aircraft worldwide and is enforced by TSA at the security checkpoint and by airlines at check-in. The reason is thermal events: if a battery overheats or ignites in the cargo hold, crew cannot reach it. In the cabin, they can.

This is not an advisory. A power bank found in your checked bag will be confiscated. Put it in your personal item or carry-on and leave it there.

The 100 Wh threshold

The watt-hour rating is the number that matters to regulators, not milliamp-hours.

Most consumer power banks, like the pocket-size Anker PowerCore 10K (313) at roughly 37 Wh, sit between 50 Wh and 100 Wh or below, so the majority of travelers never hit the approval threshold. The banks marketed as "high capacity" for laptops are the ones to check carefully, though even a 24,000 mAh model like the Anker 737 PowerCore 24K comes in around 87 Wh, still under the limit.

How to calculate watt-hours from mAh

Many older or budget banks print only the milliamp-hour (mAh) rating on the label. Here is the formula:

Wh = (mAh / 1000) x 3.7

A 20,000 mAh bank works out to about 74 Wh. A 27,000 mAh bank is roughly 100 Wh, sitting right at the threshold. If your label shows both mAh and Wh, trust the printed Wh figure: it is more authoritative than a calculated estimate, and some multi-cell packs run at slightly different voltages.

What changed in March 2026

ICAO issued binding new rules effective 27 March 2026, adopted by all 193 member states. Three changes affect travelers directly:

1. Maximum two power banks per passenger in the cabin
2. No in-flight charging: using a power bank to charge devices during the flight is now prohibited
3. Overhead bin ban: power banks must be kept at your seat, accessible to crew if there is an incident

TSA and FAA rules for US domestic flights have not been updated to explicitly match the ICAO in-flight charging ban, but individual airlines may apply the ICAO standard across their entire network, including domestic routes. When in doubt, ask your carrier.

Some airlines go stricter than the ICAO baseline. Emirates and Southwest have limited passengers to one power bank each. Always check your carrier before the airport.

Using your bank at the terminal

There are no restrictions on using a power bank in the gate area, lounge, or anywhere in the airport before boarding. Charge your devices freely. The restrictions apply once you are on the aircraft.

If you need to top up a bank itself, airport charging stations and lounge USB ports are all fine to use pre-flight.

FAQ

For recommendations on which banks clear the 100 Wh threshold with room to spare while still topping up a laptop, see our guide to the best travel power banks. More packing and gear guidance is in travel gear, and you can read about how we research and rate the products and policies we cover.