How to charge devices while traveling

Packing the wrong charger, or too many of them, is one of the easiest ways to add dead weight and dead batteries to a trip. A little upfront knowledge cuts your charging kit down to one or two smart pieces.

One charger to rule them: multi-port GaN bricks

Gallium nitride (GaN) chargers run cooler and pack more power into a smaller body than older silicon designs. A single 65W or 100W GaN brick with three or four ports, including at least two USB-C ports, can simultaneously charge a laptop, two phones, and a tablet. That is every charging brick you would otherwise carry, consolidated into one.

A travel power strip with USB ports, like the Anker Nano Charging Station, is the other approach. It plugs into one hotel outlet and opens up three or four grounded sockets plus USB ports for the whole room. This matters because hotel desks routinely offer one or two accessible outlets, often occupied by the lamp.

The trade-off: a multi-port charger is lighter and simpler. A travel power strip is heavier but invaluable in rooms with limited outlets or when traveling with a partner.

Dual voltage and why a plug adapter is not a converter

North American household current runs at 120V/60Hz. Most of the world runs at 220–240V/50Hz. Plug the wrong charger into the wrong voltage and you can destroy it or start a fire.

The good news: nearly all modern phone chargers, laptop power bricks, and GaN multi-port chargers are dual voltage. Look for the fine print on the label: "Input: 100–240V, 50/60Hz." That range covers everywhere on earth. If it says that, you only need a plug adapter.

A plug adapter changes the physical shape of the prongs to fit a foreign outlet. It does nothing to the voltage. A voltage converter (or transformer) actually steps the voltage up or down. Converters are bulky, heavy, and mostly relevant for older hair dryers or appliances with a motor. Your electronics almost certainly do not need one, but always read the label to confirm.

A plug adapter changes the shape, not the voltage. Confirm "100–240V" on the charger label before you rely on the adapter alone.

Regional plug types to know: Type A/B (North America, Japan), Type C/E/F (Europe, South America), Type G (UK, Hong Kong, Singapore), Type I (Australia, New Zealand, China). A universal adapter like the TESSAN GaN 65W Travel Adapter covers all of them in one piece.

USB-C PD wattage: matching the charger to the laptop

USB-C Power Delivery (PD) is a charging standard that negotiates wattage between the charger and the device. The charger must meet or exceed the laptop's rated wattage to charge at full speed; a lower-wattage charger will charge slowly or may not charge under load.

Over-wattage does no harm: a 100W charger connected to a phone negotiates down to what the phone accepts. Under-wattage on a laptop is the problem to avoid.

Airport and airplane charging: what to count on

Most major airports have USB-A ports built into gate seating. USB-A tops out at 5–12W, which is enough to trickle-charge a phone but will not meaningfully charge a laptop. For faster charging at the airport, find a standard AC outlet (common at many international airports) or use your own multi-port charger.

On the plane: international long-haul flights frequently offer seat-back power. The socket type varies by airline and aircraft: USB-A, USB-C, or an AC outlet at the seat. Business class is more likely to have AC outlets. Economy is less reliable. A fully charged power bank is the more dependable solution for long flights.

Power bank rules: watt-hours and carry-on requirements

Power banks contain lithium batteries and are carry-on only on commercial flights. They cannot go in checked baggage, full stop. Airlines follow IATA and FAA guidelines:

• Up to 100Wh: permitted in carry-on, no approval needed.
• 100–160Wh: permitted in carry-on, requires airline approval (most grant it for personal use).
• Over 160Wh: not permitted on passenger aircraft.

To find the watt-hour rating on a power bank, look for "Wh" printed on the label. If you only see mAh, multiply by the voltage (usually 3.6V or 3.7V) and divide by 1000. A 20,000mAh bank at 3.7V is approximately 74Wh, well under the limit.

For reference, a 20,000mAh bank like the Baseus Blade 100W fully charges most phones three to four times and provides a meaningful top-up to most laptops.

Frequently asked questions

For specific picks, see our guide to the best travel power strips. Browse all travel guides or read how we research and rate gear.