Can you take a power bank on a plane? 2026 rules for all your electronics

Short answer: yes, but only in your hand luggage, and since March 2026 you can take two at most. Laptops, phones and tablets are fine in your cabin bag too, and you can usually charge your phone from the seat. Here are the electronics on a plane rules in one place, so nothing gets taken off you at security or the gate. For everything else in your bag, see our guide to what you can bring on a plane.

These rules come from ICAO, the UN's aviation agency, and EU airlines apply them under guidance from EASA, the EU's aviation safety agency. What happens at the security checkpoint is set by EU aviation security law. Your airline can be stricter, so check its dangerous goods page before you fly.

Power bank flight rules: what changed in 2026?

In March 2026, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) tightened the rules for power banks after a series of onboard fires. You can now carry a maximum of two power banks. You can't recharge them on the plane, and you're advised not to use them to charge other devices in flight.

The core rule hasn't changed: power banks go in your cabin bag, never in the hold. Lithium batteries can overheat. A fire in the cabin can be spotted and put out quickly. A fire in the hold can't.

In Europe, EASA had already told airlines in 2025 that power banks should stay with you, not in the overhead bin, and shouldn't be used to charge devices in flight.

How many power banks can I take on a plane?

Two per person. Wireless and magnetic battery packs count as power banks too. Spare batteries made for a specific device, like a camera battery, are counted separately.

What size power bank is allowed on a plane?

It's measured in watt-hours (Wh), the battery's energy capacity:

• Up to 100Wh: allowed without asking.

• 100–160Wh: only with your airline's approval. Industry rules are set to drop this option from January 2027, so plan around 100Wh.

• Over 160Wh: not allowed as luggage.

If your power bank only shows mAh, multiply by 3.7 and divide by 1,000:

No label at all? Security may refuse it, so leave it at home.

Can I use a power bank during the flight?

Never recharge your power bank on board, including from the seat's USB port. That's now banned.

Using it to charge your phone depends on the airline. ICAO advises against it, and many airlines now ban it outright. The Lufthansa Group airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, have banned it since January 2026. Charging your phone from the seat's own USB port or socket is usually fine.

Many airlines also ask you to keep power banks on you or under the seat in front, not in the overhead bin. That way, cabin crew can act fast if one overheats.

Laptop hand luggage rules: carry-on or checked?

Laptops, tablets, phones, e-readers and cameras belong in your hand luggage. Almost every laptop battery is under 100Wh, so you won't need approval.

Can you put a laptop in checked luggage? Some airlines allow it if it's completely switched off, not just asleep. We wouldn't. If it overheats in the hold, nobody notices. Bags also get thrown around, and a lost suitcase with your work laptop inside is a bad start to any trip. If it does happen, here's what to do if your luggage is lost or delayed.

Heavy packer? You can carry up to 15 personal devices without asking the airline.

Do I need to take my laptop out at security?

It depends on the airport. Under EU security rules, laptops have to come out of your bag unless the airport screens bags with certified explosive-detection scanners, the newer CT machines. These create a 3D image of your bag, so at airports that have them, like Vienna, Frankfurt Terminal 3, Madrid Terminal 4 and Heathrow, you can leave your laptop and tablet inside. Airports with older X-ray machines still ask you to put laptops in a separate tray.

Rollouts differ lane by lane, so check your departure airport's website. The same scanners decide the rules for liquids on a plane.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Your cabin bag gets taken at the gate. If staff move it to the hold, take out power banks, spare batteries and vapes first, and keep them with you.

• Smart luggage. The built-in battery must be removable. If the bag goes in the hold, the battery travels in the cabin with you.

• Vapes and e-cigarettes. Hand luggage only. You can't use or charge them on board.

• Damaged, swollen or unlabeled power banks. Leave them at home. They're the ones most likely to be refused.

• Bluetooth luggage trackers. These are fine in checked bags. Their tiny coin batteries fall well under the limits.

• Connecting on another airline. Each airline's rules apply on its own flight, so pack for the strictest one on your trip.

• Grooming kit. Rechargeable shavers follow the same battery logic. Here's which razors you can pack in hand luggage.

• Medical devices. Different rules apply, often with airline approval. Contact your airline before you fly.

Practical tips for flying with electronics

• Charge your devices, not necessarily your power bank. EASA notes that batteries at a lower charge are less risky, so there's no need to fly with your power bank at 100%.

• Check the label. Look for the Wh rating before you pack, not at security.

• Protect the terminals. Use the original packaging, a separate pouch, or tape over exposed ports.

• Pack tech near the top. You may need to lift it out at security.

• Screenshot your airline's battery policy. It helps if there's any doubt at the gate.

• Download before you fly. Get your boarding pass, maps and shows offline, so you're not burning battery on airport Wi-Fi.

If you're also packing snacks, here's the lowdown on bringing food through airport security.

Travel tech-ready with the AirHelp app

Your phone is your boarding pass, your map and your entertainment, so its battery matters. The free AirHelp app tracks your flight in real time and sends gate changes and delay alerts straight to your phone, so you're not draining your battery refreshing the departures board. If your flight is delayed or canceled, it automatically checks whether you could be owed up to €600, and you can claim in a few taps.