Can You Bring a Power Bank on a Plane? TSA Rules

Short answer: yes, you can bring a power bank on a plane, but it has to travel in the cabin with you, never in a checked bag, and it has to be under the size limit. Most phone power banks are well under it. The confusion starts because the limit is set in watt-hours (Wh), while the box shows milliamp-hours (mAh). This guide walks through the rules as the FAA and TSA state them, the math to check your own pack, and the extra limits some airlines add.

Rule 1: carry-on only, never checked

The TSA lists power banks as allowed in carry-on bags and not allowed in checked bags. The FAA rule behind that covers every spare lithium battery, which includes power banks, portable chargers and phone battery cases: they must ride in your carry-on or on your person. The FAA explains why: a lithium battery can overheat without warning, and flight crews are trained to spot and handle that in the cabin.

Rule 2: if your bag gets checked at the gate, take the power bank out

This one catches people. When a full flight means your carry-on is checked at the gate or at the plane door, the FAA says every spare lithium battery and power bank must come out of that bag and stay with you in the cabin. Keep your power bank in a jacket pocket or a personal item so you are not digging through a bag on the jet bridge.

Rule 3: the 100Wh and 160Wh limits

The FAA sets the size limits per battery:

• Up to 100Wh: allowed in your carry-on with no airline approval. This covers nearly every phone and tablet power bank.
• Over 100Wh, up to 160Wh: allowed only with airline approval, and you can carry no more than two of these larger spare batteries.
• Over 160Wh: forbidden on passenger aircraft, in carry-on and checked bags alike. Most portable power stations fall here, which is why they stay home or go by car.

Rule 4: protect the terminals and leave damaged packs at home

The FAA requires spare batteries to be protected from short circuits and from damage. For a power bank, that means keeping it in a pouch or a pocket, away from loose coins and keys. A damaged or recalled power bank must not fly at all, in any bag. If a pack gets hot, swells or smokes during the flight, tell the crew right away.

Rule 5: your airline can be stricter

The FAA rules are the floor, not the ceiling. The FAA notes that many airlines, domestic and international, set stricter limits, including how many power banks each passenger may bring regardless of size. Check your airline's own battery page before you fly, especially on an international trip. At the checkpoint, the TSA officer makes the final call on whether an item goes through.

How to convert mAh to watt-hours

The FAA's formula is volts times amp-hours. Power banks list milliamp-hours, and the lithium cells inside them run at about 3.7V, so:

Wh = mAh / 1000 x 3.7

Many newer power banks print the Wh rating on the casing, and that printed number is what security goes by, so check there first. Worked backward, the 100Wh limit lands at about 27,000mAh, so a 20,000mAh pack is comfortably under it and a 30,000mAh pack is over it.

Quick reference by capacity

• 5,000mAh (about 18Wh): flies with no approval.
• 10,000mAh (about 37Wh): flies with no approval.
• 10,400mAh (about 38Wh): flies with no approval.
• 12,000mAh (about 44Wh): flies with no approval.
• 20,000mAh (about 74Wh): flies with no approval, and the largest common size that stays well under the limit.
• 30,000mAh (about 111Wh): over 100Wh, so it needs airline approval before you fly.

Packing checklist

• Check the Wh number on the casing, or work it out from the mAh.
• Pack the power bank in your carry-on or a pocket, never in a checked suitcase.
• Keep it where you can grab it if your carry-on is gate-checked.
• Keep it in a pouch, away from keys and coins.
• Over 100Wh? Get approval from your airline before the trip.
• Read your airline's battery rules for any limit on how many power banks you can bring.

Power banks that fly without approval

For flying, 10,000 to 20,000mAh is the sweet spot: enough for a long day of phone, earbuds and a tablet, with no paperwork. These all work out under 100Wh:

• 20000mAh Ultra-Thin Power Bank: about 74Wh, the most capacity we stock that flies with no approval, with dual outputs to charge two devices.
• 12000mAh Power Bank: about 44Wh, two USB outputs at 3.1A and a battery level display.
• 10400mAh Qi Wireless Power Bank: about 38Wh, charges a Qi phone laid on top with no cable.
• MagSafe 3-in-1 Power Bank, 10000mAh: about 37Wh, charges a phone, watch and earbuds.
• MagSafe Slim Wireless Power Bank, 5000mAh: about 18Wh, pocket-sized for a light travel day.

The 30000mAh Fast-Charging Power Bank comes in 10000, 20000 and 30000mAh options. The 30000mAh one is about 111Wh, so get airline approval before flying with it, or keep it for road trips and camping. Our power banks page compares every pack by capacity and watt-hours, and the travel tech collection holds only packs under 100Wh, next to a worldwide plug adapter and other carry-on gear.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a power bank in my checked bag?

No. The TSA does not allow power banks or any spare lithium battery in checked luggage. Pack it in your carry-on or keep it on you.

Is a 20,000mAh power bank allowed on a plane?

Yes. At about 74Wh it is under the FAA's 100Wh limit, so it flies in your carry-on with no airline approval. Check your airline for any limit on how many power banks you bring.

Is a 30,000mAh power bank allowed on a plane?

Only with airline approval. At about 111Wh it falls between 100Wh and 160Wh, where the FAA requires the airline's approval and allows no more than two such batteries per person.

What happens to my power bank if my carry-on is checked at the gate?

Take it out before you hand the bag over. The FAA requires spare lithium batteries and power banks to stay with you in the cabin when a carry-on is checked at the gate or planeside.

How do I find the watt-hours of my power bank?

Look for a Wh number printed on the casing first. If there is none, divide the mAh by 1000 and multiply by 3.7. A 10,000mAh pack works out to about 37Wh.

Sources

The rules in this guide come from the FAA PackSafe page on lithium batteries and the TSA "What Can I Bring?" entry for power banks, both checked on October 17, 2026. Rules change, so check both pages and your airline before you fly.

Bottom line

Keep your power bank in the cabin with you, under 100Wh (about 27,000mAh) to fly with no approval, out of any bag that gets gate-checked, and within your airline's own limits. For every way to keep a phone charged on the road, from MagSafe packs to car chargers and a travel adapter, see Phones & Accessories.