Can I Bring a Portable Charger on an Airplane?

The fire risk on planes is real and so is the confusion around the rules. Batteries are often blamed

Edward C. Baig,

AARP

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Published July 22, 2025

an airplane next to a charger, suitcase, batteries and smartphone

AARP (Getty Images, 5)

I was boarding an airplane recently when an agent asked whether I was traveling with a portable charger or power bank. I frankly never gave it much thought beforehand and had no idea whether I could bring those on to the plane with me or had to instead pack them in my checked luggage? What gives?

I don’t blame anyone who boards a plane these days for being confused, and that goes for frequent flyers as well as people who rarely cruise at 40,000 feet.

Like you, people wonder if they can bring spare batteries, power banks and portable chargers on to an airplane and where to stow them if permitted: under the seat in front of them, in the overhead bin, packed in a checked suitcase? Some are not even certain under which circumstances they’re allowed to use them in-flight.

Adding to the confusion is a lack of uniformity among carriers, especially if you’re flying overseas, and what might come across as mixed messaging.

The agent who checked you in at the airport may ask whether you’re traveling with such items, but in my experience as a relatively frequent air traveler, it’s not a given.

A list of prohibited items on planes also appears on an airline’s app and at the kiosk in the airport where you might print a boarding pass. Rules are also posted on airline apps and the travel sites where you may have booked the trip.

Even if you come across the regulations, it doesn’t always clear things up.

The other night, when I flew on American, I noticed at the airport kiosk that lithium batteries were on the carrier’s prohibited list. But such batteries are inside the chargers and computers that you are allowed to bring on board.

Indeed, the important takeaway is that most portable chargers and spare batteries can be brought on to the plane, but they must be treated as carry-ons rather than inside checked luggage, the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) says. Certain other limits apply, too, which I’ll have more to say below.

It’s also possible that your bag could be pulled aside at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint.

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When it comes to the rules, surveys show “an alarming lack of awareness” among U.S. airline passengers, according to UL Standards & Equipment (ULSE), a nonprofit safety advocacy organization based in Evanston, Illinois.

Too few working outlets. Many passengers lean on portable chargers to keep their smartphones, tablets and laptops juiced up, especially during longer flights. They may have tried getting a full charge ahead of boarding, but fellow travelers could have beaten them to the limited outlets available in the terminal.

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Some travelers may also be skittish about so-called juice jacking cyberattacks at free public USB charging stations, including in airports, though that does not appear to be a widespread issue.

What’s more, even though some planes have power outlets at every seat, they’re not always working or easily accessible, especially for an older person.

Some aircraft may also let you plug your devices into common USB-A type ports, but there’s been a shift in the last couple of years toward electronics with the USB-C standard. As a quick reminder, take your adapters with you when you travel.

Lithium batteries can catch fire. The potential risk around this discussion, of course, is fire. The lithium-ion batteries that are typical in electronics, and certainly portable chargers, can overheat and result in what the FAA refers to as thermal runaway. This can occur if a battery is damaged, has defects, has been exposed to water, overcharged or not packed properly.

Earlier this month, a Delta flight headed to Fort Lauderdale from Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing in Fort Myers because a spare battery caught fire.

Back in January, a power bank was cited as a potential source behind an Air Busan plane that caught fire on the tarmac in South Korea.

According to ULSE, in 2024, two flights per week on average experienced a thermal runaway incident, the second-highest number since 2019.

Moreover, 18 percent of those incidents forced planes to return to the gate, or led to a diverted landing, emergency evacuation or “unplanned deplaning.”

Keep chargers in plain sight. ULSE also reports that nearly 2 in 5 passengers are placing rechargeable devices in checked luggage, where they can’t be accessed during the flight, and the beginnings of a fire may not grab anyone’s attention. It doesn’t help that 30 percent of passengers who were asked to gate-check carry-on bags were not asked about lithium-ion batteries in those bags.

“While lithium-ion battery incidents are a concerning hazard, they are also largely a preventable one through greater awareness,” says David Wroth, director of the Thermal Runway Incident program at ULSE.

To reduce risk, the FAA says spare lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries, including power banks and cell battery charging cases, must be brought aboard in carry-on baggage only. The agency adds that if your carry-on is checked at the gate or planeside, batteries inside the bags must be removed and kept with you inside the cabin.

At the end of May, Southwest Airlines strengthened its own policies relating to such devices. While permitting you to use a portable charger or power bank inside the cabin, Southwest specified it must be “out of any baggage and remain in plain sight.” In other words, you cannot power up charge devices inside the overhead bin.

Limits on battery capacity. The FAA imposes other restrictions. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries cannot exceed 100 watt hours (Wh), which the agency says shouldn’t impact most of the batteries used by the average passenger. The Wh rating, a measure of energy capacity, may be printed (in small type) on the battery itself or a portable charger. If it’s not shown, check the packaging or the manufacturer’s website.

Passengers who want to carry up to two spare lithium-ion batteries between 101 and 160 Wh must seek prior airline approval. Batteries above 160 Wh are forbidden, the agency says.

Moreover, to prevent short circuit risks, the FAA says battery terminals, the metal on the ends, must not touch other metal. To avoid exposure, the agency recommends leaving batteries in their retail packaging, if possible, or covering terminals with tape. You may also use a battery case or sleeve in a camera bag or place batteries in a plastic bag or protective pouch.

Bringing damaged or recalled batteries on to the plane, whether in carry-on or checked baggage is also a no-no. If you’re not sure if the power source you’re using has been recalled, the FAA recommends visiting the manufacturer’s website, or the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Bonus tip: What if my luggage has a power bank? The same rules apply if you are traveling with a “smart suitcase” that has a battery. You’ll have to remove the battery if asked to check it at the gate.

Meanwhile, if you’re curious about the rules for bringing other types of batteries on planes—from everyday dry A, AA, AAA, C, and D alkaline batteries to batteries for location trackers, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters—consult the PackSafe checklist the FAA has assembled for consumers. The TSA has also established a What Can I Bring website to facilitate the screening process at the airport and give travelers a good sense of what’s safe and acceptable in the skies.

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Edward C. Baig covers technology and other consumer topics. He previously worked for USA Today, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and Fortune, and is author of Macs for Dummies and coauthor of iPhone for Dummies and iPad for Dummies. Follow him on LinkedIn; Threads; and X, formerly known as Twitter.