Power banks on planes: every rule after the March 2026 change

Most travelers have absorbed the rule that a power bank doesn't go in checked baggage. Far fewer know that a set of additional rules has applied since spring 2026, and that these govern what you're allowed to do with that power bank once you're settled in the aircraft.

These aren't minor provisions: they prohibit a gesture that millions of passengers perform automatically on every flight. Here's what changed, the thresholds to know, and how to check in thirty seconds that your kit complies.

What changed on 27 March 2026

IATA, the association of airlines whose dangerous goods regulations set the reference across the industry, published an addendum effective 27 March 2026. It targets power banks specifically, treating them separately from ordinary spare batteries for the first time.

Three provisions follow.

No recharging the power bank on board. Plugging it into the seat's USB socket to top it up during the flight is no longer permitted. This is probably the point that will surprise most people, because the gesture seems harmless and the sockets are right there.

Use in flight is discouraged. The text recommends against using it to charge a phone or laptop during the journey. It's a recommendation rather than an outright ban, but several airlines have already turned it into a firm instruction.

Two power banks maximum per person. A hard cap. This isn't a global limit on lithium batteries, but a count specific to power banks.

On top of this comes a packing obligation with immediate practical consequences: each battery must be individually protected against short circuits when not in use. More on that below.

These provisions run until 31 December 2026, after which they are folded permanently into the 68th edition of the IATA regulations. In other words, this is not a temporary measure due to expire.

The watt-hour thresholds, and how to work out yours

This is the point that creates the most confusion at boarding. The regulation doesn't think in milliamp-hours, the unit printed in large type on every consumer battery, but in watt-hours.

The three tiers are as follows.

Up to 100 Wh, the battery is generally accepted in the cabin with no formalities at all. That covers the overwhelming majority of consumer models.

Between 100 and 160 Wh, it may be accepted, but with the airline's prior approval. This is the typical regime for drone batteries, professional camera gear or certain portable power stations.

Above 160 Wh, it is in principle refused on a passenger aircraft, in any cabin class.

The conversion uses a simple formula: Wh = (mAh x nominal voltage) / 1000. The nominal voltage of a lithium-ion cell sits around 3.7 V.

So a 10,000 mAh battery comes to roughly 37 Wh. A 20,000 mAh, about 74 Wh. The 100 Wh threshold is reached around 27,000 mAh. Below that figure you have nothing to do; above it, notify the airline before you travel rather than discovering the problem at the gate.

One detail that avoids a lot of argument: the Wh rating is almost always printed in small type on the casing, next to the certification marks. If it's there, that figure governs, not your calculation. Photograph it before you leave if the printing is hard to read.

Why never in the hold

The rule is absolute and admits no exception: lithium batteries and the devices containing them travel in hand baggage.

The logic comes down to one technical term, thermal runaway. When a lithium-ion cell is damaged, short-circuited or defective, it can enter a chain reaction in which its own heat triggers the runaway of neighbouring cells. The resulting fire is difficult to extinguish and feeds itself.

In the cabin, such an incident is seen immediately and the crew has the equipment and training to deal with it. In the hold, nobody sees the fire start, and automatic suppression systems aren't designed for this kind of event.

In practice, if you check a bag containing a power bank, two outcomes present themselves. Either the bag is flagged at screening and you're called back to open it, which costs time you generally don't have. Or the battery is removed and destroyed without compensation. Either way, the space saving wasn't worth it.

This rule has a knock-on effect on how you organise your luggage: your tech pouch has to stay in the cabin bag, accessible, and must never go into the hold "for convenience" at the check-in desk.

Individual protection against short circuits

This is the least known obligation, and yet the easiest to comply with.

A power bank not in use must be isolated from any contact liable to cause a short circuit across its terminals or inside its port. In practice, it must not sit loose against keys, coins, a belt buckle or a free metal connector.

Three solutions are accepted: the original packaging, an individual sleeve, or a dedicated compartment that physically separates it from everything else.

It's this last point that shifts packing from a matter of convenience to a condition of carriage. An organizer pouch whose compartments separate the battery from small metal objects meets the requirement with no extra equipment. A backpack where everything is mixed together does not.

The same reasoning applies to spare batteries, whose terminals should be covered with tape or left in their original blister packaging.

What varies from one airline to another

The IATA regulation is a floor, not a ceiling. Each airline remains free to apply stricter rules, and several have done so.

Differences generally concern three points: the number of batteries tolerated beyond the cap of two, any requirement to keep the battery visible rather than in the overhead locker, and whether the in-flight use restriction is treated as strict or advisory.

Some Asian carriers have adopted the most restrictive instructions, requiring the battery to stay within sight for the entire flight. Others stick to the IATA baseline.

The habit to build is simple: a search along the lines of "airline name + power bank" on the carrier's official site, the day before departure. Two minutes that prevent a confiscation.

Also check the regulations of your destination country if you're travelling outside the European Union: a few states apply their own limits, independently of the airline.

Conclusion

The rules in force since 27 March 2026 come down to four points. The power bank travels in the cabin only. It can't be recharged on board and its use in flight is discouraged. You may carry no more than two. And it must be isolated from any metal contact when not in use.

On capacity, remember the 27,000 mAh marker: below it you're under 100 Wh and nobody will ask you anything. Above it, prior approval becomes necessary.

The rest is a matter of organisation. Charging the battery to 100% before leaving, since you can no longer do it in flight, and giving it a compartment where nothing metal touches it is enough to be compliant across the board. That is precisely what a pouch with separated compartments allows, in a 19 x 12 x 3.5 cm format that passes as carry-on without argument.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put my power bank in the hold if it's switched off?

No. The ban doesn't depend on charge level or power state. All lithium batteries and the devices containing them must travel in hand baggage, without exception.

How many mAh is 100 Wh?

Roughly 27,000 mAh for a standard lithium-ion battery at 3.7 V nominal voltage. The calculation is Wh = (mAh x 3.7) / 1000. A 20,000 mAh battery comes to about 74 Wh, comfortably below the threshold.

Am I allowed to charge my phone from my power bank during the flight?

The IATA text in force since March 2026 discourages it without formally banning it. Several airlines have nonetheless turned that recommendation into a strict instruction. Check your carrier's conditions before departure.

How many power banks can I bring?

Two per person maximum since 27 March 2026. This cap applies specifically to power banks and is distinct from the regime covering spare batteries.

What does "protected against short circuits" mean?

That the battery must not be in contact with metal objects when not in use: keys, coins, loose connectors. Its original packaging, an individual sleeve, or a dedicated compartment in an organizer pouch all satisfy the requirement.

What happens if screening finds a battery in my checked bag?

Depending on the airport, your bag is held until you come to open it, or the battery is removed and destroyed without compensation. Either way, you lose time at a moment when you have none to spare.

Sources

IATA, Safe Travel with Lithium Batteries, and Guidance to Operators — Power Banks, addendum effective 27 March 2026 and incorporated into the 68th edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations. Individual airlines may impose stricter rules than this baseline.