Yes, you can take chargers on planes, but power banks with lithium batteries must stay in carry-on bags, never in checked luggage.
If you travel with a phone, laptop, or tablet, you travel with chargers. A dead battery on a long flight is no fun, yet many flyers still wonder what airport security will say when they see a bag full of cables, plugs, and power banks.
This guide walks through what you can pack, where it has to go, and why some chargers belong only in the cabin. By the end, you will know exactly how to pack every type of charger so you pass security smoothly and keep your gear safe in the air.
Can You Take Chargers On Planes? Basic Rule At A Glance
This question about chargers on planes sounds simple, but the answer depends on the kind of charger you carry. Aviation rules split chargers into two main groups: chargers without batteries and chargers that contain batteries.
Chargers Without Batteries
Wall plugs, laptop power bricks without built in backup cells, and loose cables fall into this first group. These items do not store power on their own. Airlines and regulators treat them as standard electrical accessories.
- You can pack them in your carry-on bag.
- You can also pack them in checked luggage.
- Security might ask you to remove bulky plugs from your bag for separate screening, much like a laptop.
In practice, keeping at least one plug and cable in your cabin bag helps if your checked suitcase arrives late or takes time to appear on the belt.
Chargers With Batteries Inside
The second group includes power banks, battery cases, and any charger with an internal lithium cell. These act both as a battery and a charging device, which means they fall under lithium battery rules. This is where most confusion starts.
Global safety rules treat spare lithium batteries as carry-on only. The TSA power bank guidance and the FAA lithium batteries in baggage page both state that portable chargers and other spare lithium cells must not go in checked luggage.
- Small power banks and battery cases are allowed in the cabin.
- They are not allowed in checked bags.
- Terminals must be protected or stored in a way that prevents short circuits.
So if you still wonder can you take chargers on planes?, the rule of thumb is simple: plug-in chargers can go almost anywhere, but anything with its own battery stays with you in the cabin.
Charger Types And Where They Can Go
Different accessories follow slightly different packing rules. Use the table below as a quick reference when you sort your bag at home.
| Charger Or Device Type | Carry-On Bag | Checked Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Phone USB cable only | Allowed | Allowed |
| Wall plug or laptop charger without battery | Allowed | Allowed |
| Laptop, tablet, or phone with built in battery | Allowed, usually kept in cabin | Often allowed but cabin is recommended |
| Power bank up to 100Wh | Allowed, carry-on only | Not allowed |
| Power bank 101–160Wh (with airline approval) | Allowed with approval, carry-on only | Not allowed |
| Power bank over 160Wh | Not allowed for passengers | Not allowed |
| Smart suitcase with removable battery | Allowed if battery stays in cabin | Case allowed, battery must be removed |
| Smart suitcase with fixed battery that charges devices | Often banned or restricted | Often banned |
Airlines follow broad international standards for these limits, but they still keep the final say. If a device does not show its watt hour rating or looks damaged, staff can refuse it at check in or at the gate.
Taking Chargers On Planes Safely: Carry-On Vs Checked Bags
Once you know which charger goes where, the next step is understanding why the rules exist. Lithium batteries can overheat and enter a chain reaction called thermal runaway if they are crushed, shorted, or poorly built. In the cabin crew can see smoke, reach the source, and use fire fighting kits. In the hold that is much harder.
Because of this risk, regulators around the world push spare batteries and portable chargers into carry-on bags only. The FAA notes many battery smoke or fire events over recent years, some traced to power banks and spare cells. Cabin crew train for these incidents and carry special fire resistant bags and extinguishers to deal with them fast.
Carry-On Bag: Best Home For Chargers
For wall chargers and cables, the cabin is simply handy. For power banks, the cabin is the only acceptable place. Pack them where you can reach them, not buried inside a stuffed backpack under the seat. Some airlines now insist that active power banks stay visible on a seat or tray table instead of inside a bag.
Keeping gear within reach also helps if crew ask you to switch devices off during turbulence or while they handle another passenger incident. You do not want to dig through an overhead bin while an alarm sounds.
Checked Luggage: What To Avoid
Checked bags ride through conveyor systems, sit in carts in the sun, and get stacked in the cargo hold. That rough path is exactly where you do not want loose lithium batteries or power banks.
Plug-in chargers without batteries cope fine in checked luggage, as long as you pad them so sharp prongs do not pierce clothes. The chargers that cause trouble are standalone power banks, loose replacement batteries, and smart luggage packs that cannot be removed from the case. Many airlines now refuse checked smart bags unless you take the battery out.
Regional Rules And Airline Quirks
The broad message is similar worldwide, yet details vary slightly by region and carrier. Before a long trip, take a few minutes to read the rules for your departure country and the airline on your ticket.
Common Themes Around The World
Regulators in the United States, Europe, and many parts of Asia all lean on recommendations from the International Air Transport Association and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The language is not identical, but three points repeat again and again: spare lithium batteries and power banks stay in the cabin, watt hour limits apply, and damaged or recalled items should not fly.
On top of that, some countries restrict how you use chargers during a flight. A few carriers ban the use of power banks while airborn, even if you can still carry them in your hand luggage.
Examples Of How Rules Can Differ
The table below gives a rough sense of variation. Always check the latest wording from your airline before you travel, especially if you change carriers during a trip.
| Region Or Airline | Power Bank Rule Snapshot | Usage On Board |
|---|---|---|
| United States (TSA and FAA) | Carry-on only, typical limit 100Wh, 101–160Wh with approval | Usually allowed, crew may restrict during taxi or landing |
| United Kingdom (CAA advice) | Hand luggage only for spare lithium batteries and power banks | Most airlines allow use, some may restrict high output models |
| European carriers | Similar watt hour limits, some carriers cap number of power banks | Certain airlines ban use while in flight while carrying is still allowed |
| China | Power banks need approved markings and are banned if recalled | Use often banned during flight |
| Low cost airlines worldwide | May set stricter limits than regulators require | Some ask that active power banks stay out of bags so crew can see them |
| Smart luggage brands | Follow IATA limits; removable batteries only for checked use | Cabin use allowed when battery size and design fit the rules |
Because airline policies update from time to time, a screenshot from last year is not enough. Always lean on the latest wording on the airline site or the regulator page for the route you plan to fly.
Packing Tips For Chargers And Power Banks
Rules answer the question can you take chargers on planes?, but good packing habits save time and stress at security. A small amount of planning at home keeps your bag tidy and your devices ready to charge when you need them.
Sort By Type Before You Pack
- Lay out every cable, wall plug, device charger, and power bank on a table.
- Put plug only chargers and cables in one pile and all items with built in batteries in another.
- Retire any swollen, cracked, or mystery chargers with missing labels. No trip is worth the risk of a smoking battery in a metal tube at 35,000 feet.
Check Watt Hour Ratings On Power Banks
Look for the watt hour figure printed on the case. If a label only lists milliamp hours, multiply that number by the voltage shown, then divide by 1000 to get watt hours.
Pack For A Smooth Security Tray
- Use a small pouch or zip bag for cables and wall plugs so they do not tangle with clothes.
- Place power banks and spare batteries together in a spot you can reach quickly.
- If you carry several devices, think about using a compact multi port charger to cut down on clutter.
- Keep a short cable and your main power bank in a seat pocket friendly pouch so you are not rooting through your main backpack mid flight.
Gate Check Situations
Sometimes busy flights force you to hand your carry-on bag to staff at the gate. When that happens, move all power banks and spare batteries into a personal item you keep under the seat. Staff often remind passengers to do this, yet some bags still reach the hold with live batteries inside.
Make a habit of keeping your main power bank in a small sling or under seat bag instead of your roller. That way a last minute gate check does not leave you rushing to move gear at the aircraft door.
Final Checks Before You Fly With Chargers
Before each trip, step through a short checklist. Sort chargers into battery free and battery powered groups, keep all power banks and spare batteries in your cabin bag, and confirm that each one falls under your airline watt hour limit. When in doubt, leave the bulky high output pack at home and carry one or two moderate sized units instead.
Pack cables and wall plugs so you can reach them mid flight, keep power banks where you and the crew can see them, and retire anything that looks worn out or damaged. Do that, and you can take chargers on planes with confidence while staying firmly on the right side of both safety and airline rules.