Can I take my power bank on the plane this holiday, how many, and can I use it on board?

What the power bank rules say this holiday

The base rule has not moved. The TSA says power banks go in carry-on bags and are prohibited in checked luggage¹. The FAA says spare lithium ion batteries, power banks included, travel in carry-on baggage only². On top of that, ICAO now limits power banks to two per passenger and prohibits recharging them during flights⁴. That addendum goes to all 193 ICAO member states⁴. Southwest goes further, with one power bank per customer⁵.

The table “Power bank rules by who sets them” puts each rule beside its source, and each one was read on 31 October 2026^1,2,4,5,6,7. The FAA PackSafe page shows “Last updated: Tuesday, August 11, 2026”⁹. Airlines update these pages, so check your own airline's page again before you leave for the holidays.

How many power banks can I bring, and where do they go

The FAA sets no quantity limit for most batteries carried for your own use, and it notes that many airlines set stricter limits¹¹. Southwest allows one power bank per customer, at no more than 100 Wh, kept in a personal item under the seat⁵. Delta allows no more than two power banks per person, each no more than 100 Wh, with no exceptions⁶. United allows up to two portable chargers per passenger, kept on you or in your personal item⁷.

None of those three airlines wants a power bank in the overhead bin^5,6,7. Delta asks you to keep it under the seat or in the seatback pocket⁶. If your carry-on is checked at the gate or planeside, the FAA says to remove the power bank and keep it in the cabin². Delta warns travellers to South Korea that breaking portable charger rules could mean significant financial penalties, so check the rules of each country you visit¹².

Can I use a power bank during the flight

Using a power bank and recharging it are two separate questions. ICAO prohibits recharging power banks during flights⁴. Southwest says a power bank may not be charged with in-seat power and must be visible when in use⁵. Delta says a power bank may not be recharged on board or used to recharge a device during taxi, take-off and landing⁶. United says portable chargers may not be recharged using aircraft power⁷. So charge it fully at home, and follow your own airline's rule on when you may use it.

How to work out your power bank's watt-hours

Newer lithium ion batteries have the Wh rating marked, so look at the label first⁸. If you only see mAh, the FAA formula is Wh = V x Ah⁸. Divide the mAh by 1,000 to get amp-hours, then multiply by the voltage. At 3.7 V, a 27,000 mAh power bank works out to 99.9 Wh, just inside the 100 Wh limit^3,8. The table “Work out your power bank's watt-hours” runs the same formula for other common capacities.

Above 100 Wh, the FAA allows up to two spare batteries of 101 to 160 Wh, but only with airline approval³. United allows up to two batteries larger than 100 Wh but not over 160 Wh in your carry-on¹⁰. Delta allows no exceptions above 100 Wh per power bank⁶. The Titan Power Plus MagTech PowerBank states 3,000 mAh and no voltage, so at an assumed 3.7 V it comes to about 11.1 Wh^13,14. Check the voltage on your own label, because the result only holds for the voltage you use.

Packing the rest of your carry-on

Protect each power bank's terminals from short circuit with retail packaging, tape over the terminals, a battery case or sleeve, or a snug plastic bag¹⁵. Keep power banks together in your personal item, so they stay with you if a bigger bag is checked at the gate². If you also pack the Titan Smart Tracker, it is an item tracker, credit-card sized and 3mm thin. It is not a power bank, so the counts on this page are written for power banks. For its battery details, see the Titan Smart Tracker product page.