Flying with chargers & power banks
Airline rules for lithium batteries, and how to pack your charging kit so security waves you through.
Most charging gear flies without a second glance. The one category airlines care about is lithium batteries — and the rules are simpler than they look.
Carry-on, never checked
Power banks and spare batteries must travel in your carry-on, not checked luggage. It's a fire-safety rule, and it's enforced almost everywhere. A wall adapter like the Fortys has no battery, so it can go anywhere — but keep it in the carry-on anyway; you'll want it on the plane.
The power-bank size limit
Capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh). The common limits:
- Under 100Wh — fine, no approval needed (covers almost every phone-sized power bank).
- 100–160Wh — usually allowed with airline approval, max two.
- Over 160Wh — not permitted in the cabin.
Most banks print their Wh on the casing. If yours only lists mAh, divide by ~270 for a rough Wh figure.
Make security painless
- Keep cables and adapters in one pouch so you can lift the whole kit out at once.
- Don't bury the power bank — agents often want to see it.
- Charge devices the night before; a dead laptop sometimes gets a second look.
Pack the kit as one unit and the whole stop takes ten seconds. That's the goal.