Can I bring a power bank on an airplane?

Yes, lithium-ion power banks can usually fly in carry-on baggage, but never in checked baggage. Under 2026 passenger-facing guidance, plan around 100 Wh per power bank, do not recharge a power bank from aircraft power during flight, and verify the operating airline for quantity limits. Airline and country overlays can be stricter.

What is the watt-hour (Wh) limit for power banks on flights?

For 2026 passenger power-bank guidance, treat 100 Wh as the ordinary upper limit. Quantity is airline- and route-sensitive, so do not treat two units as a universal ICAO/IATA cap. The older 100–160 Wh approval band is now trip- and airline-sensitive for power banks. Above 160 Wh is prohibited on passenger aircraft.

How do I convert mAh to Wh for my power bank?

Wh = (mAh × Voltage) ÷ 1000. Most lithium-ion power banks operate at 3.7 V nominal, so a 20,000 mAh bank is roughly 20,000 × 3.7 ÷ 1000 = 74 Wh. The watt-hour value is usually printed directly on the device label — use the printed value when present.

Why can't I check power banks in luggage?

Lithium-ion batteries can experience thermal runaway and catch fire. In the cabin, crew can detect and respond to a fire immediately; in the cargo hold they cannot. Every major regulator (FAA, ICAO, EASA, IATA) prohibits power banks from checked baggage.

What is the Chinese 3C marking rule for power banks?

Effective June 28, 2025, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) requires all power banks on flights departing or transiting through mainland China to bear the China Compulsory Certification (3C) mark. Non-3C-marked power banks are confiscated regardless of capacity.

Can I bring a 20,000 mAh power bank on a flight?

A 20,000 mAh power bank at 3.7 V is approximately 74 Wh, below the ordinary 100 Wh passenger band. Use the printed Wh value when available and still check route, airline, quantity, label, and recall constraints.

Are there special rules for flights to or from South Korea?

Yes. After the January 2025 Air Busan fire, MOLIT (Korean transport ministry) imposed: no overhead-bin storage of power banks on Korean carriers (banks must remain on the passenger or in a seat pocket); no in-flight USB charging from seats on Korean carriers; max 5 power banks per passenger.

What if my power bank doesn't have a printed Wh label?

Photograph or print the manufacturer specification page that shows the Wh rating. Without a legible Wh figure, security staff in some jurisdictions will refuse the device. CertiWatt extracts the Wh from a photo of the label using on-device OCR.

Is CertiWatt a guarantee that my power bank will be allowed through security?

No. CertiWatt is informational only. Final authority rests with the airline operator and the security personnel of the originating, transit, and destination jurisdictions. A green "Allowed" verdict reflects published rules at the time of query — gate agents may apply additional discretion.

How is CertiWatt different from asking my airline directly?

CertiWatt cross-references the airline's policy, the country regulator, IATA / ICAO baselines, and any active manufacturer recalls in one query. The airline's own customer service typically only knows the airline's policy and may not be aware of country-specific overlays, domestic China 3C checks, or recent manufacturer recalls.

Battery compliance verdict enginev2026.05.15

Cited battery-compliance verdicts for air travel.

Check flight battery rules before you fly.CertiWatt turns regulator, airline, manufacturer, and recall data into cited verdicts. The public verifier covers 128 departure-country profiles and 400 airline profiles: 167 airline-owned policies; the remaining profiles are 89 market-regulator-backed and 144 IATA-baseline, with 0 still in source review.

3250models122brand groups9active recalls

View catalog API docs Recall intelligence

Traveler verifier

Check a power bank

Device

Origin

Transit

Destination

Airline

Serial number (for recall check)

Ruleset v2026.05.15citations included

128

Jurisdictions

Departure-country profiles; EU/EASA is handled only as guidance, not as one country

400

Carriers

167 airline-official policies, 89 market-regulator-backed profiles, 144 IATA-baseline profiles, 0 review

3250

Devices

Device catalog records with capacity and evidence fields

111

Active rules

Normalized rule clauses tracked and versioned

Engine method

01
Resolve the device + trip
Power-bank model and the route. We resolve capacity, certifications, and recall status from the catalogue.
Evidence sources
manufacturerairlineregulator
02
Apply the strictest rule path
Country regulator, airline policy, IATA baseline, and recall lookup — stricter jurisdiction wins, with both citations surfaced.
Evidence sources
regulatorairlinemanufacturer
03
Return an auditable verdict
Allowed, Conditional, Banned, or Insufficient — always with a primary-source citation and the next step at security.
Evidence sources
regulatorairlinerecall

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TravelersVerify one device for one trip before packing.Open verifier Developers & agentsCall the verdict engine with structured citations.Read API docs PartnersUse partner-only airline policy intelligence in travel flows.View partner access

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Guides

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Capacity and limits

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Common travel size20,000 mAh power banks for flightsA 20,000 mAh power bank is usually about 74 Wh at 3.7 V, so it is normally under the 100 Wh threshold.Laptop-class travel banks25,000 mAh power banks for flightsMany 25,000 mAh power banks are around 92.5 Wh at 3.7 V, usually below 100 Wh but close enough to check the printed label.Near 100 Wh27,000 mAh power banks for flights27,000 mAh models are often designed to sit just under 100 Wh, but the exact Wh label matters.Over common airline limits30,000 mAh power banks for flightsA 30,000 mAh power bank is usually about 111 Wh at 3.7 V, which commonly requires airline approval and may be refused on some trips.Generally allowed bandPower banks under 100 WhPower banks at or below 100 Wh are generally allowed in carry-on baggage without prior airline approval.Airline approval bandPower banks from 100 Wh to 160 WhPower banks above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh need airline- and route-specific review; do not assume the old approval band applies to standalone power banks.

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