Cool Travel Gadgets and the FAA Battery Rules That Apply

What this guide is, and is not

This is a rules-and-checklist guide, not a product ranking. It names no models and makes no recommendation of any brand.

That is deliberate. We have not tested gadgets for this post, and the product roundups we looked at were visible to us only as search excerpts, so we could not responsibly credit a claim to a specific outlet. We would rather say less than attribute loosely.

How each kind of claim is sourced:

• Regulation: every battery limit comes from the FAA page linked above, which we fetched and read.
• Editorial judgment: the checklists are our reading of the rules, and we label them as such.

The guide quotes no prices and carries no affiliate links.

Changelog

• 4 November 2026: removed named product models and the adapter and tracker sections, because we could not source them to full reviews or an official body. Reduced the comparison table to categories with a verified rule. Removed a claim about when bags are gate-checked.

Lithium battery rules for flying (US)

Spare lithium-ion batteries and power banks go in your carry-on, never in checked bags. That is the FAA's position. This section covers US rules only. For other countries, read your airline's own dangerous goods page, including any limit on using a power bank in flight. We have not researched UK or EU rules.

The 100 Wh limit

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including power banks, are limited to a rating of 100 Wh per battery, according to the FAA.

With airline approval, you may carry up to two spare larger batteries rated 101-160 Wh. The FAA also says many airlines set stricter quantity and Wh limits regardless of capacity.

Non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries, such as some coin cells, are measured differently: 2 grams of lithium content per battery.

How to work out Wh from mAh

Power bank packaging leads with milliamp-hours, but the rule is written in watt-hours. The FAA's method is to multiply battery voltage by amp-hours.

Take the voltage from the label on your own unit. As an illustration only, a label reading 3.7 V and 20,000 mAh (20 Ah) works out to 20 × 3.7 = 74 Wh, under the limit. Your pack may state a different voltage, so do the sum with your numbers.

If the Wh rating is printed on the unit, use that figure and skip the sum.

If your carry-on is gate-checked

The FAA says spare batteries must be removed from a bag that is gate-checked.

Pull the power bank and any spare batteries out before you hand the bag over, and keep them with you in the cabin. A small pouch kept at the top of the bag makes this a ten-second job.

Protect the terminals

The FAA requires that battery terminals be protected. In practice, cover them or keep the battery in its original case or a pouch, so metal objects in your bag cannot bridge the contacts. A loose power bank in a pocket with keys and coins is the case to avoid.

Your airline may be stricter

The FAA says to check with your carrier, because many airlines have tighter limits than the federal baseline. We have not sourced a named airline's policy for this post, so we cannot give you a specific example. Find the dangerous goods or battery page on your own airline's site and screenshot it before you travel.

The TSA also publishes a power banks page for US screening. We have not pulled rules from it, so read it directly.

Travel gadgets compared: which battery limit applies

The table covers only categories where we have a verified rule. Anything else, such as headphones, trackers and chargers, is left out because we could not source a limit for it.

Power banks: match the size to the trip

The right bank depends on what you are charging and how much weight you will carry. Planning the days first helps: sketch the route in the AI trip planner and you can see where the long stretches without a socket fall.

Phone-only trips

For a weekend or a long travel day, a smaller bank usually covers a phone with room to spare. Weight matters more than capacity here. A bank you leave at the hotel because it is heavy will not help you on the train platform. This is editorial judgment, not a tested result.

Laptop trips

Charging a laptop needs more capacity and a higher output wattage than a phone does. That pushes you toward larger banks, closer to the 100 Wh limit, and adds weight. If you do not plan to work on the move, a laptop-class bank is probably more than you need.

A selection checklist

• The Wh rating is printed on the unit, and it is under 100.
• The output ports and wattage match what you will charge.
• The weight is something you will actually carry.
• A built-in cable is either a feature you want or a failure point you do not.

What we left out, and why

Adapters, voltage, bag trackers and headphones are all part of a gadget bag. We cut them because we have no official plug-and-voltage source, no airline or FAA rule on trackers, and no full product reviews to cite. If you are packing any of them, check the airline's page for batteries and the destination's official guidance for plugs and mains voltage.

Mistakes the battery rules catch

Each of these maps to a specific FAA rule above.

• A power bank left in a checked bag. The FAA says spare lithium-ion batteries go in carry-on only.
• A bank pulled out too late at the gate. The FAA says spare batteries must come out of a gate-checked bag, so they should already be within reach.
• A bank loose in a pocket with keys. The FAA requires protected terminals; a pouch fixes it.
• A battery bought without reading the Wh label. The 100 Wh limit applies per battery, so find the number first.

A gadget-bag checklist before you fly

This is the pre-departure routine the rules imply. Do it at home, not at the gate.

• Read the Wh rating on every power bank and spare battery. Photograph the label so you can show it if asked.
• Put every spare battery in a pouch or case that protects the terminals.
• Keep that pouch at the top of your carry-on, so you can pull it out if the bag is gate-checked.
• Screenshot your airline's battery policy page.
• Count your devices and match one cable to each, so you carry no loose spares.

The takeaway

Buy for the trip you are actually taking, and let the label decide. If a battery has no readable Wh rating, leave it at home. If you are unsure about an airline's limit, ask the carrier before you pack, not at the gate.

Then run your finished day-by-day plan through the itinerary validator to check it holds together before you decide how much charging capacity you need. More planning guides are on the blog.

Quick answers

Can a power bank go in hand luggage or checked luggage?

Carry-on only. The FAA says spare lithium-ion batteries and power banks must travel in the cabin, not in checked bags.

What is the largest power bank allowed on a plane?

The FAA limit is 100 Wh per battery. With airline approval, you may carry up to two spare batteries of 101-160 Wh. Many airlines set stricter limits, so check yours.

How do I convert mAh to Wh?

Multiply battery voltage by amp-hours, per the FAA. A 20,000 mAh pack is 20 Ah, so at 3.7 V it comes to 74 Wh. Use the voltage printed on your own unit.

What happens to my power bank if my carry-on is gate-checked?

The FAA says spare batteries must be removed from a gate-checked bag. Take the power bank out and keep it with you in the cabin.