Power Bank on a Plane: US Rules Are 100 Wh, Not mAh (2026)
US power bank rules are watt-hours, not mAh: 100 Wh free, 101-160 Wh with airline approval, over 160 Wh banned. How to convert a mAh label and which packs pass.
Short answer: yes, in carry-on only, and the limit is watt-hours. Under 49 CFR 175.10 a power bank up to 100 Wh needs no approval; 101–160 Wh needs the airline’s approval and is capped at two spares; over 160 Wh is banned. Never in checked bags. To convert: mAh × 3.6–3.7 V ÷ 1,000, so 20,000 mAh ≈ 72 Wh.
The rule is written in watt-hours and the box is written in mAh
Every US power bank rule is expressed in watt-hours (Wh). Almost every power bank is sold on milliamp-hours (mAh). That mismatch causes most of the arguments at security lanes.
The federal text is 49 CFR 175.10(a)(18), which the FAA’s PackSafe pages summarise for passengers. Paraphrased:
- Lithium-ion batteries in or for personal portable electronics are allowed up to 100 Wh per battery with no approval needed.
- With the operator’s (airline’s) approval, a battery can be up to 160 Wh, and you may carry no more than two spare batteries in the 101-160 Wh band, each individually protected.
- Anything over 160 Wh is not permitted in passenger baggage.
- Spare batteries go in carry-on only, never checked. A power bank is, legally, a spare lithium-ion battery.
- Spares must have their terminals protected: original retail packaging, tape over exposed contacts, or each battery in its own bag or pouch.
- Devices that do go in checked bags must be completely switched off and protected from accidental activation.
Lithium-metal (non-rechargeable) cells have a separate 2 g lithium-content limit, which does not apply to the rechargeable packs this article covers.
The TSA’s “What Can I Bring” listings say the same from the screening side: power banks belong in carry-on bags, and anything over 100 Wh needs airline approval. The FAA’s passenger page adds a line people skip: many airlines set stricter quantity and Wh limits than the regulation, and you are expected to check with the carrier. In 2026 that line is the most important part of the rule.
Converting mAh to Wh, and why the printed number wins
Wh = mAh × volts ÷ 1,000. The volts are the nominal voltage of the cells inside, which for the lithium-ion cells used in power banks is 3.6 V or 3.7 V depending on the cell maker. So:
| Capacity on the box | At 3.6 V | At 3.7 V |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 mAh | 18 Wh | 18.5 Wh |
| 10,000 mAh | 36 Wh | 37 Wh |
| 20,000 mAh | 72 Wh | 74 Wh |
| 25,000 mAh | 90 Wh | 92.5 Wh |
| 27,000 mAh | 97.2 Wh | 99.9 Wh |
| 30,000 mAh | 108 Wh | 111 Wh |
Two things follow. First, 27,000 mAh is roughly the ceiling for a no-questions-asked pack; 30,000 mAh lands in the approval band. Second, the voltage the maker assumes shifts the answer by a couple of watt-hours, so read the Wh the manufacturer prints rather than trusting your own arithmetic. UGREEN prints 90 Wh on its 25,000 mAh pack, not 92.5 Wh, because it rates the cells at 3.6 V. A screener reads the case, not a calculator. And never compute from the USB output voltage; a “20 V” output figure has nothing to do with stored energy.
How to read the label, and what to do if it is missing
Look for a line like “Rated energy: 72 Wh” in the small print on the case, usually next to the capacity and a cell-voltage figure (for example, “20000 mAh / 3.6 V / 72 Wh”). Some packs also print a lower “rated capacity” at 5 V; ignore that one for flight purposes and use the Wh.
If there is no Wh and no mAh on the case, you have a problem. Emirates states that every power bank it accepts must have capacity rating information available, and gate staff elsewhere apply the same logic when they cannot tell whether a pack is 70 Wh or 170 Wh. Practical steps:
- Find the Wh on the maker’s product page or manual, screenshot it, and keep it on your phone.
- Photograph the label of any pack you own; print on older packs fades.
- For a new purchase, pick a pack that prints Wh clearly.
Airline restrictions added in 2025-2026: quantity and in-flight use
The federal rule has not changed. What changed is that airlines and regulators added limits on top of it, mostly about using a power bank in the cabin, after a run of battery incidents. Each item below comes from the airline’s own announcement or a named aviation outlet, with the date; policies keep moving, so treat this as a snapshot.
- ICAO (international baseline). On 27 March 2026, ICAO announced an addendum to its Technical Instructions limiting passengers to two power banks and prohibiting recharging a power bank during flight. It applies to international flights in all 193 member states; individual regulators and airlines implement it on their own schedules.
- Southwest Airlines (US). Southwest was the first US carrier to require that a power bank in use stay visible and out of bags, in May 2025. From 20 April 2026 it limits passengers to one portable charger, bans charging the power bank from seat power, and requires the pack to be kept on your person or in a bag under the seat, not in the overhead bin.
- American Airlines (US). Announced in late April 2026 and effective 1 May 2026: a maximum of two portable chargers per passenger, each 100 Wh or less, carry-on only, kept visible and within reach, not in overhead bins, and not recharged on board. American cited FAA data of roughly 100 lithium battery incidents on US commercial flights in 2025.
- Emirates. From 1 October 2025: one power bank per passenger under 100 Wh, which may not be used to charge devices or be recharged from aircraft power during the flight; it must stay in the seat pocket or under the seat, and must carry a capacity rating.
- Singapore Airlines and Scoot. From 1 April 2025, no charging of power banks from onboard USB and no using them to charge devices. Singapore’s CAAS then capped passengers departing Singapore at two power banks from 15 April 2026.
- Korean Air (and Asiana, Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul). From 26 January 2026, use and recharging of power banks in flight is prohibited; packs must be within arm’s reach, not in overhead bins, with terminals taped or each pack in its own pouch. South Korea’s transport ministry had already banned overhead-bin storage and seat-USB recharging from March 2025.
We did not find a comparable published in-flight restriction from United or Delta at the time of writing; that does not mean one will not appear. Check the airline’s own baggage page in the week before you fly.
Checked bags, gate checks and the terminal-protection rule
Three practical consequences of the carry-on-only rule:
- Gate-checked carry-on. If your roller bag gets tagged at the gate, take the power bank out before you hand it over. The bag is now checked baggage and the pack is no longer allowed in it.
- Terminals. Spare batteries must be protected against short circuit. Recessed USB ports largely satisfy that by design, but a pouch or the original box is the zero-argument option, and several Asian carriers now require one.
- Built-in cables. A retractable-cable pack is still a spare battery under the rule and still carry-on only.
Devices with built-in batteries may go in checked bags only if fully powered off and protected from switching on, which is why a laptop may go in the hold (not recommended) but its spare battery may not.
Packs that clear the 100 Wh line, with the number the maker prints
Every pack here is a rechargeable lithium-ion power bank under 100 Wh and therefore needs no airline approval under federal rules. The Wh figures are manufacturer-published where stated; weights are maker or named-review figures as flagged.
| Model | Capacity | Published Wh | Max output | Ports | Weight | US list price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN Nexode 25000mAh 200W (smart display) | 25,000 mAh | 90 Wh (UGREEN) | 200 W combined, 140 W top port (PD 3.1) | 2× USB-C, 1× USB-A | 609 g (UGREEN) | $129.99 |
| UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh 165W (retractable cable) | 20,000 mAh | 72 Wh (label, per ChargerLab teardown; Macworld lists the same) | 165 W (100 W + 65 W) | retractable USB-C cable + USB-C + USB-A (33 W) | about 534 g measured by ChargerLab; Macworld lists 335 g | $99.99 |
| Baseus EnerCore CR11 20000mAh 100W (retractable cable) | 20,000 mAh | 72 Wh (Baseus retail listings; Baseus US page does not show it) | 100 W on the built-in cable (20 V/5 A) | retractable USB-C cable + USB-C | about 417 g (retailer-listed) | $69.99 (sale; $79.99 regular) |
| UGREEN Nexode Pro 10000mAh 45W (built-in cable) | 10,000 mAh | not on the US page; ~36-37 Wh by the conversion above | 45 W | built-in 22 cm USB-C cable + USB-C + USB-A (22.5 W) | 249 g (Notebookcheck) | $54.99 (sale) |
Notes on the table. UGREEN’s US page for the 25,000 mAh pack calls 90 Wh fine for planes and lists automotive-grade 21700 cells, a 2-year warranty and 609 g. ChargerLab’s teardown of the 20,000 mAh 165 W pack (PB726) found four SunPower INR21700-5000 cells at 3.6 V, which is exactly where the 72 Wh label comes from (4 × 18 Wh); the 335 g figure in some reviews is hard to reconcile with four 21700 cells plus a display and a retracting cable, so plan around the heavier number. Baseus’s US page for the CR11 100 W omits Wh and weight; its retail listings give 72 Wh and roughly 417 g, and Macworld measured the 67 W version of the same chassis at 72 Wh and 389 g. Under federal rules you could carry several 90 Wh packs; American and Southwest would stop you at two and one. The regulation is the floor, not the ceiling.
Who should buy what
Flying with a 14- or 16-inch laptop and a phone: the UGREEN Nexode 25000mAh 200W is the most energy you can carry with no approval and no argument, and its 140 W top port is the only one here that will charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro at full rate. The cost is 609 g and a $129.99 list price. It needs a 240 W-rated cable to deliver 140 W; see USB-C cables explained.
Check the UGREEN Nexode 25000mAh 200W on Amazon
Check the UGREEN Nexode 25000mAh 200W on UGREEN.com
Flying with a 13-inch laptop or tablet and no loose cable: the UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh 165W puts 100 W on a built-in retractable cable, keeps a second USB-C at 65 W for a phone, and recharges itself at 100 W in under two hours per UGREEN. At 72 Wh it is 28 Wh under the line.
Check the UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh 165W on Amazon
Check the UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh 165W on UGREEN.com
Same idea at the lowest price: the Baseus EnerCore CR11 20000mAh 100W gives you 100 W on a retractable cable at $69.99, about 100 g lighter than the UGREEN by the listed figures and the same 72 Wh. You give up the USB-A port and the 165 W combined budget. Baseus’s warranty terms vary by channel more than UGREEN’s; see the warranty section of our Anker vs UGREEN vs Baseus charger comparison.
Check the Baseus EnerCore CR11 20000mAh 100W on Amazon
Check the Baseus EnerCore CR11 20000mAh 100W on Baseus.com
Phone only, short flights, or a carrier with a one-pack limit: the UGREEN Nexode Pro 10000mAh 45W is 249 g with a built-in cable and a 45 W USB-C port, enough for roughly one and a half phone charges. If your airline allows only one power bank and you only need a phone topped up, this is the one to bring rather than the 600 g brick.
Check the UGREEN Nexode Pro 10000mAh 45W on Amazon
Do not buy for flying: anything 30,000 mAh and up. At 108-111 Wh it needs airline approval, and Emirates, American and Southwest now refuse anything over 100 Wh outright.
Summary
49 CFR 175.10 allows power banks in carry-on only: up to 100 Wh freely, 101-160 Wh with airline approval and a two-spare limit, nothing above 160 Wh. Convert mAh to Wh at 3.6-3.7 V, but trust the Wh printed on the case. Since 2025 airlines have layered on their own limits: American allows two packs and Southwest one, both under 100 Wh, both banning in-flight recharging and overhead-bin storage; Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Korean Air ban using power banks in flight entirely. All four packs above sit at 90 Wh or below. Rules change, so check your airline’s page before you fly.
More charging and travel-gear guides are on gadget-hub.jp English.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Can you bring a power bank on a plane in the US?
- A: Yes, but only in carry-on baggage, and the limit is expressed in watt-hours rather than mAh. Under 49 CFR 175.10 a power bank up to 100 Wh needs no approval at all; from 101 to 160 Wh you need the airline's approval and may carry no more than two such spares; above 160 Wh is not permitted on a passenger aircraft. A power bank is legally a spare lithium-ion battery, so it can never go in checked baggage — and if your carry-on is gate-checked, take the pack out first. Terminals must be protected, by original packaging, tape, or an individual pouch.
- Q: Can I put a power bank in my checked bag?
- A: No. Under 49 CFR 175.10, spare lithium-ion batteries, which is what a power bank is, must travel in carry-on baggage only. The FAA and TSA both repeat this. If your carry-on is gate-checked, you are expected to take the power bank out and keep it with you in the cabin.
- Q: How many watt-hours can a power bank be to fly in the US?
- A: Up to 100 Wh needs no approval. From 101 to 160 Wh you need the airline's approval and may carry no more than two such spares. Above 160 Wh is not allowed on a passenger aircraft at all. Those are the federal numbers; individual airlines can and do set lower limits on quantity.
- Q: How do I convert mAh to Wh?
- A: Multiply the mAh by the cell voltage and divide by 1,000. Power bank cells are nominally 3.6 or 3.7 V, so 20,000 mAh is about 72 to 74 Wh and 25,000 mAh is about 90 to 92.5 Wh. The exact figure the maker prints on the case is what screeners and crew go by, so read the label rather than doing the math if you can.
- Q: Can I charge my phone from a power bank during the flight?
- A: It depends on the airline, and the answer has been changing fast. Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Korean Air prohibit using or recharging power banks in flight. American and Southwest let you use one to charge a device but ban recharging the power bank from seat power, and require it to stay visible and out of the overhead bin. Check your carrier's current page before you fly.
- Q: What if my power bank has no Wh or mAh printed on it?
- A: You are at the mercy of the screener or gate agent. Emirates, for example, states that every power bank it accepts must have its capacity rating available. An unlabeled pack can be refused. For travel, buy a pack that prints the Wh clearly on the case, and photograph the label in case the print wears off.