Updated for 2026

Power banks on planes in 2026

Power-bank rules changed materially in 2026. Treat a power bank separately from the batteries installed in your drone and check the operating airline.

The practical general screen

QuantityMax 2
Capacity≤100 Wh each
Checked bagNo
In-flight rechargeNo

IATA's 2026 passenger guidance limits lithium-ion power banks to two per passenger at no more than 100 Wh each. Power banks belong in cabin baggage, should remain accessible rather than buried in overhead storage, and should not be recharged from aircraft power.

Airlines can be stricter

Airline rules are not always identical to the IATA passenger screen. Emirates, Etihad, Southwest and Wizz Air currently publish tighter quantity/capacity rules, while Lufthansa and Air France publish an approval path for some 100–160 Wh power banks and easyJet, ANA and Qantas publish carrier rules up to 160 Wh. The checker therefore distinguishes hard stops from approval and source-conflict verification.

Do not rely on mAh alone

Airline rules are written in watt-hours. If a power bank shows only mAh and voltage, use the Wh calculator, but a calculation is not a substitute for a readable manufacturer rating where the airline requires one.

2027 trip?

IATA has already released 2027 manuals that include updated spare-battery and power-bank restrictions. If your flight is in 2027 or later, use the travel-date field in the checker and re-open all linked official sources close to departure.

Check my power bank + drone trip

Primary sources

IATA passenger guidance ↗
IATA 2026 power-bank implementation guidance ↗