Batteries and power banks on a plane
Identify the battery and how it is used
For flights under US FAA rules, a power bank and a spare lithium battery belong in carry-on baggage with their terminals protected. A battery installed in a device follows different conditions from a spare. Check the watt-hour rating: lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh use the ordinary passenger allowance; spare lithium-ion batteries over 100 Wh through 160 Wh require airline approval, with at most two larger spares per passenger. Do not pack a damaged or swollen battery.
Common dry batteries, nonspillable wet batteries and batteries powering a wheelchair need their own instructions. Tell the airline about a powered mobility aid before travel; preparation depends on its battery and protective housing. Choose the item you are actually taking below.
Check a power bank, an electric bicycle battery and an electric scooter battery separately. Their use and capacity differ; the word “battery” alone is not enough to determine carriage conditions.
FAA PackSafe: batteries · FAA PackSafe: mobility devices
US sources checked on 24 September 2026. The item pages provide the detailed conditions and source review dates.