Do chargers and power banks have to come out of my bag at airport security?

Main answer · Wecent Editorial Team

Short answer: Power banks and spare lithium batteries must travel in your carry-on, not in checked bags. In the US, TSA asks standard-lane travellers to take laptops out for X-ray, and officers have the final say on any item. Canada’s CATSA also requires batteries in the carry-on and points you to your airline’s rules. Check each source on your travel day.

Where power banks must go

The Transportation Security Administration says portable chargers and power banks with a lithium-ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags. Spare lithium batteries, including power banks and phone chargers with batteries, are prohibited in checked luggage. In Canada, CATSA gives the same general advice: keep all batteries and battery devices on you or in your carry-on.

Laptops

TSA says to remove laptops from the bag and place them in a separate bin for screening. TSA PreCheck travellers do not need to remove laptops. The page notes that the final decision rests with the officer at the checkpoint.

Chargers and cables

The TSA pages for power banks and laptops do not list ordinary wall chargers and cables as items that must be removed, but an officer may ask you to take things out if the image is unclear. Packing chargers and cables in one small pouch makes this easy.

Capacity limits

CATSA says most airlines follow international guidance that allows power banks up to 100 watt-hours without special approval, and those between 100 and 160 watt-hours with airline approval. Check your power bank’s label for its watt-hour rating, and ask your airline if you are unsure.

Packing tips

1. Put power banks in the carry-on, in a pouch, away from metal objects.
2. Cover terminals or use the original packaging for loose spare batteries.
3. Keep a charged power bank easy to reach.
4. Do not carry damaged or recalled batteries.
5. Check your airline’s rules on using power banks during the flight.

Before you fly

Read the current TSA and CATSA pages, and your airline’s policy, since rules change and airlines can be stricter than the regulators.

Quick summary

Power banks go in the carry-on, laptops come out in standard lanes, and officers and airlines have the last word.

Sources checked on 24 Oct 2026: TSA: Power banks; TSA: Laptops; CATSA: Guidelines for batteries.

Where this answer says to confirm with Wecent, the detail is not published on the product page and has to come from the datasheet or the factory. General facts come from the regulators, standards bodies or device makers named in the text.