What's the Latest with Flying with a Power Bank? October Update

October 22, 2026

From the Krafted team · Rules last checked 22 October 2026

The rules for flying with a power bank have changed a lot in 2026, and the headlines can make it sound like power banks are on their way out. They're not. The new rules are almost entirely about the few hours you're in the air. Everywhere else on your journey, from the cab to the gate to the hotel, your power bank is as useful as ever. Here's our monthly round-up of what's changed, and how to make the most of it.

The short version

Still allowed: power banks up to 100Wh fly in your hand luggage on UK flights, no approval needed.
Two maximum: you can carry no more than two power banks.
No recharging in the air: you can't charge a power bank from the seat socket or USB port.
Using one onboard is up to the airline: easyJet, Emirates and the Lufthansa Group ban it outright.
Coming on 1 January 2027: the 2027 rulebook takes effect, and the route for flying with a bigger 100–160Wh power bank with airline approval is being dropped. Under 100Wh is about to be the only safe bet.

The good news: your power bank's best work happens on the ground

Think about where your battery actually runs out on a work trip. It's rarely at 35,000 feet. It's in the cab when you're answering emails, in the security queue with your boarding pass on screen, at the gate when every socket is taken. That's exactly where a power bank shines, and none of the new rules touch it.

In the cab or on the train to the airport. Top up your phone and laptop while you travel, so you arrive at the terminal on full.
In the security queue. Keep your phone alive for your boarding pass, without hunting for a socket.
At the gate or in the lounge. No fighting over the one free plug. Charge your laptop while you finish that deck.
Before you board. Land with everything at 100%, so you're ready the moment you step off.
After you land. Taxi to the hotel, straight into a meeting, a long day of maps and messages: your power bank's back on duty as soon as you're off the plane.

In other words, the smartest way to fly in 2026 is to arrive at the aircraft door fully charged. A power bank is how you do it.

What's new this month

1. The 2027 rulebook is confirmed, and it's tighter

The airline industry's Dangerous Goods Regulations (68th edition) become mandatory on 1 January 2027, and the interim guidance airlines are working to now runs out on 31 December. The new edition makes this year's changes permanent: the two-power-bank limit and the ban on recharging onboard.

The bigger change is at the top end. IATA has said the allowance to carry a 100–160Wh power bank with your airline's approval will not carry over into the 2027 rules. Expect many airlines to accept only power banks up to 100Wh from January.

What it means for you: if you travel with a big "laptop-class" power bank, check its Wh rating now. Anything over 100Wh may not fly with you after New Year's Eve, even if your airline approved it this year.

2. India bans a specific model after an overhead-locker fire

This month, India's aviation regulator, the DGCA, banned one power bank model (the Mobikins MK-PB-04) from all flights to, from and within India. It followed a fire in an overhead locker on an IndiGo flight to Chennai, which forced the aircraft to divert.

What it means for you: it's a reminder of two things regulators keep coming back to. Poorly made, uncertified power banks are a growing concern, and overhead lockers are where problems go unnoticed.

3. Overhead lockers are off-limits on more airlines

More airlines now require power banks to stay in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you, never in the overhead locker. The reason is simple: if a battery overheats, crew need to see it and reach it fast. The Air Busan fire in January 2025, which destroyed an aircraft, was traced to a power bank in an overhead bin.

What it means for you: pack your power bank where you can reach it, not at the bottom of the bag that goes overhead.

The UK rules as they stand

The UK Civil Aviation Authority follows the international rules that came into force on 27 March 2026. Here's where things stand for flights from UK airports this month.

Rule	Today (to 31 December 2026)	From 1 January 2027
Where it goes	Hand luggage only, never checked bags	No change
Up to 100Wh	Allowed, no approval needed	No change
100–160Wh	Only with your airline's approval	Approval route being dropped; expect many airlines to refuse
Over 160Wh	Not allowed	No change
How many	Two per person	Two per person
Recharging the power bank onboard	Not allowed	Not allowed
Using it to charge your devices	Recommended against; your airline decides	Your airline decides

The CAA has been clear that these aren't box-ticking rules. Earlier this year it warned that overheating incidents were happening on around two flights a week worldwide, and flagged a diversion caused by a power bank packed in a hold bag.

Airline snapshot

Airlines can be stricter than the baseline. A few you're likely to fly with:

Airline	How many	Use it to charge devices in flight?
easyJet	Two	No, and no recharging it either
British Airways	Two	No recharging from seat power; keep it out of the overhead locker
Lufthansa Group (incl. SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings)	Two	No
Emirates	One, up to 100Wh	No
Southwest (US)	One, up to 100Wh	Only if it stays in plain sight

Ryanair, Jet2, TUI and Virgin Atlantic: check the airline's own dangerous goods page before you fly. We'll add them as we verify each one.

Rules change often. Always check your airline's current guidance before you travel.

Your pre-flight checklist

Find the Wh number on the label. If it only shows mAh, multiply mAh by the voltage and divide by 1,000. If you can't find a rating at all, security may refuse it.
Stay at 100Wh or under, especially for any trip after 1 January 2027.
Two power banks at most. Emirates allows just one.
Charge up before you board. Use the journey to the airport, the security queue and the gate to top up your laptop and phone, then board on full.
Keep it within reach. Seat pocket or under the seat, never the overhead locker. If your bag is taken at the gate, take the power bank out first.
Protect the ports. Keep it in a pouch or its own pocket so nothing can short the terminals.
Leave damaged ones at home. A swollen, cracked or very hot power bank should never fly.

Where Edge fits

We designed Edge for exactly this kind of door-to-gate day. It's 77Wh, printed clearly on the label, so it sits comfortably under the 100Wh line today and after the 2027 rules land. It charges a laptop at up to 65W, or a laptop and phone together in the back of a cab. It carries UKCA and CE marks, and it's built to come with you for years, not one season.

For everything on Edge's ratings, ports and packing, read our founders' guide to travelling with Edge.

FAQs

Can I still take a power bank on a plane from the UK?

Yes. Up to two, in your hand luggage, each 100Wh or under without needing approval.

What's changing on 1 January 2027?

The 2027 Dangerous Goods Regulations take effect. They make the two-power-bank limit and the onboard recharging ban permanent, and the option to fly with a 100–160Wh power bank with airline approval is being dropped.

Will my 20,000mAh power bank still be allowed in 2027?

Almost certainly. A typical 20,000mAh power bank is about 74Wh, well under 100Wh. Check the label to be sure.

Can I use a power bank on an easyJet flight?

No. easyJet doesn't allow power banks to be used to charge devices onboard, or to be recharged.

When's the best time to use my power bank on a flying day?

On the ground. Charge your laptop and phone on the way to the airport, in the security queue and at the gate, so you board on full. Then it's ready again the moment you land.

Can I put my power bank in the overhead locker?

On a growing number of airlines, no. Keep it in the seat pocket or under the seat in front of you so crew can reach it.

Why are the rules getting stricter?

Lithium batteries can overheat and catch fire, and incidents are rising as more people fly with power banks. The new rules aim to keep them where crew can spot and deal with a problem fast.

Is Edge allowed on flights in 2027?

Yes. Edge is 77Wh with the rating printed on the label, under the 100Wh limit that applies now and from 2027.

We'll update this every month, and the moment anything changes before 1 January.