The 6 battery rules, compared
What's allowed, the key limit, what to do, and where it's restricted. Confirm against the official source before you travel or ship.
| Battery / scenario | Allowed? | What's allowed / the limit | What to do | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li-ion battery up to 100 Whspare / loose cellFAA_lithTSA_100wh | Carry-on, no approval | AllowedSpare lithium-ion batteries up to 100 Wh ride in carry-on with no airline approval and no specific quantity limit for personal use. LimitThey are not allowed in checked baggage, and terminals must be protected from short-circuit. |
Keep spares in your carry-on and protect the terminals (original packaging, a case, or tape). | ≤100 Wh · carry-on only |
| Li-ion battery 101–160 Whlarger spareFAA_paxTSA_100wh | Carry-on + airline approval | AllowedSpares between 101 and 160 Wh are allowed in carry-on only with airline approval, and you may carry at most two of them. LimitThey are forbidden in checked baggage and not permitted without the airline's approval. |
Contact your airline before you fly, and carry no more than two spares in this range. | 101–160 Wh · approval · max 2 |
| Li-ion battery over 160 Whpower station, large packFAA_paxTSA_100wh | Forbidden on passenger aircraft | AllowedLithium batteries over 160 Wh are forbidden on passenger aircraft in both carry-on and checked baggage. LimitNot a baggage item at all — moving one requires approved hazardous-materials cargo shipping. |
Don't bring it as luggage; arrange approved cargo/hazmat shipping instead. | >160 Wh · forbidden |
| Power bank / portable chargertreated as a spare batteryFAA_lithAA_restricted | Carry-on only | AllowedPower banks are spare lithium batteries: carry-on only, never in checked bags, with the same watt-hour limits as any spare. LimitBanned from checked baggage, and airline overlays may restrict large ones even in the cabin. |
Keep it in the cabin, check its Wh rating, and confirm your airline's rule for large power banks. | carry-on only · Wh limits apply |
| Battery installed in a devicelaptop, camera, phoneFAA_lith | Carry-on or checked (off + protected) | AllowedA device with its battery installed can go in carry-on or checked, but if checked it must be completely powered off and protected from damage and accidental activation. LimitChecked is allowed only if the device is fully off and protected; carry-on is preferred. |
Carry electronics in the cabin where possible; fully power off any device packed in checked baggage. | installed · checked OK if off |
| Mailing batteries (USPS)shipping, not flyingUSPS_restrict | Shipping: extra rules | AllowedUSPS allows batteries installed in or packed with a device by air or ground; loose lithium batteries go by surface only (under 5 lb) with the surface-only marking and the required DOT mark. LimitLoose cells can't go by air; used or damaged devices ship ground only; international allows installed-in-device only. |
Ship batteries installed in the device when you can; for loose cells use ground service with the correct markings. | loose = surface only |
How to read a battery's watt-hours
Every air-travel limit is set in watt-hours (Wh), not milliamp-hours (mAh) — the number most power banks advertise. If only mAh is printed, convert it before you assume a large pack is allowed.
The formula is Wh = mAh × volts ÷ 1000. At a typical 3.7 volts, 100 Wh is roughly 27,000 mAh — so a 30,000 mAh pack is already over the no-approval line.
What changes the answer
The baseline above is the FAA/TSA rule. These can move the line — check before you go:
- Your airline. Airlines can be stricter than the FAA. American Airlines, for example, restricts large power banks and bans lithium-battery power-station generators in both the cabin and the hold.
- The destination country. Other countries set their own limits and approval rules; the US baseline isn't universal.
- Condition of the battery. Damaged, recalled, or swollen batteries are not allowed on aircraft at all, regardless of rating.
- The shipping carrier. USPS, UPS, and FedEx each have their own lithium-battery rules; the USPS limits here don't transfer to the others.
Flying vs. mailing the same battery
The two sets of rules diverge, which trips people up. A power bank you can legally carry onto a plane generally cannot be mailed loose by air — USPS sends loose lithium batteries by ground only. The safest mailing path for almost any lithium battery is installed in the device it powers.
Checklists
The neutral version — what to check before you fly or ship, not workarounds.
Fly Before you fly with batteries
- Put spares and power banks in your carry-on, never checked.
- Protect the terminals with cases, original packaging, or tape.
- Check each battery's watt-hours — convert from mAh if needed.
- Over 100 Wh → get airline approval first (and 2 spares max).
- Leave anything damaged or recalled at home — it's barred from flights.
Ship Before you mail batteries
- Ship installed in the device whenever possible.
- Send loose cells by ground service only (USPS surface).
- Apply the required markings (surface-only + the DOT lithium mark).
- Never mail damaged or recalled batteries.
- For international, remember USPS allows installed-in-device only.
Common wrong assumptions
- Big power banks are fine as long as they fit.Limits are by watt-hours, not size. Over 160 Wh isn't allowed on passenger aircraft, and 101–160 Wh needs airline approval.
- Spare batteries are safer in checked luggage.The opposite — spares and power banks are banned from checked bags and must travel in the cabin.
- mAh is the number the rules use.Airlines and the FAA use watt-hours. Convert: Wh = mAh × volts ÷ 1000.
- If I can fly with it, I can mail it the same way.Not necessarily. USPS ships loose lithium batteries by ground only, even ones you could carry onto a plane.
- All airlines follow the same battery rules.Airlines can be stricter than the FAA — some restrict large power banks and ban lithium power stations outright.
Sources
Every term and mechanism traces to a primary regulator. Rules change — the date is when each was last checked.
| Source | What it establishes | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| FAA PackSafe — Lithium batteries | Spare batteries and power banks are carry-on only (forbidden in checked); installed devices may be checked only if off and protected. | 2026-06-10 |
| FAA PackSafe — Airline passengers and batteries | 100 Wh / 160 Wh thresholds: <=100 Wh no approval, 101–160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares), >160 Wh forbidden on passenger aircraft. | 2026-06-10 |
| TSA — Lithium batteries over 100 Wh | Carry-on-only handling and the airline-approval requirement for batteries above 100 Wh. | 2026-06-10 |
| American Airlines — Restricted items | An example airline overlay: restrictions on large power banks and a ban on lithium-battery power-station generators in cabin and hold. | 2026-06-10 |
| USPS — Shipping restrictions | Installed/packed-with batteries by air or ground; loose lithium batteries surface-only with required markings; international installed-in-device only. | 2026-06-10 |