Best power banks for flying (2026): airline-safe picks
Airlines care about watt-hours, not mAh, and the number to stay under is 100. Get the UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh: well under the limit, and it can charge a laptop.
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The short answer
UGREEN Portable Power Station 48000mAh 300W
Skip: over the airline limit
- Researched
- Rated 153.6 Wh by UGREEN: over the 100 Wh line, so it needs airline approval, and some airlines refuse it.
$139.99/£169.99UGREEN US & UK stores, checked 3 Oct 2026
The 100 Wh rule
Power banks are lithium-ion batteries, so they must go in your carry-on bag, never in checked luggage. In the US and the UK the limits work in three bands:
Under 100 WhAllowed in carry-on. No approval needed.
100–160 WhNeeds airline approval. Two spares per passenger at most.
Over 160 WhNot allowed in passenger baggage.
More on what matters
The UK Civil Aviation Authority also says you can take two power banks per person and should never recharge them on board. Some airlines go further: Emirates allows one power bank under 100 Wh and bans using it in the cabin.
Rules vary by airline and change often. Check yours before you fly.
Turn mAh into Wh
Shops sell power banks by mAh. Multiply by the battery voltage (UGREEN and most makers use 3.6 V) and divide by 1,000.
Wh = mAh × 3.6 ÷ 1000
| Capacity | Watt-hours (3.6 V) | On a plane |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 mAh | 36 Wh | OK Carry-on |
| 20,000 mAh | 72 Wh | OK Carry-on |
| 25,000 mAh | 90 Wh | OK Carry-on |
| 30,000 mAh | 108 Wh | ASK Airline approval |
| 48,000 mAh | about 173 Wh | NO Check maker’s Wh |
If the maker prints a Wh figure, trust that over your own sum: UGREEN rates its 48,000 mAh station at 153.6 Wh, not 173.
Compare the picks
| Verdict | Model | Wh | Max USB-C | Weight | How judged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PICK | UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 130W | 72 | 100 W | 476 g | Researched |
| BUDGET | Anker Nano Power Bank 10K 30W (built-in cable) | about 36 | 30 W | 215 g | Researched |
| SKIP | UGREEN Portable Power Station 48000mAh 300W | 153.6 | 140 W | 1,637 g | Researched |
Specs from each maker's own product page; see Sources. Prices from the brands' US and UK stores, checked 3 Oct 2026; they change often and may be lower elsewhere.
Our verdicts
PICK
UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 130W
ResearchedThe best fit for most flyers, especially anyone who carries a laptop.
Why it’s good
- 72 Wh: a wide margin under every airline limit
- Charges a laptop and a phone at once (100 W + 30 W)
Watch out for
- 476 g and brick-shaped
BUDGET
Anker Nano Power Bank 10K 30W (built-in cable)
ResearchedKeeps a phone going through a travel day for $30 / £30 less, at under half the weight.
Why it’s good
- 215 g, with the USB-C cable built in
- 30 W charges a phone quickly
You give up
- No real laptop charging (30 W max) and half the capacity
SKIP
UGREEN Portable Power Station 48000mAh 300W
ResearchedIt's sold alongside UGREEN's power banks and looks like the answer for laptop power on a long trip. But UGREEN rates it at 153.6 Wh. That puts it in the 100–160 Wh band, so you need airline approval to fly with it, and airlines that only allow one power bank under 100 Wh, such as Emirates, won't take it at all. At 1,637 g it's also heavy. Keep it for camping or power cuts.
How we chose
Show how we chose
We compared eight power banks from 10,000 to 48,000 mAh. Every verdict was checked on the maker's own product page and on the brand's US and UK stores on 3 Oct 2026. To be a pick it had to stay under 100 Wh, be sold in both countries, and not appear on a recall list. Then we weighed laptop power, weight and price.
Tested means we used it ourselves. Researched means we judged it from specs, independent tests, safety rules and owner reports, without using it. We never mark a researched pick as tested.
Questions
Can I put a power bank in checked luggage?
No. Spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must travel in your carry-on bag. If your bag is checked at the gate, take the power bank out first.
Is a 20,000 mAh power bank allowed on planes?
Usually yes. At 3.6 V it works out at about 72 Wh, well under the 100 Wh limit.
How many power banks can I take?
In the UK, two per person. Some airlines allow only one, so check yours before you fly.
Can I charge my phone with a power bank during the flight?
It depends on the airline. Some, such as Emirates, ban using power banks on board, and the UK CAA says never to recharge a power bank on the plane.
Sources
Show the sources
- UGREEN US: Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 130W, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- UGREEN UK: Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 130W, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Anker US: Nano Power Bank 30W built-in cable (A1259), accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Anker UK: Nano Power Bank 30W built-in cable (A1259), accessed 3 Oct 2026
- UGREEN US: Portable Power Station 48000mAh 300W, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- UGREEN UK: 300W 48000mAh Power Bank, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Anker: 2025 power bank recall, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- FAA PackSafe: lithium batteries, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- UK CAA: Pack right, accessed 3 Oct 2026
- Emirates: power bank rules, accessed 3 Oct 2026
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