Are Christmas Lights Allowed On Planes? | Pack It Right

Holiday trips come with last‑minute lists, family gifts, and that box of twinkly lights you swear finishes the mood. Good news: you can fly with them. The rules are simple once you split lights into two buckets—plug‑in strings and battery‑powered sets—and follow battery safety for spares.

For quick confirmation straight from the source, see the TSA’s page for Christmas lights. Plug‑in and battery sets are allowed in both carry‑on and checked bags. The fine print kicks in when loose batteries or power banks enter the picture, which is where the FAA PackSafe rules come in. You’ll find the same general approach around the world in the IATA passenger guidance.

Taking Christmas Lights On A Plane: Quick Rules

If you just want the short version, use the table below. It covers the most common light types and where they belong. One theme repeats: keep spare lithium cells and power banks in your cabin bag with the terminals covered.

Are Christmas Lights Allowed In Carry‑On Or Checked?

Yes on both. Plug‑in strings are just wire and bulbs, so they can ride in either bag. Battery‑powered lights are fine too, with one big rule: spare lithium batteries never go in checked baggage. Keep spares, power banks, and charging cases with you.

Installed batteries in a device are treated differently from loose ones. That’s why a small battery box attached to a light string can stay where it is, yet extra cells for that box must sit in your cabin bag. If a roll‑aboard is gate‑checked, move those spares to your personal item before handing the bag over.

Airlines align with the same baseline safety: spare lithium cells in the cabin, not the hold; keep terminals covered; and stay under the usual energy limits. Some carriers ask you to limit large spares or get approval for mid‑sized packs. If your light kit uses anything unusual, ask your airline before you fly.

Batteries 101 For Holiday Lights

Most string lights are low‑voltage and sip power. That means the battery rules you’ll deal with are the general ones set for personal electronics, not special rules just for decorations. Here’s the quick math and what it means for real‑world packs.

Know Your Limits

Lithium‑ion spares up to 100 watt hours are allowed in carry‑on. Between 101 and 160 Wh, you can bring up to two spares if your airline says yes. Packs over 160 Wh are off‑limits on passenger flights. Lithium‑metal cells, like many coin batteries, are capped at 2 grams of lithium per cell. Alkaline AA or AAA cells aren’t subject to watt‑hour limits, yet they still need short‑circuit protection when packed loose.

How To Read Watt Hours

Watt hours are voltage times amp‑hours. If a pack says 3.7 V and 10,000 mAh, the calculation is 3.7 × 10 Ah = 37 Wh. That sits well under the 100 Wh line, which is where most consumer power banks land. If there’s no label, treat the pack like any power bank and assume carry‑on only.

What Counts As A Spare?

A battery is a spare when it isn’t installed in a device. A light string with an integrated battery box is a device. Extra cells for that box are spares. A USB power bank is itself a spare because it’s not fixed inside equipment. Spares ride with you, and each one needs its own protection against metal contact.

How Many Spares Can You Bring?

Most travelers never hit a count limit. The common hard cap is two spares in the 101–160 Wh range. Outside that, some international guidance mentions a practical limit of twenty small spares per person. If you’re carrying an unusual stash—say you’re decorating a venue abroad—talk to your airline early so no one is surprised on the day.

Pack It Right: Tangle‑Free And Trouble‑Free

Good packing saves time at the checkpoint and keeps bulbs intact. It also reduces the odds of a bag search from a dense ball of copper wire on the X‑ray screen.

For Plug‑In Strings

• Coil each string into loose loops and tie with a twist tie or soft strap.
• Wrap glass bulbs or delicate toppers in clothing or bubble wrap.
• Skip outdoor ground stakes or sharp hooks unless you need them; they can snag.

For Battery‑Powered Sets

• Switch the pack off and, if there’s a removable tab, replace it.
• Move loose spare cells to carry‑on. Use a case or the retail pack.
• Tape or cap exposed terminals so nothing metal can touch them.

For Power Banks And USB Strings

• Carry the bank in your personal item, never in checked bags.
• Cover ports with a cap or a strip of tape.
• Avoid charging lights during taxi, takeoff, and landing if the crew asks.

Label And Organize

• Use a clear pouch for all light sets so officers can see them at a glance.
• Add a note card with what’s inside: “Two plug‑in strings, one USB string, one power bank.”
• If a light set is new, keep the small instruction sheet; it helps show what it is.

Can You Use Christmas Lights On The Plane?

Carrying lights is fine; decorating the cabin is another story. Don’t hang strings on bins or walls, don’t block signs, and don’t plug anything in without a nod from the crew. Bright or blinking lights can bother nearby travelers. Save the sparkle for your destination.

International Trips And Connections

Rules for batteries are broadly aligned worldwide, yet screening styles vary. When you change planes, you’ll often pass through security again. Pack so you can pull power banks and spare cells fast. If a local screener wants a closer look, a tidy pouch and clear labels speed things along.

Airline Policy Snapshot

The big carriers match the same safety basics: spares in the cabin, 0–100 Wh allowed, 101–160 Wh limited with approval, and terminals covered. Some pages also remind you to turn devices fully off in checked bags. If you’re flying with a less common carrier or a regional partner, check its page the week you fly so you’re working with the latest text.

Checklist Before You Fly

1. Sort lights: plug‑in, battery box, USB, smart pack.
2. Move all spare lithium cells and any power bank to your carry‑on.
3. Cover terminals on spares and use cases or sleeves.
4. Coil strings, pad fragile bulbs, and use clear pouches.
5. Keep labels or specs for any rechargeable pack.
6. If a pack is 101–160 Wh, ask your airline for approval.
7. Before boarding, double‑check that spares aren’t sitting in a gate‑checked bag.

Edge Cases: Projectors, Smart Plugs, And Solar Sets

Laser projectors and LED spotlights travel like any other gadget. If they use a built‑in lithium pack, the same carry‑on rule for spares applies. Smart plugs are just small electronics; put them in your cabin bag and you’re set. Solar light kits usually have a small rechargeable pack in the panel. Treat that pack like a power bank and keep it with you.

One last note: the officer at the checkpoint can say yes or no to any specific item based on how it looks on the day. Pack neatly, label clearly, and you’ll breeze through with those lights ready for your tree, balcony, or photo wall on arrival.