Yes—but with strict battery rules: devices can go in checked bags if fully off, while spare batteries and power banks must ride in your carry-on.
Quick Answer With Context
Most everyday electronics that contain their own battery—think laptops, tablets, cameras, shavers, or electric toothbrushes—may travel in checked baggage if the device is powered completely off, protected from accidental activation, and packed to prevent crushing. The big carve-out is loose energy sources. Spare lithium batteries and any power bank belong in the cabin only. That single split—device vs. spare—drives almost every packing decision you make.
Packing Electronic Items In Checked Luggage: What’s Allowed
Airlines and regulators group “electronics” in two buckets: devices with batteries installed, and batteries on their own. Devices with small lithium-ion packs up to 100 Wh or coin cells can ride in the hold if you prefer, though carrying them in the cabin is safer and helps you guard against theft or rough handling. If you choose to check them, switch them fully off—no sleep or hibernate—and cushion screens, lenses, and ports. Dry cells such as AA or AAA that sit inside a flashlight or toy can travel in either bag when protected from short circuit.
| Item Type | Checked Bag | Carry-On Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Laptops & Tablets (battery installed) | Allowed if fully off and protected | Best kept with you for safety and handling |
| Phones & E-readers (battery installed) | Allowed if fully off and protected | Keep on person or in cabin for access |
| Cameras & Camcorders | Allowed if fully off and padded | Remove lenses and cap ports to prevent damage |
| Headphones, Shavers, Toothbrushes | Allowed if switched off | Lock switches or use travel caps |
| Gaming Consoles & Handhelds | Allowed if powered down | Pack controllers separate to avoid pressure |
| Drones (battery installed) | Often restricted; check size and rules | Many airlines require batteries in cabin |
| E-cigarettes & Vapes | Prohibited in checked bags | Cabin only and never charge in flight |
| Power Banks & Charging Cases | Prohibited in checked bags | Cabin only; protect terminals |
| Spare Batteries (any lithium) | Prohibited in checked bags | Cabin only; insulate each spare |
| Smart Luggage (non-removable battery) | Restricted or refused | Allowed only if battery is removable |
Why Batteries Drive The Rules
Fire risk in a cargo hold is the reason you see strict limits. A damaged or defective lithium cell can enter thermal runaway. In a cabin, crew can intervene quickly with extinguishers or containment bags; in a hold, detection and suppression are slower. That is why spare lithium batteries and power banks, which are energy sources outside a device’s protective circuitry, must stay with you. Devices themselves are better shielded and less likely to short when packed correctly.
Battery Basics You Need To Know
Three numbers guide what you can bring: battery chemistry, watt-hours for lithium-ion, and lithium grams for lithium-metal primaries. Nearly all phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, drones, and power banks use lithium-ion packs rated in Wh. Button cells in watches, calculators, and remotes are lithium-metal with tiny gram amounts. As a rule of thumb, personal devices up to 100 Wh are simple, 101–160 Wh packs need airline approval, and anything larger belongs with cargo carriers or special handling.
Devices In Checked Bags
If you pack a device in the hold, do three things: turn it completely off, protect it from pressure that could press a power switch or damage the screen, and isolate it from metal objects that could short exposed ports. Wrap laptops in a soft sleeve, place cameras in a padded cube, and put handhelds inside a rigid case. Remove accessories that could break under load, like clip-on mics or gimbals. For items with removable batteries, consider taking those cells out and carrying them aboard while leaving the inert body in the suitcase.
Spare Batteries And Power Banks
Loose batteries belong in your carry-on only. That includes power banks, camera bricks, laptop spares, and external battery cases. Put each item in its own pouch or plastic sleeve, cover exposed terminals with tape or caps, and keep them away from coins, keys, or tools that could bridge contacts. If your flight uses planeside check for a small carry-on, remove spares before handing over the bag. Gate agents see this often and will give you a moment to transfer them.
Taking Electronics In Checked Baggage: Risks And Rules
Even when allowed, checking electronics is a trade-off. The hold subjects bags to drops, cold temperatures, vibration, and limited oversight. Displays can crack, lenses can decenter, and switches can slip. Theft is less common than it once was, but cabins remain safer for valuables. If you must check gear, split risk: keep the battery components with you in the cabin and place the less delicate pieces—chargers, cables, tripods, mounts—in the suitcase.
Country And Airline Variations
The core battery thresholds are widely aligned across major regulators, yet airlines can tighten them. Some carriers require all drones and their batteries to remain in the cabin, no matter the size. Others set quantity caps on spare batteries beyond the common two-spare allowance for 101–160 Wh. A few even ask you to tape power switches on cameras or game consoles. Read your carrier’s dangerous goods page before you fly and bring printed approvals if you request an exception.
Smart Luggage And Trackers
Bags with built-in power banks face extra scrutiny. If the battery cannot be removed, many carriers will refuse the bag at check-in. If removable, take the battery out and carry it aboard. Small Bluetooth trackers use coin cells with tiny lithium content, so they can stay in checked bags. Always verify battery specs for any tag that advertises rechargeable power, and replace the cell before travel so you are not prying it open at the airport.
Carry-On Only: Items You Should Never Check
Keep these items out of the hold every time. All spare lithium batteries, power banks, and battery charging phone cases stay with you. E-cigarettes and vape devices belong in the cabin and remain switched off for the entire flight. Mobility devices and medical gear follow separate rules; ask your airline for written guidance.
How To Read Your Battery Label
Most packs print Wh directly. If you only see volts and milliamp-hours, convert with a quick formula: Wh = (volts × mAh) ÷ 1000. A typical 10,000 mAh power bank at 3.7 V equals 37 Wh, which sits well under the 100 Wh threshold. Laptop “extended” packs often land between 60–99 Wh; larger professional bricks can exceed 100 Wh and move into the approval zone. Mark the Wh on a small piece of tape if the label is hard to read; this speeds conversations at screening or the gate. Keep a cheat-card.
Protection And Packing Tips
- Flip physical lock switches or use travel caps to block accidental activation.
- Place devices in the center of the suitcase with soft layers above and below.
- Use cable organizers so metal connectors cannot scratch screens or short ports.
- Bag each spare battery separately and tape over exposed contacts.
Battery Limits You Can Rely On
Here are the common allowances that apply on most routes. Airline approval can raise the ceiling for certain larger batteries in the cabin. Checked baggage cannot carry any spare lithium batteries, and damaged or recalled cells should never fly.
| Battery Type | Checked Bag | Carry-On Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium-ion ≤ 100 Wh (in device) | Permitted if device is off and protected | Unlimited devices for personal use |
| Lithium-ion 101–160 Wh (spares) | Not permitted | Up to two with airline approval |
| Lithium-metal ≤ 2 g (in device) | Permitted | Allowed; spares in cabin only |
| Lithium-metal 2–8 g (spares) | Not permitted | Up to two with airline approval |
| Dry cells (alkaline, NiMH, NiCd) | Permitted when protected | Allowed; keep spares tidy and insulated |
| Non-spillable batteries (small lead-acid) | Usually no, unless in approved device | Often allowed if ≤ 12 V and ≤ 100 Wh equivalent |
Examples: What Goes Where
Mirrorless Camera With Two Extra Packs
Body and lens can go in checked baggage if padded well. The two spare camera batteries ride with you in a small fire-retardant sleeve or separate pouches. Cover the terminals and keep them where you can reach them. Chargers, cables, and small lights can sit in the suitcase to save cabin space.
Drone With 99 Wh Packs
Rules differ by airline. Many require the aircraft and all batteries to remain in the cabin. If your carrier allows the drone body in the hold, remove every battery and carry those spares on. Use original battery caps or tape over contacts. Pack a Li-po safe pouch for spares and keep it near your seat in case the crew asks you to secure them.
Bluetooth Tracker In A Suitcase
A coin-cell powered tag can remain in the checked bag. Replace the cell before travel so you are not prying it open at the airport. If your tracker uses a rechargeable micro-pack, treat it like any other lithium-ion device and follow the same carry-on preference.
What About Non-Battery Electronics?
Some travel gear counts as “electronics” without posing a battery risk. Wired earphones, passive microphones, tripods with no battery, and basic adapters can ride anywhere. Surge protectors and power strips can go in either bag, though carry-on keeps delicate prongs from bending. Keep heavy chargers near the wheels of the suitcase so they do not crush screens or camera bodies.
Links To Official Guidance
Regulators publish passenger pages that spell out the allowances in plain language. Read the TSA battery rules, review the FAA Pack Safe page, and check the IATA passenger lithium guidance for the global view.
Make Your Final Packing Call
The simplest rule is this: if a battery can come out, it goes in your carry-on. If the battery is built into a device and the device can be turned fully off, you may place it in checked baggage after you pad and isolate it. Keep valuables and anything you will need on arrival with you, and leave spare cells, power banks, and e-cigs out of your suitcase every time.