Can I Bring An Airtag Go Through TSA? | TSA Rules Guide

You want to drop an AirTag in your bag and breeze through TSA. Good news: you can. The tracker passes security like any small gadget. The only real rule is about the tiny battery. Keep spare coin cells in your cabin bag, and keep the AirTag’s battery installed when it rides in checked luggage.

Can Airtags Go Through TSA Screening Without Issues?

Yes. At the checkpoint, an AirTag is just a small electronic tag. It can stay inside your backpack or suitcase. If an officer wants a closer look, place the bag on the belt again or set the tag in a tray. Screening machines see the coin cell and the shell without fuss. The final say always rests with the officer at the lane, so follow any request on the spot.

Carry-On Vs Checked: Where To Put Your Airtag

Two spots work. In your carry-on, the AirTag sits with your other tech. In a checked bag, it can ride along with the battery installed. What you cannot do is place loose coin cells in checked baggage. Spare cells must ride in the cabin with the terminals protected. That rule keeps heat and short circuits away from the hold.

AirTag Packing Rules At A Glance

For the battery rule itself, the FAA PackSafe page for devices explains that spare lithium batteries go in carry-on, while batteries installed in a device may ride in either bag type under set limits. TSA’s page on lithium batteries in devices spells out the 2-gram lithium cap for lithium metal cells and the rule that spares stay in the cabin.

Why Airtags Are Allowed On Planes

An AirTag runs on a CR2032 lithium metal coin cell. That cell is tiny. It sits well under the lithium content limit that applies to small electronics. Since the battery is part of the device, it can ride in a checked suitcase, and it can ride in your carry-on too. Spares are the only part that must stay in the cabin. That split comes from safety rules that aim to keep a battery incident where crews can spot and handle it.

About The Battery And Limits

AirTag coin cells are non-rechargeable lithium metal. The common limit for such cells in devices is 2 grams of lithium per cell. A CR2032 holds a fraction of that. Trackers sit far below any watt-hour cap that applies to larger rechargeable packs. This is why airlines and airports treat an AirTag like any other small tag. It is a tiny load, sealed in a plastic shell, with no high-energy pack.

Setup Tips For Smooth Screening

Quick prep keeps your line time short and your tracking clean:

1. Pair the tag to your phone at home. Name it after the bag so you can spot it fast.
2. Update your phone and the Find My app before you leave.
3. Check the coin cell. If the tag chirps weak, swap in a fresh CR2032.
4. Place the tag where it can ping: near an outer pocket or a bag frame, not buried under metal items.
5. For checked bags, slip the tag into a side pocket or a ring clip so ramp staff won’t mistake it for trash.
6. At the lane, keep moving. If asked, you can take the tag out, show it, and drop it back in.

Airline And International Notes

Most carriers accept Bluetooth trackers in both bag types. In late 2022, a few posts online caused mixed signals about trackers in checked bags. The FAA later told media that luggage trackers using lithium metal cells with 0.3 grams or less of lithium can ride in checked baggage and named AirTags as within that mark. Since then, use in checked bags has been normal.

Some regions publish their own phrasing, yet the theme stays the same: small coin-cell devices are fine in both bag types when the cell remains installed. You may still see brand-specific notes for “smart luggage” with big battery packs. Those notes concern the suitcase battery, not your tiny tracker. If your suitcase has a built-in pack, check whether it must be removed or carried on.

Troubleshooting At Security: Quick Fixes

If the tag draws attention, these simple moves clear the line fast.

Fast Fix Table

Using Airtags In Checked Luggage

A tracker inside a checked suitcase helps you see if a bag left the airport, reached the carousel, or sat in a back room. Place it where the Bluetooth signal can reach passing phones. A pocket near the edge works well. If you switch bags often, clip the tag to a ring clip on the lining so you can move it fast between suitcases. Keep the battery cap snug and the shell free of tape that could jam the cap.

Signal And Placement Tips

Metal can block signals. A spot next to a metal frame is fine; a spot wrapped in dense tools is not. Fabric pouches work well. A tag inside a shoe also works, yet it can mute the chirp if you ever need to ping the tag. Avoid placing the tag under a metal toiletry kit or a laptop stand. Nearby metal can hide the signal from phones that pass by your bag on the belt.

When A Bag Gets Gate-Checked

Sometimes a full flight means your hand bag goes to the hold at the gate. If that happens, move any spare coin cells to your pocket or personal item before the handoff. Leave the AirTag installed in the bag. Tell the agent if you need a minute to move power banks as well. That saves a second hand search at the jet bridge.

Security Lane Etiquette With Trackers

Stay calm and clear. If a screener asks what the round disk is, say “a Bluetooth luggage tag with a coin cell.” Keep your phone on, with the Find My app visible if they want to see it. Place the tag in a plastic tray on its own only if asked. Pick it up, drop it back in your bag, and move on. A calm tone and a quick demo of the tag keep the lane moving smoothly.

Battery Swaps On The Road

CR2032 cells are sold in airports, drugstores, and grocery shops. Buy name-brand cells in sealed packs to avoid duds. Swap the cell in a clean, dry spot. Keep old cells out of reach of kids and pets and recycle them when you land. If a swap fails, press the cap down and twist again until it clicks. If the tag still stays silent, try one more fresh cell before you assume the tag failed.

Common Myths About Airtags And TSA

“TSA bans AirTags.” False. They screen them like any small device, and they pass.

“Trackers must be off on planes.” Not for these tags. They use low-power Bluetooth and do not need a power switch.

“All lithium items must be in carry-on.” Not exactly. Spare lithium cells go in the cabin. Cells installed in devices can ride in either bag type within posted limits.

“The tag will set off alarms.” The tag may prompt a bag check, the same as any dense item. A quick look sorts it out.

Pre-Trip Checklist

1. Update your phone and apps.
2. Label the tag with a name that matches the bag.
3. Pack one spare CR2032 in a small case in your cabin bag.
4. Place the tag where it gets a clear signal path.
5. Review airline notes if your suitcase has a built-in battery.
6. Snap a photo of your bag at drop-off to pair with tracking data.

What About Other Trackers?

Tile, Chipolo, and similar tags follow the same battery logic. If the tracker uses a coin cell, it can ride in either bag with the cell installed, while spare cells stay in the cabin. If the tracker has a built-in rechargeable pack, treat it like any small gadget in a phone class. Installed packs can ride in either bag under the common watt-hour caps; spares and power banks go in carry-on only.

Clear Answer For Travelers

You can bring an AirTag through TSA and fly with it in your carry-on or your checked suitcase. Keep any spare CR2032 coin cells in your carry-on, shield the terminals, and keep the battery installed inside the tracker when it rides in checked luggage. If an officer asks, show the tag and move on. With those simple steps, your bag can fly while your phone tells you where it went.