2026 is the most significant year for power bank rules since lithium battery restrictions were first introduced. A wave of new airline policies — many triggered directly by the Air Busan disaster in January 2025 — has changed what passengers can do with their power banks in the cabin. This guide covers every major change and what it means for you.

Global fundamentals (still the same in 2026)

Carry-on-only rules for spare lithium power banks and the usual passenger watt-hour bands have not been replaced by the 2026 airline policy wave. The full walkthrough — limits, mAh→Wh, and security tips — is in our complete guide to flying with a power bank. Official baselines: IATA lithium battery guidance, FAA Pack Safe, and EASA dangerous goods (passengers).

The big one: ICAO's global standard (27 March 2026)

Everything below this section describes individual airline or national-regulator decisions made through early 2026. On 27 March 2026, the ICAO Council overtook all of them at once: a single standard, binding on all 193 member states, capping cabin power banks at two per passenger, banning in-flight charging and usage outright, and requiring power banks stay out of overhead bins and within crew's reach. It's the reason the "still allows in-flight use" list further down this page got a lot shorter. Read the full breakdown, including how United, American, Delta, and Southwest have each layered stricter rules on top: ICAO's Global Power Bank Rules: What Changed on 27 March 2026.

New in 2026: Lufthansa Group Bans In-Flight Use

Effective 15 January 2026 (per the Lufthansa Group notice), Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, and Austrian Airlines banned using power banks during flights. You can still bring your power bank on board, but it must be switched off for the entire duration of the flight. This means:

  • You cannot charge your phone, headphones, or other devices via your power bank during the flight.
  • You cannot use a power bank as a pass-through charger connected to the aircraft's USB port.
  • Medical devices (such as CPAP machines) that use external power banks may be exempt — contact the airline in advance.

The same notice confirms that power banks are carry-on only (not checked baggage). Limits on watt-hours, how many spare batteries you may carry, and when airline approval is required are set out on the official page — verify the wording there before you pack.

The Lufthansa Group's stated reason is fire risk reduction. The policy applies on all routes operated by these carriers. Official Lufthansa Group announcement

Singapore Airlines: In-Flight Use Ban (April 2025)

Singapore Airlines updated its policy in April 2025 to prohibit in-flight power bank use, including using the aircraft's USB charging ports via a power bank. The power bank must be switched off and kept in your carry-on bag throughout the flight.

This was one of the first major in-flight use bans outside Asia, and it triggered similar moves at Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways shortly after. Singapore Airlines official advisory

South Korea: Overhead Bin Ban (March 2025)

Following the catastrophic Air Busan fire at Muan Airport on 29 December 2024, South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) banned all Korean-registered carriers from storing power banks in overhead bins. They must be kept under the seat in front of you, visible and accessible to cabin crew at all times.

This applies to Korean Air, Asiana, Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Seoul, and T'way Air. Korea JoongAng Daily report on MOLIT announcement

China: CCC Certification Required (June 2025)

China's CAAC and National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) introduced a requirement that power banks carried on domestic Chinese flights display a valid CCC (China Compulsory Certification) mark. If the device lacks this mark, or if the mark is worn or illegible, security may confiscate it at the checkpoint.

Most major international brands sold globally carry the CCC mark. Budget or uncertified devices are more likely to be flagged. CAAC official notice

What's left that's still airline-specific

Since the ICAO baseline now bans in-flight charging everywhere, "does this airline allow in-flight use" is no longer the useful question — almost none do. What still varies by carrier is capacity and quantity limits, and how strictly overhead-bin storage is enforced:

  • American, Southwest — Capped tighter than the ICAO ceiling: 100 Wh per unit rather than 160 Wh, and Southwest allows only one power bank per passenger.
  • United, Delta — Follow the ICAO ceiling as-is: two power banks, up to 160 Wh each. United additionally banned overhead-bin storage from 1 March 2026.
  • Emirates — Still the strictest major carrier: one power bank per passenger, regardless of capacity, a rule that predates the 2026 changes.
  • Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Air France, KLM, Iberia, Qantas, Etihad — Apply the ICAO baseline without further tightening it, as of this writing. Always check the airline's own page before flying, since these thresholds have moved more than once in 2026.

What actually happened next

The original version of this guide predicted that ICAO would publish a global framework "mid-year." That happened on 27 March 2026, sooner than expected, following a run of in-cabin battery incidents through 2024–2025 (38 reported in the US alone by June 2025) and the Air China Flight CA139 overhead-bin fire in October 2025. It's the single biggest shift covered on this page — see the dedicated breakdown linked above for the full detail and a carrier-by-carrier comparison table. Expect airlines to keep tightening on top of that floor rather than loosening back toward it; check your specific carrier before every trip.