Travelling with lithium batteries and lithium battery-operated devices
For everyone's safety, we have rules for bringing lithium batteries on your flight. It is important you check whether your battery or device can be carried, and how to pack them safely.
Quick lithium battery guide
Below is a quick list of battery examples, if they're allowed to be carried and where to pack them. All you'll need to know is your battery or device's power rating. Find out how to locate this.
If your battery is allowed on your flight, it's important to make sure it is packed securely, meeting our requirements.
- ✘ = prohibited
- ✔ = allowed
Low Watt hour (Wh) rating or lithium content
Lithium-ion (polymer) batteries not exceeding 100 Watt hours (Wh)
Lithium metal batteries not exceeding 2g lithium
Often used in laptops, mobile phones, power banks, power tools and shavers.
If your battery is allowed on your flight, it's important to make sure it is packed securely, meeting our requirements.
| Not exceeding 100 Watt hours (Wh) or 2g lithium | Checked-in | Carry-on |
|---|---|---|
| Installed in devices | ✔ Allowed if not possible to pack in carry-on bag | ✔ |
| Spare or loose batteries and power banks | ✘ | ✔ |
Installed in devices
✔
Allowed if not possible to pack in carry-on bag
✔
Spare or loose batteries and power banks
✘
✔
Important
Power banks include rechargeable airpods, earbuds and hearing aid cases etc, see our devices and batteries allowed on flights section.
Medium Watt hour (Wh) rating or lithium content
Lithium-ion (polymer) batteries between 100-160 Watt hours (Wh)
Lithium metal batteries between 2-8g lithium (for medical devices only)
Lithium-ion batteries are often used in commercial cameras, some drones, children's ride-on toys and jump starter packs.
You are approved to carry these batteries, if the following requirements are met:
- Installed in electronic equipment in either carry-on or check-in baggage
- Spare lithium ion batteries in carry-on baggage only, protected from damage and short circuit. Limit of 2 per person
- Spare lithium metal or alloy batteries for personal medical devices only. In carry-on baggage only and protected from damage and short circuit. Limit of 2 per person
If your battery is allowed on your flight, it's important to make sure it is packed securely, meeting our requirements.
| 100-160 Watt hours (Wh) or 2-8g lithium | Checked-in | Carry-on |
|---|---|---|
| Installed in equipment | ✔ Allowed if not possible to pack in carry-on bag | ✔ |
| Spare or loose rechargeable lithium-ion batteries | ✘ | ✔ |
| Spare or loose non-rechargeable lithium metal or alloy batteries | ✘ | ✔ |
Installed in equipment
✔
Allowed if not possible to pack in carry-on bag
✔
Spare or loose rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
✘
✔
Spare or loose non-rechargeable lithium metal or alloy batteries
✘
✔
High Watt hour (Wh) rating or lithium content
Lithium-ion (polymer) batteries exceeding 160 Watt hours (Wh)
Lithium metal batteries exceeding 8g lithium
Often used in e-bikes, self-balancing boards and some skateboards. These large batteries pose an unacceptably high risk. We cannot accept them on board.
| Exceeding 160 Watt hours (Wh) or 8g lithium | Checked-in | Carry-on |
|---|---|---|
| Installed in equipment | ✘ | ✘ |
| Spare or loose batteries | ✘ | ✘ |
Installed in equipment
✘
✘
Spare or loose batteries
✘
✘
What are lithium batteries?
Lithium batteries provide a lot of power from a small size. They're used for everything from small electronic devices to electric cars.
- Lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries are rechargeable. We rate their power in Watt hours (Wh).
- Lithium metal batteries can't be recharged. We rate their power by their lithium content, in grams.
Why are lithium batteries a risk on planes?
Lithium batteries can discharge their power very quickly if they short-circuit. This can happen when unprotected, spare battery and power bank terminals contact other metal items e.g. coins, keys etc.
The more powerful the battery, the bigger the risk. That's why we limit the size and number of batteries you can bring when you fly with us.
What devices contain rechargeable lithium batteries?
If you can recharge your device, it almost certainly uses a lithium-ion battery.
Chargers that only work when plugged in to a power socket do not contain a battery.
These devices will almost always contain lithium batteries:
- Phones
- Tablets
- e-Readers
- Laptops
- Cameras
- Video cameras
- Gaming consoles
- Power tools
Which devices contain non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries?
Most everyday lithium metal batteries look like silver coins or buttons. They're often used in watches, calculators, cameras and remote car lock fobs.
If a device's batteries can't be recharged, it probably has a lithium metal battery.
Which batteries and devices are prohibited on flights?
- See "high Watt hour (Wh) rating or lithium content batteries" above for details
- Loose batteries, battery packs or power banks in your checked-in bags. You can bring them in your carry-on bags
- Personal battery-powered vehicles such as ebikes and some eScooters
- "Smart bags" with non-removable lithium batteries rated higher than 2.7Wh or 0.3g of lithium
Which devices and batteries are allowed on flights?
Devices in your carry-on bags
We recommend that you pack your devices in your carry-on bags. You can travel with up to 15 battery-powered personal electronic devices in total, but the batteries listed below must be declared when you check-in:
- Lithium ion batteries exceeding 100Wh up to 160Wh
- Lithium metal batteries for medical devices only, exceeding 2g up to 8g of lithium metal
Devices can include:
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Mobile phones
- eReaders such as a Kindle
- Personal gaming consoles
- Power tools
Cordless hair straighteners must have flight mode activated, or have the battery or heating element removed and carried separately. Not all flight modes are compliant, and your hair straightener could be confiscated.
- Diving heat lamps that can generate extreme heat must have the battery or heating element removed and carried separately.
- e-Cigarettes, Vaping equipment etc. - must be in carry-on bags only, must not be activated or charged on board.
- Note: all alternative smoking products (above devices etc.) are not permitted for carriage to/from Hong Kong. Penalties apply if they are carried.
Important
- All rechargeable AirPods, AirBuds, hearing aid cases or similar devices with a charging case (see next section)
- Cameras
- Medical devices e.g. defibrillator, glucose monitor, insulin pump etc.
Please pack your devices so they are protected from damage.
If you use a battery powered wheelchair or mobility aid, see our special assistance section.
A pacemaker doesn't count towards your electronic device limit.
Batteries in your carry-on bags
You can pack up to 20 spare batteries and power banks. They must be in your carry-on bags.
- AirPod/AirBud cases are considered a power bank as their only function is to charge the airpods, airbuds inside.
- Power banks and battery packs are considered a battery.
- Pack your batteries and power banks carefully. Protect them from being damaged. Keep them away from metal objects like coins, keys, jewellery and zippers. Pack each battery in its own plastic bag, or cover its terminals with tape.
- Your batteries must be for personal use.
Devices in your checked-in baggage
You can travel with up to 15 battery-powered personal electronic devices in total. We recommend that you pack your devices in your carry-on bags. If that isn't possible, you can pack them in your checked-in bags.
- Protect your device from being damaged.
- Devices containing lithium batteries exceeding 2.7Wh or 0.3g of lithium metal e.g. laptops, mobile phone etc. must be:
- turned off completely e.g. cannot be left on 'Sleep' or 'Standby' mode
- protected to prevent accidentally turning on e.g. secure on/off switches in the off position with tape. - Devices containing lithium batteries not exceeding 2.7Wh or 0.3g of lithium metal can remain 'ON'. e.g. majority of bag trackers.
- You cannot pack devices with batteries rated higher than 160Wh, 2g of lithium metal for non-medical devices or 8g of lithium for medical devices.
- All spare batteries must go in your carry-on bags.