Carry-On Power Bank Rules: 2026 Airline-by-Airline Update
Starting April 24, 2026, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul, Jeju Air, Air Premia, and all 19 member airlines of Japan's Scheduled Airlines Association, including JAL, ANA, and Peach Aviation, will allow power banks in carry-on baggage only if they are 160Wh or less, up to a maximum of two per passenger. Power banks remain completely banned from checked baggage, and a new rule now also prohibits charging a power bank in the cabin or using a power bank to charge other electronic devices in the cabin. Earlier, five Hanjin Group carriers including Korean Air had already banned in-flight use and charging of power banks starting January 26, 2026. The basis for this change is an international-standard emergency amendment that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) approved and put into immediate effect on March 27, 2026, which Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) reflected in a revised notice announced on April 14.
Why the sudden change: ICAO's emergency amendment and Japan's MLIT notice
According to a press release issued by Japan's MLIT on April 14, 2026, as cases of lithium-ion battery smoke and fire incidents in aircraft cabins have increased worldwide, ICAO's council reviewed an emergency amendment to the international standard for mobile batteries and approved it on March 27, 2026 (local time), with immediate effect. Japan revised the notice related to Article 194 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Civil Aeronautics Act to reflect this, and announced that 19 member airlines of the Scheduled Airlines Association, including JAL, ANA, Peach Aviation, Skymark, Spring Japan, Jetstar Japan, ZIPAIR, and Air Do, would jointly implement the change from Friday, April 24, 2026.
Three new rules have been added.
- Carry-on power banks are limited to 160Wh or less, up to two per passenger
- Charging a power bank itself in the cabin is prohibited
- Using a power bank to charge other electronic devices in the cabin is prohibited
The MLIT materials state that three of these items, the ban on carrying power banks in checked baggage, the ban on carrying power banks exceeding 160Wh, and the newly added limit on quantity, can result in penalties under the Civil Aeronautics Act if violated.
Airlines departing from Korea: Korean Air, Jeju Air, Air Premia, and others
The five Hanjin Group airlines (Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul) announced through their official accounts that, starting January 26, 2026, they would completely ban charging and use of power banks in the cabin on all routes, permitting only simple possession. The rule on the number of units allowed was subsequently tightened as of April 20. The changes announced by Air Premia are as follows.
- Power banks of 160Wh or less may be carried on board, up to a maximum of two per passenger
- Carry-on is permitted only if short-circuit prevention measures are taken (insulating tape applied to terminals, or individual pouch/zip-bag packaging)
- Power banks may not be stored in the overhead bin and must be kept on one's person or in the seat-back pocket
- Charging and using power banks in the cabin is prohibited
Jeju Air also announced the same change to carry-on rules effective April 20, 2026. Each airline's notice page on its website is listed in the sources below.
Airlines arriving in or departing from Japan: JAL, ANA, Peach Aviation
JAL's official notice (effective April 24, 2026) reaffirmed the existing rule that "placing power banks in checked baggage is prohibited," and specified the following new rules: "power banks that may be carried on board are limited to two per passenger (160Wh or less only)," "charging power banks in the cabin is prohibited," and "using a power bank to charge other electronic devices in the cabin is prohibited." ANA's official notice, effective the same date, contains the same three provisions.
Japanese low-cost carrier Peach Aviation stated the following in its English-language notice.
- Carry-on allowance: a maximum of two power banks with a capacity of 160Wh or less are permitted as carry-on items
- Charging smartphones or other electronic devices using a power bank during the flight is prohibited
- Charging a power bank from the aircraft's seat USB ports or power outlets is prohibited
The logos of Scheduled Airlines Association member companies shown in the MLIT materials include, besides the JAL and ANA groups, Peach, ZIPAIR, Jetstar Japan, Skymark, Spring Japan, Air Do, Solaseed Air, Air Japan, Fuji Dream Airlines, and Ibex, meaning that effectively most domestic and international airlines in Japan have unified under the same rule on the same date.
Old versus new rules compared: how many units, up to how many Wh
Since March 2025, a rule had already been in effect allowing five units of 100Wh or less, two units of 100 to 160Wh, banning anything over 160Wh, and prohibiting overhead bin storage. The key change in the rule that took effect in April 2026 is that the maximum number of units allowed was lowered to a combined total of two, regardless of capacity range.
| Range | March 2025 rule | April 24, 2026 rule |
|---|---|---|
| 100Wh or less | No limit on quantity | Combined maximum of two with other ranges |
| Over 100Wh, up to 160Wh | Maximum of two | Combined maximum of two with other ranges |
| Over 160Wh | Prohibited | Prohibited (unchanged) |
| Checked baggage | Prohibited | Prohibited (unchanged) |
| In-flight charging/use | Using a power bank to charge a device was allowed; only charging the power bank itself was prohibited | Both charging the power bank itself and using it to charge a device are prohibited |
In other words, travelers used to be able to split multiple 100Wh-or-less products (up to five) across their baggage. From April 24, 2026, even if the products are 100Wh or less, carry-on will be refused once the combined total with other power banks exceeds two.
Packing checklist
The procedure presented in the MLIT materials can be summarized as follows.
- Check the rated capacity (mAh) and rated voltage (V) on the back of the power bank or on its label. The formula for converting to Wh (watt-hours) is Wh = mAh x V / 1,000. For example, a product rated at 27,000mAh and 3.7V works out to 99.9Wh, which falls in the 100Wh-or-less range.
- Large-capacity power banks exceeding 160Wh cannot be carried in either checked or carry-on baggage. It is safest not to bring them at all.
- Limit the power banks brought on any single trip to a combined total of two. From the third unit onward, carry-on may be refused at the gate or at the security checkpoint.
- Wrap the terminals with insulating tape, or pack each power bank individually in its own pouch or zip bag to prevent short circuits. Do not place multiple units together in one bag or store them alongside metal items.
- In the cabin, keep power banks on your person or in the seat-back pocket rather than in the overhead bin.
- While on board, do not plug a power bank into a charger or the cabin's USB port to charge it. Do not use a power bank to charge a phone, laptop, or similar device. Use the seat's built-in power outlet to charge electronic devices instead.
MLIT specifies that three items, placing a power bank in checked baggage, carrying one over 160Wh, and exceeding the quantity limit, can be subject to penalties under Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act, so these should be treated as legal restrictions rather than mere guidance.
Potential for stricter rules ahead
JAL's notice states that "due to changes in the rules of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), there is a possibility the limit will be tightened to 100Wh from January 2027 onward." In other words, the current 160Wh, two-unit rule is not final, and there is room for it to narrow further with a reduction to 100Wh and a further cut in the number of units allowed. Major U.S. airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have already been applying their own rules since the first half of 2026 that prohibit placing power banks in the overhead bin and limit them to one or two units of 100Wh or less, which is stricter than the Korean and Japanese rule of 160Wh and two units. If your itinerary includes a connection or transfer through the United States, be sure to check the separate rules of the airline operating that segment.
Because effective dates differ by airline and the rules continue to be revised, the most accurate approach before departure is to check the latest notice directly on the website of the airline you are using.
Source: MLIT press release, "New Rules on Carrying Mobile Batteries on Board" (April 14, 2026)
Source: ANA notice, "Changes to the Handling of Mobile Batteries (for flights from April 24, 2026)"
Source: Peach Aviation notice, "Additional Rules for Power Banks on Board Effective April 24, 2026"
Source: Air Premia notice, "Guidance on Carry-On Power Bank Rules (partial change effective April 20, 2026)"
Source: Jeju Air notice, "Notice of Changes to Carry-On Power Bank Rules (effective April 20, 2026)"
Source: Korean Air notice, "Carry-On Power Bank Rules (effective April 20, 2026)"
Source: Korean Air notice, "Ban on In-Flight Use and Charging of Power Banks (effective January 26, 2026)"
Source: Korean Air official X (Twitter) account notice (January 23, 2026)