Can You Bring a Vape on a Plane? How to Travel with Your Vape in 2024

“Can you bring a vape on a plane?”

If you’ve completed your transition to vaping and are no longer a smoker, there’s a good chance that your need for nicotine isn’t as great as it once was. You probably find that you can go longer without vaping than you previously were able to go without smoking a cigarette. It’s likely, however, that you still don’t want to be far from your vape if you’re going to be out of the house for a while – and that definitely applies to traveling with your vape. It’s not so different from wanting to bring your cigarettes on the plane if you were flying to another country.

Bringing vapes on planes, however, isn’t exactly the same as bringing a pack of cigarettes because traveling with your vape gear involves bringing two types of items – liquids and lithium-ion batteries – that airlines consider hazardous. In addition, regional and national vaping regulations differ drastically around the world. You can’t just assume that you’re free to buy vape gear and e-liquid anywhere in the world like you can with cigarettes – and bringing your vape on a plane definitely isn’t as simple as carrying a pack of cigarettes in your pocket.

So, can you take a vape on a plane in 2024? In most cases, you’ll have no trouble traveling with your vape as long as you obey the rules that cover traveling with liquids and batteries. However, there are some special considerations that you should keep in mind if you want your experience to be as good as it can be.

Important Note: International Vaping Laws Can Change Without Notice

Vaping regulations are continually evolving. Research the relevant laws about bringing vapes on a plane before you travel.

The most important thing to know about bringing your vape on a plane is that airlines’ rules about vaping – and the vaping laws in the various nations around the world – can change without notice. Although the information presented in this article is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing, it is your responsibility to confirm all applicable rules and regulations before you travel.

How to Bring Your Vape on a Plane

Vaping devices and replacement batteries always belong in your carry-on bag. Don’t ever bring a vape on a plane in your checked luggage unless the battery is removed and stored separately in your hand baggage.

The regulations that airlines have in place for traveling with your vaping hardware primarily have to do with the fact that most vaping devices have lithium-ion batteries. Vape battery safety is vitally important because lithium-ion batteries can overheat and potentially catch fire if they’re mishandled. Because of the change in air pressure at altitude, there’s also a slight inherent risk to bringing any lithium-ion battery on a flight. That’s why battery sellers usually have to use ground carriers when shipping products to consumers.

These are the rules that most airlines have in place for bringing your vape on a plane.

• Any vaping device with a built-in battery – or any device with a battery installed – should be packed in your carry-on baggage and turned off. Many airport security officers will also allow you to carry a single vaping device in your pocket.
• All spare batteries should also be packed in your carry-on baggage. Pack spare batteries in padded carriers that isolate the metal terminals and prevent the batteries from touching other metal objects. You can carry a vaping device in your checked luggage only if the device has the battery removed.
• If you want to bring disposable vapes on a plane, you need to pack them in your carry-on bag and place them in the same zip-top bag that you use to store your liquid items. This rule applies to disposable vapes because they contain liquid and because the liquid can’t be removed.

The rules about bringing your vape on a plane may seem strict, but it’s important to mitigate the fire risk as much as possible. The fact that the batteries are in a pressurized cabin helps to lower the risk somewhat, as does the fact that the in-flight staff will be able to respond quickly to any unexpected event.

How Can You Bring a Vape on a Plane Safely?

Even when it’s carried correctly in the passenger compartment and not in the luggage area, there’s still a small chance that a vaping device can overheat and catch fire on a plane. That happened on a Spirit Airlines flight in 2023. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident, but it underscores the importance of packing your vape safely. You need to make sure that your device is turned off and that there’s no possibility of its temperature becoming elevated.

• If your vape has a removable battery, consider taking the battery out and packing it in a separate carrying case. Use a case specifically designed for the type of battery that your device has.
• If your vape has a manual fire button or power switch, turn the device off.
• If you have a pod-based vape without a manual fire button, you can turn it off by removing the pod.
• If you’re bringing disposable vapes, it’s best to leave them in their original packages because that way, they’re protected from accidental activation and leaking. Learn more about taking disposable vapes on an airplane.
• Don’t attempt to charge your vape inside your carry-on bag. In addition, most airlines prohibit passengers from using the in-seat USB ports to charge their vapes.

What Happens if You Put a Vape in Your Carry-On Bag?

This is the correct way to bring a vape on a plane. Refer to the section above for advice about how to pack your vape safely. When you go through the security checkpoint, your carry-on bag will be scanned by an x-ray machine. The security officer may ask you to remove your vape for closer examination, but it’s unlikely since the officer will have seen many vapes before. Once the security scan is complete, you’ll be on your way.

What Happens if You Put a Vape in Your Checked Luggage?

If you put a vape in your checked luggage, it will most likely be found and confiscated by security inspectors. If that happens, you will probably not have any way to get it back – so make sure that you carry your vape correctly in your carry-on bag.

No airline allows vapes or other devices with lithium-ion batteries to be stored in a plane’s cargo hold because of the elevated fire risk that the batteries present. If a fire occurs, it needs to happen in the passenger cabin where flight personnel can respond to it promptly.

How to Bring Your Vape Juice on a Plane

If you want to pack vape juice in your carry-on bag, you need to place it in a zip-top bag with your other liquid and gel items. You’re also free to pack e-liquid in your checked luggage.

Airlines also have special rules about traveling with liquids and gels if you intend to bring those items in your carry-on luggage. For that reason, you’ll have to make special considerations if you want to bring vape juice on a plane.

• Airlines’ restrictions about traveling with liquids apply to every liquid or gel product that you want to bring. That includes bottles of vape juice and any vape tanks or pods containing e-liquid. It also applies to toiletry products like toothpaste, soap, perfume and shampoo.
• To carry a bottle of vape juice in your carry-on bag, the bottle must be 1 oz (about 30 ml) or smaller.
• All of the liquid products in your carry-on bag must fit in a single quart-sized zip-top bag. When you go through the security checkpoint at the airport, you’ll need to remove the zip-top bag from your carry-on bag and present it for a separate inspection.

After you fill your zip-top bag with all of the toiletries and other items that you want to bring in your carry-on bag, you may find that there isn’t a lot of room left over for vape juice. However, the restrictions that apply to bringing liquids on a plane only apply to the liquids in your carry-on bag. You can bring additional vape juice in your checked baggage without restrictions. It’s a good idea, though, to pack your extra e-liquid in plastic bags in case the bottles leak.

Can You Vape on a Plane?

It’s illegal to vape on a plane. Bring a nicotine replacement product if you’re concerned about cravings.

No airlines allow vaping in flight. You should never attempt to vape on a plane because you will almost certainly be caught and will then face significant legal problems. If you have a long flight and are concerned that you’ll be uncomfortable without access to nicotine, you should bring an alternative form of nicotine supplementation like nicotine gum or pouches.

Can You Vape at the Airport?

You can only vape at an airport if you’re in a designated smoking area. Some airports only have smoking areas outside their terminals, so you should bring a nicotine replacement product if you don’t want to leave the airport.

During your travels, the best thing you can do to ensure that you won’t get in trouble for vaping is to assume that you can’t vape in any place where smoking isn’t allowed. That means leaving your vaping device in your bag unless you’re in a designated smoking area.

One important thing to remember about vaping at an airport is that some airports do not have smoking areas within their security perimeters – and some of the airports that do have airside smoking areas don’t have signs identifying those areas. If you haven’t traveled in a while and are used to having a posh smoking lounge available at every airport, you should be aware that the well-appointed smoking lounges of the past have largely disappeared at most airports. These days, smoking areas are more likely to be outdoor cages without climate control and little in the way of seating.

It has become increasingly rare for airports to advertise the fact that they have smoking areas available. If you’re unable to find a smoking area by reading the signs at the airport, ask an employee for help.

In some cases, you may discover that an airport you’re traveling through doesn’t have an airside smoking area available. In that case, you’ll need to enjoy your last vape before entering the airport. If you have a layover at an airport that doesn’t have an airside smoking area available, you’ll need to leave the airport to vape. If the airport is in a foreign country, you’ll need to go through customs and enter the country before you can vape. You’ll then need to go through the security checkpoint again in order to reenter the airport.

Because vaping at some airports is so inconvenient, this is another case in which you’ll be glad to have an alternative form of nicotine supplementation available.

Can You Buy Vape Juice and Replacement Coils Abroad?

Some countries don’t allow the sale of vaping products with nicotine, and others don’t allow the sale of vaping products at all. Research the market conditions in your destination country before traveling internationally.

One of the reasons why it’s a good idea to research the local vaping laws before you travel is because you can’t always be certain that vaping products will be as easy to buy in your destination country as they are where you live. The vaping laws around the world are often quite complicated. In some countries, vaping products are as easy as tobacco products for adults to buy. In other countries, vaping products are legal to own but are not legal to buy, sell or import. There are even a few nations in which vaping is banned entirely. Therefore, it’s extremely important to understand the local laws before you go.

Even in nations where vaping is completely legal, it’s still wise to know what the climate is like for vaping consumers before you travel abroad. Some places have flavor restrictions for e-liquid. Others only allow the sale of e-liquid without nicotine. In some places, the prices for vape gear are much higher than what you might be used to paying. Don’t assume that the environment for consumers in your destination country is the same as where you live unless you’ve done the appropriate research.

Always Learn the Local Vaping Laws Before You Travel

Don’t vape in public while traveling unless you’re sure that you’re in an area where vaping is allowed.

The last thing to consider about traveling with your vape gear is whether you’ll be allowed to vape in all of the places where you’re used to vaping at home. Maybe you like to vape, for instance, while you’re going for a walk in the park. However, many nations and localities have public smoking bans that also apply to vaping – and that’s another factor you’ll need to be aware of before you travel. It’s always safe to assume that you shouldn’t vape in a place where you wouldn’t be allowed to smoke.

What Do Some Top Airlines Say About Bringing Vapes on Planes?

Along with the Transportation Security Administration, many airlines have also established their own rules regarding bringing vapes on planes. We’ve gathered information from some of the largest airlines for your reference.

• American Airlines: American Airlines requires you to bring a vape in your carry-on bag only and specifies that “you’re not allowed to use [vapes] onboard any flight.”
• British Airways: British Airways allows you to bring a vape on a plane only “in your smaller hand bag” or “on your person” and specifies that the device must be “packaged to prevent accidental activation.”
• China Southern Airlines: China Southern Airlines reminds passengers that vapes “are not allowed to be transported as checked baggage.”
• Delta Air Lines: Delta Air Lines allows vapes to be brought on planes “as carry-on items only” and prohibits “using or recharging them” while on board.
• Emirates: Emirates requires vapes to be “individually protected to prevent accidental activation.”
• Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways requires you to carry your vape “in your hand baggage” and also specifies that “recharging of the equipment or the battery on board the aircraft is not permitted.”
• Ryanair: Ryanair says that “you can take e-cigs on the plane but you cannot use them.”
• Southwest Airlines: Southwest reminds passengers that vapes “are not permitted in checked baggage” and that “e-cigarette use is forbidden onboard aircraft.”