Carry onReconciled
Anker Prime Power Bank (20K, 220W)
- Capacity
- 20,100 mAh
- Rated energy
- 72.4 Wh
- Max output
- 220 W
Updated for ICAO specifications effective 27 March 2026
The only number that decides
whether your power bank flies
Airlines do not care about milliamp hours. They care about watt hours, and most manufacturers do not print that figure on the box. Work out yours below.
Check your power bankConvert capacity to watt hours
Watt hours are milliamp hours multiplied by the nominal cell voltage, divided by one thousand. Cell voltage is typically 3.6 to 3.85 volts for lithium-ion, not the 5 volts your phone sees. LiFePO4 packs run closer to 3.2 volts, which is why a large mAh figure on one of those units can mean less energy than it looks.
mAh
3.80 V
3.6-3.85 V covers standard lithium-ion. Slide below that and you are in LiFePO4 territory, around 3.2 V, common on larger packs marketed for cycle life.
Three bands, two thresholds
The marker follows the calculator above. Note how little headroom the 100 Wh threshold leaves: a 27,650 mAh pack at 3.7 V is already over it.
Where the wattaire catalogue sits on the scale
Every power bank below carries a manufacturer-stated Wh figure, cross-checked where a second source exists. Sorted lowest to highest energy.
Carry on
Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 25000mAh 200W (Smart Digital Display)
- Capacity
- 25,000 mAh
- Rated energy
- 90.0 Wh
- Max output
- 200 W
Carry onReconciled
Anker Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W)
- Capacity
- 26,250 mAh
- Rated energy
- 99.8 Wh
- Max output
- 300 W
No priced offer yet.
Approval needed
Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank
- Capacity
- 48,000 mAh
- Rated energy
- 153.0 Wh
- Max output
- 300 W
What changed on 27 March 2026
Two units per passenger
IATA passenger guidance now says travellers should carry no more than two power banks.
Cabin only, always
Spare batteries are not accepted in the hold. If your bag is gate checked, take the power bank out first.
No recharging in flight
The updated guidance prohibits recharging a power bank during the flight.
Not in the overhead locker
Keep it accessible, in the seat pocket or the bag in front of you, so a fault can be reached.
Three carriers that go further
The ICAO figures are a floor, not a ceiling. Individual airlines and national regulators impose stricter rules, and they are the ones at the gate.
- Emirates
One power bank only, under 100 Wh, and using it on board is not allowed at all. It must stay in the seat pocket or the bag in front of you.
- Mainland China, CAAC
Power banks without a China Compulsory Certification mark are banned outright on domestic flights, regardless of capacity.
- British Airways
A battery whose watt hour rating cannot be determined will not be accepted. If the figure is not printed on the casing, the calculation above will not save you at the desk.
From the wattaire catalogue
Engineered to sit just under the line
The Anker Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W) is rated 26,250 mAh at 99.75 Wh. That is 0.25 Wh below the threshold, which is not an accident. It is the largest capacity in this catalogue you can carry without asking anyone.
- Rated energy
- 99.75 Wh
- Cell capacity
- 26,250 mAh
- Nominal voltage
- 3.8 V
- Max output
- 300 W
Priced offer not yet confirmed for this listing.