Flying with Vapes (Dos & Don’ts)

If you’ve planned a trip abroad, you may have some questions about how you should travel with your vape, where and when you can use it or if you can use it at all. With changing regulations and safety concerns it can be challenging to navigate the rules and restrictions surrounding vaping and air travel.

In this article, we’ll cover all the dos and don’ts of travelling with your vape kit, disposables and e-liquids, from where to use it and how to safely pack your gear so you can have a stress-free flight.

1. Can you bring a vape on a plane?

Yes, you can bring your vape with you when you fly but you must switch it off completely and you will need to pack it in your carry-on luggage not your check-in luggage.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines, all vape devices are classed as a PED or Portable Electronic Device and along with any of your other electronic devices such as laptops or power banks, must be stored in your carry-on luggage.

2. How do I pack my vape for air travel?

Make sure your vape device is completely switched off, not just in sleep mode.
Any spare batteries must be individually wrapped to prevent a short-circuit and packed in carry-on luggage only.
E-Liquids can be stored in your hand luggage in clear plastic bags in bottles not exceeding 100ml.
We recommend that you empty your tanks and store them in a clear plastic bag in your hand luggage as the pressurisation in the cargo area may cause your tank to leak or crack.

3. Can I vape in an airport?

Although heated tobacco products and vapes are both electronic devices, they are not the same thing. Heated tobacco products function by heating tobacco to a high temperature without burning it, whereas vaping products use an electronic device to heat a liquid (vape juice) and produce a vapour, which the user then inhales.

Heated tobacco products use real tobacco, while the liquid used in vaping products is made up of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavourings, and nicotine (although some e-liquids are nicotine-free).

4. Can I bring e-liquid on a plane?

Although heated tobacco products and vapes are both electronic devices, they are not the same thing. Heated tobacco products function by heating tobacco to a high temperature without burning it, whereas vaping products use an electronic device to heat a liquid (vape juice) and produce a vapour, which the user then inhales.

Heated tobacco products use real tobacco, while the liquid used in vaping products is made up of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavourings, and nicotine (although some e-liquids are nicotine-free).

5. Can I vape on a plane?

No, you absolutely cannot. Vaping on a plane falls under the same laws as smoking and you could face severe penalties and fines if you do so.

Whilst rules may differ regarding how to transport your vape and where you can use it, depending on the airport and airline, using a vape on an aeroplane is strictly prohibited worldwide, this includes disposables.

It is also not a good idea to risk vaping in the toilet, as airlines have installed detectors that will pick up not only cigarette smoke but e-cigarette vapour as well.

6. Can I charge my vape on a plane?

The short answer is no as this could constitute or be misconstrued as use, and one could argue what the point of that would be as you can’t use your vape on the aeroplane anyway.

Even though a vape is classed as an electronic device, you may risk falling under suspicion of using the device if you take it out of your hand luggage during the flight. The best thing to do is to make sure that you have fully charged your device before you leave and that you don’t run it down in the run-up to your boarding the plane.

You can check the airport’s online policy to find out if and where you can charge your vape device pre-flight. If you are able to do so, great, you’ll be ready to go once you land and exit the airport – just make sure that you have properly switched the device off and returned it to your hand luggage before boarding.

7. How many disposable vapes can I bring on a plane?

You can take disposable vapes with you on a plane, how many will depend on the airline’s policy regarding travelling with batteries, as a result of the lithium battery within the device. Any device containing a lithium battery cannot be stored in checked-in baggage due to the risk of fire and must be packed in a sealed bag in your carry-on luggage.

Most airlines allow you to take between 15 to 20 disposable devices, so long as they are safely sealed and stored in your hand luggage, but it is worth checking before you fly. UK airlines state the following:

British Airways allows up to 15 lithium-ion/metal batteries to be transported in your hand luggage.

Ryan Air allows up to 20 disposable vapes in your carry-on luggage.

easyJet doesn’t specify a limit so it may be worth calling them if you would like to take a lot with you.

Virgin Atlantic allows you to carry disposable vapes in your carry-on luggage only but doesn’t set a limit.

It is useful to look at the airline’s policy on how to travel with batteries and if you cannot find any specific mention of disposable vapes or a mention of how many you can carry, give them a call.

Any spare batteries that are not inside a vape device must be wrapped or stored in a protective casing to prevent sparking and stored in your carry-on luggage only.

8. Can I bring my vape to another country?

Whilst vaping is legal in the UK, other countries will have different rules and regulations regarding their use and legality, so you should check the specific rules of the country you are travelling to well in advance.

It’s also worth double-checking with the airline you are flying with to make sure exactly how much you can take with you and whether or not you can bring nicotine-containing liquids with you.

In Australia, for example, you can only import and use vape devices or nicotine-containing e-liquids if you have a prescription from a medical professional, while some countries like Singapore have a total ban on vaping and in the US regulations depend on which state you are flying to.

If you are flying to a vape-friendly country, it’s also worth bearing in mind that there may be differences in bottle size and more importantly, how much nicotine they offer. The UK has a 20mg strength max limit and 10ml pre-mixed bottle sizes, whereas, in countries like South Africa, you can buy a 30ml bottle containing 50mg of nicotine, so you may want to make sure you know how much you are getting.

Conclusion

We hope this article has proved to be useful. If you have any doubts as to the airline policy or the attitudes of the country you are flying to we recommend that you call your airline to confirm and make sure that you are travelling responsibly so you can jet off with peace of mind.