Why does it matter more than it used to?
A phone is now your boarding pass, your hotel booking, your maps and your camera all at once. Run it flat at the airport or in a strange town and you're stuck. For anyone heading off from the northside, whether it's a flight out of Brisbane Airport, a cruise from the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal at Luggage Point, or a grey nomad run up the Bruce to the Whitsundays, a decent power bank is the cheapest travel insurance you'll buy.
But power banks are lithium batteries, and airlines have tightened the rules after a run of cabin fires around the world.
What are the rules for flying?
Where it goes
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is clear: spare batteries and power banks can be carried on, but not checked in. Pack it in your carry-on bag, not your port (that's a suitcase, for anyone not from Queensland). If the airline takes your cabin bag off you at the gate, take the power bank out first.
How big you can take
The limit is in watt-hours (Wh), which most power banks print on the back. If yours only shows mAh, multiply by 3.7 and divide by 1,000:
| Power bank | Roughly | Rules on Australian flights |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 mAh | 18 Wh | Fine |
| 10,000 mAh | 37 Wh | Fine |
| 20,000 mAh | 74 Wh | Fine |
| 26,800 mAh | 99 Wh | Fine (just under the limit) |
| 30,000 to 43,000 mAh | 100 to 160 Wh | Needs the airline's approval before you fly; two at most |
| Over 160 Wh | Not allowed in passenger baggage at all |
CASA also asks that spare batteries' terminals are protected, by keeping each power bank in its own pouch or bag, so nothing can short it.
The December 2025 change: no using it on board
From 1 December 2025 at Virgin Australia and 15 December 2025 across the Qantas Group (Qantas and Jetstar):
- you can't use a power bank on board to charge your phone or anything else;
- you can't charge the power bank on board either, including from the seat's USB or power socket;
- you can still carry up to two in your cabin baggage;
- keep it with you: in the seat pocket or under the seat in front, or failing that, a nearby overhead locker.
You can still charge your phone from the seat's USB socket where there is one. The point is to arrive at the airport with a full phone, and use the power bank once you've landed.
Overseas airlines have their own rules, and some are stricter. Check your airline's website before you fly, especially on a connecting flight.
Can I take one on a cruise from Brisbane?
Cruise lines generally allow power banks in your cabin bags, but power boards and double adaptors with mains sockets are a different story: some lines, Royal Caribbean among them, have banned them since 2024 because of fire risk. A USB charging hub with no mains sockets is usually fine, and lets you charge a phone, a watch and a power bank from one point.
Rules change between lines and ships, so check your cruise line's list of prohibited items before you pack. And don't leave a power bank charging in the cabin while you're ashore.
What about a road trip to the Sunny Coast, the Goldie or further?
- A car charger in the 12-volt socket (or the car's USB-C port) keeps navigation running. Get one that matches your phone's fast charging.
- A cradle fixed to the car isn't optional: in Queensland, a phone can't be held or rested on your body while driving.
- Don't leave a phone or power bank in a parked car. Apple says the inside of a parked car can go past the temperatures an iPhone should be stored at, and in a Queensland summer it easily does (how hot a parked car gets). Take them with you at the servo.
- Download offline maps before you lose coverage: west of the Range and up the coast there are long stretches without signal.
Which power bank suits travel?
- 10,000 mAh suits most people: about two phone charges, small enough for a handbag.
- 20,000 mAh for longer trips, or a phone and a tablet. Still well under the 100 Wh limit.
- USB-C with fast charging (USB PD) refills a modern phone quickly.
- The capacity and Wh printed on it, and an RCM mark (Australia's electrical safety tick). Airline staff may ask to see the rating.
- A built-in cable or a short spare, so you're not hunting for one.
- A watch? Pack the magnetic charging puck too.
Charge the power bank fully the night before. They slowly lose charge sitting in a drawer.
Before you go: a ten-minute check
- Check your phone's battery health. If it's tired, it'll let you down halfway through a travel day. On an iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health; here's what the numbers mean.
- Check the charging port charges firmly. A loose cable is a pain in an airport.
- Back up your photos before you leave, so a lost phone doesn't mean lost holiday snaps.
- Save your bookings offline: screenshots of boarding passes and hotel confirmations.
- Pack the right cables and a wall charger for wherever you're going.
Sources
- CASA: Power bank: lithium-ion battery above 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh
- Qantas: Spare batteries and power banks
- Loyalty Lobby: Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia introduce new power bank rules
- EFTM: Qantas and Virgin ban power bank use on flights
- Cruzely: Royal Caribbean bans multi-plug outlets
- Apple Support: If your iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold
- Queensland Government: Driving and mobile phones
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