Yes, you can take a qualifying power bank on a flight in China, but it belongs in your carry-on bag, counts toward a maximum of two power banks per passenger, and must pass capacity, condition, marking, recall, airport, and airline checks. For a mainland domestic flight, the current CAAC rule also excludes a unit with no clear CCC mark, an unreadable CCC mark, or a recalled model or batch.［1］［4］

Key Takeaways

Never put a power bank or spare lithium battery in checked baggage.

For a mainland domestic sector, verify a clear CCC mark and the current recall list.

Carry no more than two power banks in total, regardless of their individual capacity.［4］

At or below 100 Wh, approval is normally unnecessary; above 100 Wh and at or below 160 Wh, obtain operating-carrier approval.［2］

Missing or unreadable capacity information is a practical stop sign because security cannot verify the rating.

Protect terminals, keep the unit switched off during the flight, and follow crew instructions.

International itineraries can add carrier, departure, transit, and destination rules.

Start with the broader China travel and connectivity pillar, then use this guide only for the battery decision. The separate domestic airport security checklist covers identity, liquids, tools, and other baggage categories.

Which rules apply to a power bank on a flight in China?

The route matters. CAAC's 2025 CCC and recall notice is written for domestic flights, so do not automatically extend that single notice to every international sector.［1］ An international itinerary can involve the operating carrier's dangerous-goods policy, the departure airport, a transit airport, and the destination jurisdiction.

Trip segment	Minimum check	Who makes the operational decision?
Mainland domestic flight	CAAC limits, clear CCC mark, recall status, carrier notice	Security staff, airport, and operating carrier
Flight leaving mainland China	CAAC carriage rules plus carrier and destination requirements	Departure security and operating carrier
Connecting itinerary	Rules for every carrier, airport, and country or region	Each responsible operator or authority
Codeshare	Rules of the operating carrier, not only the ticket seller	Operating carrier and airport

Use the flight number and operating carrier shown on your itinerary. If you booked through a platform, confirm the actual operator through the workflow for booking a China domestic flight with a foreign passport.

How do you check the watt-hour rating?

Look for a clearly printed Wh value on the unit. If only voltage and milliamp-hours are printed, the electrical relationship is Wh = V × mAh ÷ 1000, but use it only when both manufacturer ratings are clear and refer to the battery pack itself. Do not estimate from the case size, marketing name, USB output, or how many times it charges a phone.

Marked rating	General CAAC route	What to do before travel
At or below 100 Wh	Carry-on, normally without airline approval	Count toward the two-power-bank total; check marks, condition, quantity, recall, and carrier policy
Above 100 Wh and at or below 160 Wh	Carry-on only with airline approval; no more than two	Obtain explicit approval before reaching the airport
Above 160 Wh	Not accepted under the ordinary passenger allowance	Arrange a lawful cargo or alternative solution
Rating missing or unreadable	Cannot be reliably classified	Leave it behind or obtain an authoritative answer before travel

CAAC's passenger guidance states the 100 Wh and 160 Wh approval thresholds.［2］ Separately, ICAO's March 2026 addendum limits each passenger to two power banks in total, irrespective of their capacity or other spare batteries carried. It also prohibits recharging power banks on board.［4］ Do not read the older approval-category limit as permission to carry unlimited smaller units. A carrier may impose stricter controls, and its approval does not override security.

Air China's 4 August 2026 notice applies that total limit, retains approval for units above 100 Wh through 160 Wh, and bans both use and recharging on board. It also prohibits overhead-bin storage, specifying insulated carriage under the seat in front or in the seat-back pocket. These are that carrier's instructions, not a substitute for checking your actual operator.［5］

What must you check for a domestic flight?

For mainland domestic flights, examine the CCC mark in good light and compare the exact brand, model, and batch with current recall information. Since 28 June 2025, the CAAC notice has prohibited power banks without a clear CCC mark, with an unreadable CCC mark, or belonging to recalled models or batches.［1］

A clear CCC logo is not a complete pass. The unit must still have a verifiable rating, stay within the applicable capacity and quantity limits, be in sound condition, and meet carrier and security instructions.

Do not carry a swollen, leaking, cracked, overheated, modified, or damaged unit. If a model is recalled, follow the manufacturer's return or disposal route instead of testing whether airport security notices it.

How should you pack a power bank?

Power banks are treated as spare lithium batteries and must travel in the cabin, not in checked baggage.［3］ CAAC passenger guidance also requires individual protection against short circuit.［2］

Read the itinerary and identify every operating carrier and airport.
Photograph the label for your own reference, but keep the physical label visible; a photograph does not replace it.
Check Wh, voltage, capacity, model, batch, CCC status for domestic sectors, and current recalls.
Obtain carrier approval in advance for any unit above 100 Wh and at or below 160 Wh.
Confirm you have no more than two power banks, switch them off, and protect exposed terminals with a case, pouch, or individual packaging.
Put it in your carry-on where staff can inspect it without emptying the entire bag.
Recheck the airport and carrier notice shortly before departure.
At security, declare uncertainty and follow instructions instead of concealing or relabeling the unit.
On board, do not use or charge the power bank and keep it where you can notice heat, smoke, swelling, or damage; alert the crew immediately if any appear.

If you rented a unit locally, return it before travel when its label, ownership, or recall status is uncertain. The shared power bank guide explains rental return and billing separately.

What should you do if security rejects it?

Do not move the unit to checked baggage, peel off a label, cover a mark, or try another checkpoint without resolving the reason. Ask which authorized option is available before your check-in or boarding deadline.

Problem	Safe next action
CCC mark missing or unclear on a domestic sector	Remove the unit from the trip
Model or batch is recalled	Follow the manufacturer recall or disposal instructions
Rating cannot be verified	Leave it with an eligible companion or use an authorized return, storage, or disposal route
Airline approval is missing	Ask the operating carrier; do not assume airport staff can grant it
Unit is damaged or hot	Stop handling it unnecessarily and alert staff
Connection has a stricter rule	Comply with the stricter applicable requirement or travel without the unit

Shipping lithium batteries is also regulated and is not an automatic fallback. Never place the unit in a bin or unattended area unless airport staff direct you to an authorized disposal point.

Summary

Carry the power bank in the cabin and protect it against short circuit; carry no more than two in total.
Verify its Wh rating instead of guessing from mAh or physical size.
Treat 100 Wh and 160 Wh as decision points, not guarantees of acceptance.
For domestic flights, check a clear CCC mark and exact recall status.
Recheck every operating carrier, airport, transit point, and destination rule.
If staff reject the unit, use only an authorized return, storage, or disposal option.

FAQ

Can I put a power bank in checked luggage in China?

No. A power bank is treated as a spare lithium battery and belongs in carry-on baggage, subject to all applicable limits and inspections.［3］

Does every power bank need airline approval?

No. A unit at or below 100 Wh normally does not require airline approval under the general CAAC rule. A unit above 100 Wh and at or below 160 Wh requires approval.［2］ The separate maximum is two power banks in total, including units at or below 100 Wh.［4］

Is 20,000 mAh automatically allowed?

No. Milliamp-hours alone do not establish watt-hours without the battery voltage, and acceptance also depends on marks, condition, recall status, quantity, carrier policy, and security inspection.

Does the CCC rule apply to every international flight?

The cited 2025 CAAC notice specifically addresses domestic flights. For an international itinerary, check the operating carrier, departure airport, transit points, and destination requirements rather than assuming one rule covers the whole trip.［1］

Can I use a power bank during the flight?

No. CAAC's power bank notice bars charging devices from a power bank during the flight and requires a unit with a switch to stay off;［3］ ICAO's addendum also bans recharging power banks on board.［4］ Follow crew instructions and keep it accessible rather than inside an overhead bag where a developing problem could go unnoticed.

Is a clear CCC mark enough for a domestic flight?

No. It does not override capacity, quantity, condition, recall, packaging, carrier, or security requirements.

What if the label has rubbed off?

Do not assume a receipt or photograph will substitute for a readable battery rating and required mark. Ask the carrier before travel or leave the unit behind.

Can I mail a rejected power bank home from the airport?

Only through a service authorized to accept that battery under its current dangerous-goods rules. Ordinary parcel acceptance is not guaranteed, so do not rely on shipping as a last-minute solution.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general passenger information, not dangerous-goods approval or a security decision. Current law, CAAC requirements, the operating carrier, airports, security staff, transit points, and destination authorities determine acceptance.

Sources

Civil Aviation Administration of China, Notice on Strengthening Safety Management of Power Banks Carried by Passengers on Domestic Flights — https://www.caac.gov.cn/XWZX/MHYW/202506/t20250626_227805.html
Civil Aviation Administration of China, Air Travel Guidance — https://www.caac.gov.cn/INDEX/HLFW/HKLXCS/202303/t20230316_217597.html
Civil Aviation Administration of China, Notice on Carrying Power Banks on Civil Aircraft — https://www.caac.gov.cn/PHONE/XXGK_17/XXGK/TZTG/201511/t20151105_11173.html
International Civil Aviation Organization, Information Related to Addendum No. 1 to the 2025–2026 Edition of the Technical Instructions — https://www.icao.int/filebrowser/download/92841?fid=92841
Air China, Notice on Strengthening In-flight Safety Controls for Power Banks and Lithium Batteries, 4 August 2026 — https://webresource.airchina.com.cn/zh-CN/content/c/2026-08-04/30035.shtml

Sources checked 4 October 2026.

Can You Take a Power Bank on a Flight in China? 2026 Rules