So the short answer is this. Yes, you can put a vape in your suitcase if that suitcase is your cabin bag and travels with you. No, you should not put a vape in a checked suitcase that goes into the aircraft hold. British Airways says any smoking or vaping device must be placed in hand baggage and carried in the cabin, and it must be packed to prevent accidental activation. EASA gives the same broad rule, saying e cigarettes must always be in hand baggage.
Why The Rule Exists
The main reason is the battery. Most vapes contain lithium batteries, and aviation rules treat lithium batteries carefully because they can overheat or catch fire if damaged, short circuited, or accidentally activated. IATA says spare lithium batteries must be in carry on baggage and are forbidden in checked baggage, and its passenger guidance for 2026 says lithium powered devices and spare batteries should only be carried in hand baggage.
In my opinion, this is the point many travellers miss. The rule is not mainly about nicotine. It is mainly about fire risk from batteries in the hold, where cabin crew cannot respond as easily. That is why even people carrying a nicotine free vape still need to follow the same packing rule if the device has a lithium battery.
Hand Luggage Versus Checked Luggage
If your suitcase is your carry on case, then that is usually the correct place for the vape. If your suitcase is checked in at the desk and goes in the hold, then it is the wrong place for the vape. GOV.UK’s hand luggage guidance lists e cigarettes as allowed in hand luggage and not allowed in hold luggage. The CAA baggage safety page also shows electronic smoking device batteries as acceptable in cabin baggage but not checked baggage.
I would say it is safest to think of a vape the same way you would think of a power bank. Keep it with you in the cabin, not buried in checked baggage. If your cabin bag is taken from you at the gate and put in the hold, remove the vape and any spare batteries first. IATA says that if hand luggage is taken at the gate to be placed in the hold, lithium devices and batteries should be removed.
What About E Liquid
E liquid is a separate issue from the device. The vape itself belongs in hand luggage because of the battery. E liquid depends on the liquid rules for the airport and airline you are flying with. Some UK airports have newer scanners and more relaxed container limits, but the GOV.UK hand luggage overview still says there are restrictions and airlines may apply different rules. British Airways states that liquid restrictions still apply to items you carry through security.
For most travellers, the practical rule is still to keep small e liquid bottles in your hand luggage liquids bag unless your departure airport’s scanner rules clearly allow more. I have to be honest, this is one area where checking the airport as well as the airline matters, because UK liquid screening rules are changing by airport rather than all at once.
Can You Use A Vape On The Plane
No. Airlines prohibit vaping on board. British Airways says smoking, including personal vaporisers such as vapes, is completely prohibited on board its aircraft, and this is standard airline practice.
That means the safest approach is to switch the device off if possible, keep it packed to prevent accidental activation, and do not charge it during the flight unless the airline specifically permits that type of device, which many do not. EASA says spare batteries and power banks should not be recharged while on board.
Who This Advice Is For
This guidance applies to adult travellers taking a reusable vape, pod device, or any similar electronic smoking device. It also matters for people who say they are only taking a spare device or spare batteries. The spare battery rule is even stricter, because spare lithium batteries belong in carry on baggage only, not checked baggage.
For UK readers, it is also worth noting that single use vapes are banned from sale and supply in the UK, but that does not change the travel battery rule for any rechargeable or battery powered vape device you already have or use abroad. The packing rule is about aviation safety, not whether a product category is still sold in UK shops.
Pros And Cons Of Packing It Properly
The advantage of keeping your vape in hand luggage is that you are following the rules and reducing the risk of delays, bag searches, or confiscation. Airline and airport staff are used to seeing vapes in cabin bags, provided they are packed safely and not used onboard. British Airways explicitly says they must be in hand baggage and protected against accidental activation.
The downside is that you need to think ahead a little more. You may need to separate e liquid with your other liquids, protect spare batteries, and make sure the device cannot fire accidentally. In my opinion, that small bit of planning is far easier than discovering your vape has been packed into the hold by mistake.
Common Misconceptions
One common misunderstanding is that “suitcase” automatically means checked luggage. That is not always true, and it is why the question causes confusion. A cabin suitcase is usually fine for the vape. A checked suitcase is not.
Another misconception is that the vape can go in checked baggage if it is switched off. That is not the rule. The issue is not only whether it is on or off, but that it contains a lithium battery. UK and airline guidance still place these devices in cabin baggage rather than hold baggage.
A third misunderstanding is that only spare batteries are banned from the hold. In fact, GOV.UK says e cigarettes themselves are allowed in hand luggage and not in hold luggage, while CAA and airline guidance also point travellers towards cabin carriage for vaping devices.
A Clear Travel Takeaway
So, can you put vapes in your suitcase. Yes, if that suitcase is your hand luggage and stays with you in the cabin. No, if it is a checked suitcase going in the aircraft hold. The safest current UK answer is to keep the vape and any spare batteries in hand baggage, protect the device from accidental activation, follow the liquid rules for your e liquid, and never use the vape on board.
In my opinion, that is the simplest way to remember it. Cabin bag, yes. Checked suitcase, no.
