People in the U.S. and worldwide fly regularly for business and pleasure, and many have switched to vapor. As if getting through airport security wasn’t nerve racking enough, now you have to worry how to handle your electronic cigarette and other vape products.
Can I get through airport security checkpoint with a vaporizer in my pocket?
How much e-liquid can I carry and how should it be stored?
We answer your concerns about electronic cigarettes and air travel so that you can enjoy your flight instead of worrying.
Electronic cigarettes, vape pens, and other vaping devices are only allowed in carry-on bags.
These devices are not allowed in checked bags. When a carry-on bag is checked at the gate or plane side, all electronic cigarette and vaping devices, along with any spare lithium batteries, must be removed from the bag and kept with the passenger in the aircraft cabin. Continue reading our tips on how to pack for your next trip and make the security checkpoint process easier. You can also shop our vape pens category for a great selection of portable vapes for your next trip.
Is Vapor Smoking Allowed in the Airport?
Where you can or can’t vapor smoke depends on the airport. Some airports, like the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, feature dedicated smoking areas indoors where travelers can smoke or vape.
Going through Security Checkpoint with your Vape Mod
Vape juice is permitted in carry-on bags as long as it complies with the TSA liquid regulations, and is less than 3.4 oz.
Can You Use Your Electronic Cigarettes During Flight?
- E-liquid cannot be greater than 100ml in carry-on bags, so be sure not to bring along more than that amount. Your container should not be larger than 100ml, either. For easy travel, you can buy VaporFi’s e-liquid in 30ml bottles. As with any liquid, e-liquid should be placed in a clear plastic, zip-top bag. You don’t declare the e-liquid for inspection at the checkpoint—simply go through the security check as you would with a plastic bag of shampoo, lotion, and other small liquids.
- Pack batteries and chargers in your laptop case or with other electronics when going through airport security.
- Disconnect your electronic cigarette battery from the atomizer before going through the checkpoint. If the alarm sounds, you can simply hand the parts to a TSA officer without it looking like a small pipe bomb.
- Whether domestic or international travel, you may want to take a self-addressed envelope with you large enough for your electronic cigarette so that if your vaporizer is confiscated at a security checkpoint anywhere in the world, you can mail it home.
E cigarettes and vape devices are allowed “in carry-on baggage or on your person“, however they may not be used OR charged while in the plane.
- When it comes to taking your vaporizer on a plane, you’re in luck. The FAA actually insists that you keep your vape with you, not in your checked luggage. Their primary concern is the unpredictability of loose lithium-ion batteries in the cargo holds. The best practice is to disassemble your vaporizer ahead of time and keep the parts in a neat carrier. On the off chance you do get stopped by the TSA it’s easy to show them the components without having to break everything down.
- No charging on the plane! Of all the vaporizer mishaps that have been in the news, the majority of them had to do with charging. As an extra precaution, the Department of Transportation has banned the charging of e-cigarettes in the air.
- No vaping in the bathroom. Your airline may or may not care if you take a puff in the terminal, but once you’re on board, there is absolutely no vaping allowed. This is another Department of Transportation rule that’s here to stay.
- Empty your tank. Remember what we said earlier about breaking down your vape before you go through security? Well, it’s also a good idea to have your tank completely empty before you take off. Pressurization of the cabin will have a nasty effect on those O-rings and may cause your vape to begin leaking. You definitely don’t want e-juice running freely into your bags or your pockets.
- Be respectful. Not everybody is on board with vaping yet, and many non-smokers especially don’t love your vapor cloud any more than they love cigarette smoke. Tensions are running high at airports these days and it seems like the TSA is willing to boot anybody off a flight at the first sign of trouble. Stay on the safe side and just wait to vape until you know you’re in the clear.
