Can You Take Vapes on a Plane in the UK?

3rd Aug 2023

V2 UK guide to taking vapes on a plane in the UK, covering the rules for carrying vape devices, e-liquid and spare batteries when flying.

By Joe Delaney; Senior Vape Product Specialist, V2 Cigs UK

Originally Published: 3rd August 2023.

Last updated: 20th August 2026.

Vaping products are for adult smokers and existing vapers only. Vaping is not risk-free. Not suitable for non-smokers or anyone under 18.

Can You Take Vapes on a Plane in the UK?

Yes, you can take a vape on a plane from a UK airport, but it has to go in your hand luggage, never your hold luggage, and your e-liquid needs to follow the standard 100ml rule for liquids.

Batteries have their own set of rules too. Here's exactly how to pack everything so you get through security without a hitch.

Packing Your Vape Device

Vape devices, including the battery inside them, must travel in your hand luggage and never in your hold luggage. This applies whatever type of device you have, pod kit, mod, cigalike or vape pen. GOV.UK's hand luggage guidance lists e-cigarettes explicitly: permitted in hand luggage, not permitted in hold luggage. The UK Civil Aviation Authority is direct about why: vapes and power banks should always stay with you in the cabin, never in checked luggage, because they can overheat and cause a fire.

This is genuinely one of the most common questions our Customer Service team gets on calls, emails and LiveChat before a trip, and it's worth getting right: it comes down to the lithium-ion battery inside the device, which can be less stable at altitude, and if something did go wrong, cabin crew can deal with it in the cabin in a way nobody can in an unmonitored hold.

Before you pack it, switch the device off fully so it can't fire accidentally in your bag. If your tank or pod still has e-liquid in it, that's fine to travel, but empty it partially first if you can. Cabin pressure changes during a flight can cause a full tank to leak, and an empty pocket of air inside the tank gives the liquid somewhere to go instead of out through the airflow holes.

You can also usually carry your device in your pocket rather than your bag, though this is at the discretion of the security officer on the day.

How Much E-Liquid Can You Take?

E-liquid follows the same rule as any other liquid at security: containers of 100ml or less, packed into a single transparent, resealable bag that holds no more than a litre and measures roughly 20cm x 20cm. GOV.UK's liquid rules confirm this is the standard at most UK airports, and anything larger than 100ml either needs to go in your hold luggage instead, or gets left behind.

Most UK nicotine e-liquid already comes in 10ml bottles, since that's the maximum bottle size allowed for nicotine-containing e-liquid under UK vaping regulations, so the 100ml security limit rarely causes a problem unless you're carrying several bottles or a larger nicotine-free shortfill. If you do want to bring more, pack any extra sealed bottles in your hold luggage instead, since the 100ml rule only applies to what goes through the hand luggage security check.

A few UK airports have started using newer scanners that allow liquids over 100ml through in hand luggage, and some don't require the separate bag at all anymore. Don't rely on this unless you've checked your specific airport in advance: the rule still varies by airport, and it can differ again at a connecting airport on the way back.

What About Big Puff and High-Capacity Devices?

Since the single-use disposable vape ban came into force on 1 June 2025, you can't buy a genuine disposable vape in the UK any more. What you'll see instead are rechargeable devices with big e-liquid capacities and high puff-equivalent numbers, sometimes still marketed as big puff style kits. These pack the same rules as any other rechargeable device: hand luggage only, and any e-liquid you're carrying separately still counts towards your 100ml allowance.

Spare Batteries

Spare or removable batteries must travel in your hand luggage too, never in the hold. Loose lithium-ion batteries, like bare 18650s, should go in a dedicated battery case rather than loose in a bag or pocket. A bare battery touching keys, coins or another battery can short circuit, and that's a real fire risk in a confined space like an aircraft cabin.

Vaping at the Airport and on the Plane

You can't vape inside a UK airport terminal, only in a designated smoking or vaping area if the airport has one, and these are becoming less common. Ask a member of staff if you can't see one signposted. Once you're through security and airside, treat it the same as landside: assume it's not allowed unless there's a clearly marked area.

Vaping on the plane itself is a straightforward no, on every UK airline, for the entire flight. You also can't charge your device in flight. If you're relying on your vape to manage cravings, pack an alternative like nicotine pouches, nicotine gum or lozenges for the journey itself.

Do Airlines Have Their Own Rules?

The core rules (hand luggage only, no vaping onboard, 100ml e-liquid limit) apply across every UK airline, but individual carriers can add their own detail on top. British Airways, for instance, asks that vape kits and accessories stay in hand luggage for the whole flight and flags that local restrictions can apply depending on your destination. EasyJet applies the standard government liquid limits with no extra rules of its own. Budget and full-service airlines both follow the same underlying framework, but wording and emphasis differ from one airline's website to the next.

Because policies do shift, check your specific airline's current baggage page before you fly rather than relying on any general guide, including this one.

Checking the Rules at Your Destination

Getting through UK security is only half the picture. Some countries restrict vaping heavily or ban it outright, with penalties ranging from confiscation to fines. Our guide on vaping abroad covers the current picture destination by destination, and it's worth checking before you fly rather than after you land.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pack my vape in my checked luggage if I remove the battery?

No. UK guidance is clear that e-cigarettes belong in hand luggage only, regardless of whether the battery is removable. Spare batteries follow the same rule.

How much e-liquid can I realistically take for a two-week holiday?

A couple of 10ml bottles comfortably covers most people for a week or two of normal use. If you get through more than that, pack extra sealed bottles in your hold luggage rather than trying to fit them all in your 100ml hand luggage allowance.

Can I buy vape juice at airport duty free and take it through security afterwards?

Yes. Liquids bought airside, including duty free, can go through security in their sealed security bag with the receipt visible, even if the bottle is bigger than 100ml. Don't open the bag until you reach your final destination.

Can I get V2 e-liquid shipped to me in the USA?

No. Under the US PACT Act (2019, amended 2021), we're no longer able to ship vaping products to the USA. If you're travelling there, stock up on your usual e-liquid before you leave the UK, or check local suppliers once you land.

Will my vape tank leak in my bag during the flight?

It can, because cabin pressure changes affect tank-based devices more than sealed pod systems. Emptying your tank partially before you fly, or travelling with a cigalike or sealed pod instead, avoids this almost entirely.

About the Author

Joe Delaney looks after the day to day running of V2 Cigs UK and writes its blogs.

When the blog recommends a device, he has used it - and for a leak test that means actually filling kits and trying to make them fail, pocket-carrying them and leaving them upside down overnight, rather than repeating manufacturer claims.

Health, safety and regulatory points are checked against named UK authorities such as the NHS and MHRA, and a product is only ever called "less harmful than smoking" where a UK authority says so. More about how he works, and the family story behind V2, is on Joe's author profile.