Can You Take A Vape On A Plane? A Vaping and Travel Guide

In short, you can take your vape device on a plane so long as it's with your hand luggage - no mainline airlines permit vaping onboard however. Do check on an individual basis on who you're travelling with to be completely clear with regulations.

If you'd like to know more about whether you can take your vape on the plane, and how to get through the airport with your vape device intact, be sure to read on as we cover everything you need to know about vaping and travel!

Can I take my vape on a plane?

Yes, you can take your vape on a plane; however, there are rules you must still follow. The most important thing to remember for your next trip is to pack your vaping device in your carry-on luggage.

If you attempt to pack one into your hold luggage, it will almost certainly be flagged by the scanning machines and staff will have to take you aside, causing delays and making a scene. E-cigarettes are not allowed in the hold of any major airline you will likely travel with.

This is because the batteries are lithium-based. E-cigarettes, like many other common electronics, including your laptop or phone, are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Due to the fire risks lithium poses, no item which contains it will be able to be kept in the hold. You will be expected to keep your e-cigarette on you and ensure it is attended for the duration of your time on the flight.

Naturally, if you are having to take your vaping device in your carry-on, you are unlikely to want to lug around a heavy box mod. Before you go, you may want to consider picking up a compact travel-friendly vape like the EDGE GO or a similar pod device. The added bonus of devices like the GO being that the pre-filled magnetic pods are only 2ml in capacity and will count less towards your total liquid volume!

If you still have questions about how best to prepare before you arrive at the airport, check out our pre-flight travel vaping guide!

How Many Vapes Can I Take on a Plane?

The rules regarding how many vapes you can take on a plane with you does vary from airline to airline.

For example, Easyjet only allow for a maximum of 2 spare batteries for your vape to be carried on board per person, whereas with AerLingus, they allow up to four vape devices per person.

The rules for vaping in certain countries also vary, with some countries having a complete ban on the sale of anything vape-related, so you will want to ensure that you take enough with you to last your trip away.

We would recommend checking with your airline provider prior to flying for a clear understanding of their rules on how many vapes you can take on board with you.

Leading Airlines’ Policies on Vaping Devices

While you should always check ahead to ensure you comply with your chosen airlines rules and regs, here are the statements from some of the biggest you are more likely to travel with:

Easy Jet

“All electronic cigarettes and a maximum of two spare batteries in a carry-on and on one’s person.”

British Airways

“Electronic cigarettes may be carried in hand luggage but must not be used on board.”

Emirates

“All Emirates flights are non-smoking – this also includes the use of e-cigarettes. No e-cigarettes can be used on board Emirates flights.”

Virgin Atlantic

“Electronic cigarettes are a device that looks like a cigarette and works by creating a vapor, which contains nicotine. Electronic cigarettes are NOT permitted to be used onboard our aircraft”

Quantas Airlines

“The use and charging of all e-cigarettes and other personal vaporisers are not permitted on board an aircraft. They must be carried in hand luggage.”

Can I Bring My E-Liquid on a Plane?

You can indeed bring e-liquid with you on your trip, however much like your device, there are important things to remember to avoid any complications. The most important is to remember that e-liquid will count towards the volume of e-liquid you bring in your carry-on hand luggage.

Most airlines around the world enforce a 100ml maximum limit for carrying any kind of liquid that is not checked into the hold. If you are travelling with hand luggage only, such as for a short weekend away, take extra caution – you don’t want to have to choose between your e-liquid and your toothpaste.

You can however check significantly more e-liquid refills into your hold luggage. If possible, plan and ensure your refill bottles over are packed into your hold luggage rather than your carry-on. If you only have hand luggage, try to take a smaller 10ml e-liquid rather than a shortfill, which will leave you with almost no allowance in that little plastic bag for other, more essential liquids.

Remember – if you do pack e-liquids into your hold or even hand luggage, ensure they are kept in a sealed bag of some variety to protect your other luggage. The dramatic changes in air pressure experienced while flying can often cause devices and refills to leak.

Depending on what airport you are flying from in the UK, you may not have to worry about having a liquid limit in your hand luggage. As of recently, a handful of UK airports have had brand new baggage scanners installed at security checks, which means you will no longer have to separate your liquids in your hand luggage, nor will there be a limit to the amount you can take with you!

Can I take a disposable vape on a plane?

Despite the fact you cannot separate the battery and e-liquid containing parts of these all-in-one devices, you can still take them away with you on holiday. As batteries cannot be carried in the hold of any aircraft by law, you will be required to carry them on as hand luggage like any other e-cigarette battery. You can take multiple disposable vapes away at once, just take note that the total volume of e-liquid does not exceed the 100ml limit imposed by most airlines.

Most disposable vapes carry a maximum of 2ml of e-liquid so quite a few can be placed in your see-through bag with your other toiletries and liquids, allowing you to travel without issue.

Despite the UK disposable vape ban, owning, or even using a disposable isn't necessarily illegal, but they may be discarded in the airport at the airport customs' discretion.

Several countries around Europe such as Portugal and Netherlands have brought in disposable vape bans in their country, so check the regulations before you fly as you may not be able to get replacement disposables in your destination country!

We have covered many other popular holiday destinations' rules around disposables and other vaping devices in our blogs below, so check them out if you are unsure of what to bring with you on your next trip!

Commercial airplane flying against a clear blue sky

Can I actually vape whilst on the plane?

From our research, there are no major airlines which permit the use of e-cigarettes on board their aircraft, and the only reason you are allowed it on your person is to avert the fire risk of storing it in the luggage hold.

There are legal repercussions of varying severity depending on the airline and country you happen to be in, from lifetime bans to steep fines and possibly jail time. The majority of airlines have also installed detectors in their on-board toilets as well as elsewhere in the aircraft, so you should never assume you can get away with taking even one puff.

Can I vape in the airport before I fly?

In most cases, once you have entered the terminal you will not be able to vape or smoke until you have reached your destination and found a designated area to do so. While there are smoking and vaping areas in many airports they are commonly outside of the terminal.

Many airlines do not openly publish specific rules about vaping, so before you fly it is best to check ahead about their policy so as not to experience any unwanted issues. Generally, if you treat your vape as a cigarette, you will find the same rules apply to both. Using e-cigarettes openly has been banned in all UK airports.

If you are leaving the UK this year to travel abroad and want to avoid making any vaping faux-pas, check out the table below to understand how the UK’s most popular airports handle their vaping policies:

Exeter Airport

Using e-cigarettes is not permitted inside the terminal.

Belfast International Airport

E-cigarettes can only be used in the designated smoking areas outside the terminal.

George Best Belfast City Airport

E-cigarettes are prohibited inside the terminal building – use outside smoking areas.

Birmingham Airport

Treated in the same way as regular cigarettes in the terminal, meaning they can only be smoked in the outside smoking facility.

Bristol Airport

E-cigarettes can only be used in the designated smoking areas.

Cardiff Airport

No use of electronic cigarettes is permitted inside the terminal. They can only be used in the designated smoking areas outside the terminal next to Gate 2.

East Midlands Airport

Use of e-cigarettes has not been permitted inside the terminal since August 2014.

Humberside Airport

E-cigarettes cannot be used within the terminal or outside the terminal entrance. They can only be used in the smoking area.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport

E-cigarettes can only be used in outdoor smoking areas.

London City Airport

E-cigarettes cannot be used in the terminal or once you pass through security.

Luton Airport

E-cigarettes cannot be used anywhere apart from the smoking area outside the terminal, located outside the front entrance.

Manchester Airport

No use of e-cigarettes allowed inside the terminal.

Newcastle Airport

Use of e-cigarettes only permitted in smoking shelters at the front of the terminal building and in two more designated areas after passing through security.

Southampton Airport

Use of e-cigarettes is not permitted inside the terminal building or while walking to or from the aeroplanes. They can only be used outside of the terminal building and before passing security.

Other Airports

Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Durham Tees Valley, Glasgow Prestwick, Leeds and Robin Hood airports do not provide any information about their policies regarding e-cigarettes.

Will Being A Vaper Affect My Travel Insurance?

In most insurance policies, from life to car cover, being a smoker can often cause you to pay a higher premium. This is, of course, because of the potential health risks a smoker might face vs a non-smoker.

Despite carrying 95% less risk according to Public Health England, the vast majority of insurers from Aviva to Zurich, and even comparison sites like compare the market all state the same thing: if you identify as a smoker, vaper of use nicotine replacement products like patches or gum, you risk paying a higher premium - keep that in mind when planning your next trip!

We hope this guide helps you to prepare for taking your vape on your next holiday and will ensure your trip gets started without a hitch.

Our Sources:

https://www.gatwick-airport-guide.co.uk/e-cigarettes.html

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/6741768/vaping-planes-trains-e-cigarette-rules/

Other Blogs In Our Vaping & Travel Series

Still deciding where to go on your next holiday? We've covered lots of the most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers in our travel blog series, so be sure to check them out if you want to learn the rules around vaping in other countries too. If you have general questions about taking vapes on holiday you can check out our comprehensive travel guide here, or explore our essential pre-flight tips for travelling vapers.

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