Flying with a vape from the UK: what goes where

Three rules cover almost every flight. First, your vape and any spare batteries must travel in the cabin, never in checked luggage. That comes from European and UK aviation safety guidance, because lithium batteries are a fire risk in the hold where nobody can deal with them.

Second, no vaping and no charging on board. Not in the toilet, not on a long-haul flight, not with the device tucked in your sleeve.

Third, your e-liquid is a liquid. It goes through security under the same rules as your toothpaste and shampoo, and those rules depend on the airport. Check your airline as well, because carriers can set their own conditions on top.

A bit of thought at home saves a hassle at security and a leak at 35,000 feet. Pressure changes in the cabin can push liquid out of a full tank or pod, so travelling with a part-empty tank is a common habit among vapers who fly a lot.

Spare batteries should never rattle around loose in a bag, where the terminals can touch keys or coins. A proper battery case costs very little and solves that.

Here is the order most experienced flyers pack in.

None of it takes long, and it means you walk through security without a bag search over a stray battery.

For years the rule was simple: liquids in containers of 100ml or less, in a clear bag. That is still the case at most airports. But some UK airports now have newer scanners, and where those are live, containers of up to 2 litres can be allowed.

The catch is that it varies by airport, and sometimes by security lane, so never assume. Check your departure airport's website before you go, and remember that your return airport abroad may have different rules altogether.

For most trips, a few 10ml bottles are the easiest option: small, sealed, child-resistant and comfortably inside the usual limit.

Once you are on the plane, the vape stays in your bag. No vaping, and no charging the device from a seat-back USB port or a power bank. It is the same rule whether the flight is 50 minutes or 12 hours.

Long-haul flights are where people get tempted, especially in the toilet. Do not. Aircraft cabins are tightly controlled spaces and crew take this seriously. Charge your kit fully before you leave home, bring a spare pod if you need one for the airport, and wait until you are outside the terminal at the other end.

Flip the cards to clear up the usual mid-flight questions.

Getting through UK security is only half the trip. Your destination has its own laws, and some countries ban vapes outright. What is legal in Manchester or Gatwick may not be legal where you land.

The best place to check is the official gov.uk foreign travel advice page for the country you are visiting, which includes local laws and customs. If it mentions vapes, take it seriously. Our guide to vaping on holiday goes through what to check.

Run this quick list the week before you fly.

A screenshot of the advice on your phone is handy if anyone asks.

One question that sums up the whole page. It is the rule people most often get backwards, usually because they think of batteries as something to keep away from the cabin.

Lithium batteries are allowed in the cabin precisely because crew can deal with any problem there. In the hold, they cannot. So both the vape and the spares stay with you, switched off and tucked away, until you land. For the rules once you are back on the ground in the UK, see the UK vape law timeline.