You can fly to or from Guatemala with a power bank in your carry-on, but since 27 March 2026 the ICAO rules limit you to two, forbid recharging them on board, and say they should not be used to charge other devices; each airline then adds its own version of that rule.
In short: Under the ICAO addendum in force 27 March 2026 (as published by the UK CAA and Transport Malta): carry-on only, maximum two per person, no recharging on board, and they “should not” be used to charge devices on board. Every airline here that publishes a number caps power banks at two; the size limit is 100 Wh at Copa, American, Delta and Iberia, less than 100 Wh at Volaris, and Avianca’s page says both 10 Wh and 100 Wh. Volaris and Iberia ban using them at all during the flight; Copa allows use in cruise only. The 100 to 160 Wh band is where sources disagree: UK CAA says allowed with airline approval, Copa and Delta say no. FAA and TSA keep power banks out of checked bags but do not publish the two-bank cap. Guatemala’s DGAC defers to ICAO and publishes no numbers of its own.
The 2026 rule change: ICAO’s addendum
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) published an addendum to its Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284), 2025-2026 edition. ICAO’s own addendum PDF returned HTTP 403 to public requests on 9 November 2026, so the rule below is given as two national regulators republish it.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority says the changes are “effective from 27 March 2026” and separate power banks from other spare batteries. Its list for passengers and crew:
| Topic | ICAO addendum rule, UK CAA wording |
|---|---|
| Where | Must be carried in carry-on baggage |
| Protection | “Must be individually protected when not in use” |
| Recharging | “Must not be recharged on board the aircraft” |
| Charging devices | “Should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft” |
| Number | “Maximum of two power banks per person” |
| Size | Up to 100 Wh (lithium ion) or 2 g lithium content (lithium metal) without operator approval; above 100 Wh up to 160 Wh “requires approval from the operator” |
Transport Malta’s Operations Advisory Notice OAN 02/26 (issue date 16 June 2026) lists the same four points, including “No more than two power banks may be carried per person”, and notes that IATA’s 68th edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations, in force from 1 January 2027, will include the addendum changes.
Note the verb: the rule on charging other devices is “should not”, not “must not”. Several airlines turn it into a ban (see the table below).
IATA’s 2026 passenger guidance differs in two places
IATA’s 2026 passenger guidance on lithium batteries (revised for the 2026 regulations; footer dated 31/03/2026) says “Passengers are limited to a maximum of two lithium-ion power banks not exceeding 100 Wh”, that power banks “should not be stored in the overhead lockers”, and that they “should not be used to provide power to other devices during taxi, take-off or landing”. It adds: “Airlines may impose more stringent conditions on the carriage and use of power banks by passengers.”
The two differences from the UK CAA and Transport Malta: IATA’s guidance gives 100 Wh as the ceiling with no approval route to 160 Wh, and it limits the charging restriction to taxi, take-off and landing rather than the whole flight.
Airline by airline
Every row is from the airline’s own page, read on 9 November 2026.
| Airline | Max power banks | Wh limit | Charging a device in flight | Recharging the power bank on board | Date on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copa | 2 | Up to 100 Wh; “Over 100 Wh: not permitted” | Cruise only; off for takeoff, landing and ground movement | Not permitted from aircraft power | Article dated 13 November 2025 |
| Avianca | 2 | 100 Wh or less | Not stated | Not stated | None shown |
| American | 2 “while onboard” | 100 Wh each | Allowed, kept within reach and visible | Not via seat power outlets | None; labelled NEW |
| Delta | 2 | 100 Wh each, “with no exceptions” | Not during taxi, take-off, landing | Must not | None shown |
| United | Not stated | Not stated for power banks | Not stated | Not stated | None shown |
| Volaris | 2 | Less than 100 Wh (or less than 2 g lithium metal) | Prohibited during the flight | Prohibited | None shown |
| Iberia | 2 | 100 Wh | Prohibited at any time during the flight | Not separately stated (any use during the flight is prohibited) | None shown |
Copa also says power banks “must remain visible and be placed under the seat or in the seatback pocket in front of you”, that they must never go in overhead compartments or checked baggage, and: “Remember: The device must visibly display its capacity in Wh.” Lithium batteries removed from smart luggage count as power banks.
Avianca’s baggage page carries a banner reading “You may carry a MAXIMUM of 2 power banks (up to 10 Wh each one)”, while the body of the same page says “Battery capacity must be 100 Wh or less.” The 10 Wh figure in the banner conflicts with the 100 Wh body text.
American lists “Limit 2 portable chargers per passenger while onboard” and “Each charger must not exceed 100 watt hours (Wh)”, forbids using seat power outlets to recharge them and storing them in overhead bins, and says “Large portable power banks and lithium-ion battery-powered generators are not allowed as carry-on or checked items.”
Delta: “No more than two power banks may be carried per person, and they may not exceed an aggregate total of 100 Wh each, with no exceptions.”
United lists power banks among the items you must remove if you check your carry-on at the gate, but its dangerous-items page publishes no power-bank count and no in-flight use rule. Its separate line, “We allow up to two lithium batteries with a max of 160 watt-hours each” in carry-on bags, refers to lithium batteries and does not name power banks.
Volaris: “Onboard restriction: Charging a power bank or using it to charge other devices during the flight is strictly prohibited.”
Iberia: “It is prohibited to use them at any time during the flight.” Iberia also allows four spare batteries up to 100 Wh and two between 100 and 160 Wh, separate from its two-power-bank limit.
Packing to the strictest column
Taken together, a power bank setup that meets every airline rule quoted above except Avianca’s 10 Wh banner: no more than two power banks, each rated below 100 Wh with the rating printed on the case, individually protected when not in use, in the cabin, under the seat rather than in the overhead bin, not used and not recharged during the flight. Avianca’s page gives two different limits (10 Wh in the banner, 100 Wh in the body), so if you fly Avianca with a power bank above 10 Wh, ask Avianca in writing which limit applies.
US rules: FAA and TSA
The FAA’s PackSafe page (last updated 11 August 2026) says spare lithium batteries, “including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only”. It sets a 100 Wh limit per lithium-ion battery and allows up to two larger spares of 101 to 160 Wh with airline approval. It states no quantity limit for most batteries and says many airlines may have stricter limits on how many power banks a passenger can carry. The FAA page does not state the ICAO two-power-bank cap or the no-recharging rule.
The TSA: “Portable chargers or power banks containing a lithium ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags.”
Guatemala’s DGAC defers to ICAO
Guatemala’s Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil publishes RAC 18, Mercancías Peligrosas, edición 03, dated 25 April 2025, on its regulations page. It says the edition is based on the update to Doc 9284, and that items carried by passengers or crew are excepted from the RAC “de acuerdo a lo especificado en las Instrucciones Técnicas sobre mercancías peligrosas correspondientes”. RAC 18.185 puts the duty on airlines to inform passengers of what dangerous goods they may carry, through their website or other sources, before the boarding pass is issued.
RAC 18 contains no power-bank numbers of its own, and its April 2025 edition predates the 27 March 2026 addendum. DGAC does not publish a passenger-facing power-bank rule or a notice about the addendum (checked https://dgac.gob.gt/, https://dgac.gob.gt/page/avsec and https://dgac.gob.gt/page/rac-regulaciones-de-aviacion-civil, 9 November 2026). DGAC also does not publish La Aurora’s screening practice for power banks on its AVSEC page.
Related
- Guatemala customs: what you can bring
- Power adapters and voltage in Guatemala
- Bringing a CPAP machine to Guatemala
- La Aurora airport guide
- Direct flights to Guatemala
Sources
- UK Civil Aviation Authority, changes to rules on the carriage of lithium cells/batteries and power banks: https://caa.co.uk/commercial-industry/airlines/dangerous-goods/changes-to-rules-on-the-carriage-of-lithium-cellsbatteries-and-power-banks (read 9 November 2026)
- Transport Malta, Operations Advisory Notice OAN 02/26 (16 June 2026): https://www.transport.gov.mt/OAN-02-26-New-requirements-for-the-carriage-of-lithium-cells-batteries-and-power-banks-signed.pdf-f11665 (read 9 November 2026)
- IATA, passenger guidance on lithium batteries, 2026: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/6fea26dd84d24b26a7a1fd5788561d6e/passengers_travelling_with_lithium_batteries.pdf (read 9 November 2026)
- DGAC Guatemala, RAC 18 Mercancías Peligrosas, Ed. 03 (25 April 2025), linked from https://dgac.gob.gt/page/rac-regulaciones-de-aviacion-civil: https://coreplus-api.alcore-gt.com/uploads/cms_docmgr_RAC_18_Mercancias_peligrosas_Ed_03_7fed6effb9.pdf (read 9 November 2026)
- FAA PackSafe, lithium batteries (updated 11 August 2026): https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries (read 9 November 2026)
- TSA, power banks: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/power-banks (read 9 November 2026)
- Copa Airlines Help Center, portable external batteries: https://help.copaair.com/hc/en-us/articles/36313181600791-Portable-External-Batteries-Power-Banks (read 9 November 2026)
- Avianca, baggage information: https://www.avianca.com/en/my-booking/prepare-your-trip/baggage (read 9 November 2026)
- American Airlines, restricted items: https://www.aa.com/web/i18n/travel-info/baggage/restricted-items.html (read 9 November 2026)
- Delta Air Lines, battery or fuel-powered items: https://www.delta.com/lac/en/baggage/prohibited-or-restricted-items/battery-or-fuel-powered (read 9 November 2026)
- United Airlines, dangerous items: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/baggage/dangerous-items.html (read 9 November 2026)
- Volaris, restricted and forbidden items: https://cms.volaris.com/en/travel-info/baggage-policy/restricted-and-forbidden-items/ (read 9 November 2026)
- Iberia, electronic devices on board: https://www.iberia.com/us/luggage/electronic-devices/ (read 9 November 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring a power bank on a flight to Guatemala?
Yes, in your carry-on only. Under the ICAO addendum in force from 27 March 2026, as published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, power banks must travel in carry-on baggage, ‘Must not be recharged on board the aircraft’, ‘Should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft’, with a ‘Maximum of two power banks per person’. Every airline on this page that publishes a number (Copa, Avianca, American, Delta, Volaris, Iberia) caps power banks at two per passenger; Copa, American, Delta and Iberia set the size limit at 100 Wh each, Volaris at less than 100 Wh, and Avianca’s page gives both 10 Wh and 100 Wh (read 9 November 2026).
Can I use a power bank to charge my phone during the flight?
It depends on the airline. Volaris says using a power bank to charge other devices ‘during the flight is strictly prohibited’, and Iberia says ‘It is prohibited to use them at any time during the flight’. Copa allows it in cruise only: power banks must be off for takeoff, landing and ground movement, and ‘They may only be used during the flight to charge devices’. Delta bars it during taxi, take-off and landing; American allows use if the charger is kept within reach and visible (airlines’ own pages, read 9 November 2026).
Can I bring a power bank over 100 Wh?
The sources disagree. The UK CAA’s summary of the ICAO addendum says power banks above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh require approval from the operator. IATA’s 2026 passenger guidance limits passengers to two power banks ’not exceeding 100 Wh’. Copa says ‘Over 100 Wh: not permitted’ and Delta says 100 Wh each ‘with no exceptions’. If a power bank is above 100 Wh, the airline’s own rule decides, and every airline on this page that publishes a size limit sets it at 100 Wh or less.
Does Guatemala have its own power bank rule?
Not one with numbers. Guatemala’s Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) publishes RAC 18, Mercancías Peligrosas, edition 03 dated 25 April 2025, which treats items carried by passengers according to the ICAO Technical Instructions and requires airlines to tell passengers, on their websites or elsewhere, which dangerous goods they may carry. DGAC does not publish a passenger power-bank rule or a notice on the 27 March 2026 ICAO change (checked dgac.gob.gt, 9 November 2026).
Can I put a power bank in checked luggage on a flight from the US?
No. TSA says ‘Portable chargers or power banks containing a lithium ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags’, and the FAA says that when a carry-on bag is checked at the gate or planeside, all spare lithium batteries and power banks must be removed and kept with you in the cabin (FAA PackSafe, updated 11 August 2026; read 9 November 2026).
