After transitioning from smoking to vaping and experiencing reduced nicotine dependency, you’ll likely find that you can go longer periods without needing to vape. However, the desire to have your vape on hand remains, especially during extended trips or air travel, akin to carrying cigarettes on a plane.
It is essential to know that bringing your vape on a trip is not as straightforward as carrying a pack of cigarettes. It involves handling two potentially hazardous items: e-liquids and lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, vaping regulations vary significantly from one region or country to another.
Unlike cigarettes, where availability is typically not an issue, you can’t assume that vape supplies will be readily accessible everywhere you go. Therefore, bringing your vape on a plane demands thoughtful consideration.
In most cases, it’s possible to bring vapes as long as you adhere to the guidelines concerning the transportation of liquids and batteries during air travel. However, specific factors must be considered to ensure a seamless experience.
It’s also essential to note that airlines’ rules regarding vaping, as well as vaping laws in various nations worldwide, can change without prior notice. While the information provided in this article is accurate to the best of our knowledge, it is your responsibility to verify all applicable rules and regulations before embarking on your journey.
Can You Vape at the Airport?
To ensure you won’t encounter issues for vaping during your travels, it’s best to assume that vaping is prohibited in any location where smoking is not allowed. This means keeping your vaping device away unless you are in a designated smoking area.
It’s important to note that some airports do not have smoking areas within their secure zones, and not all airports with airside smoking areas have prominent signage indicating their location. The luxurious smoking lounges of the past are becoming increasingly rare, with smoking areas often being outdoor enclosures lacking climate control and seating.
Many airports no longer actively promote the availability of smoking areas. If you have trouble finding a designated smoking area by reading airport signs, don’t hesitate to ask an airport employee for assistance.
In some instances, you may discover that an airport lacks an airside smoking area altogether. In such cases, you’ll need to enjoy your last vape before entering the airport. If you have a layover at an airport without an airside smoking area, you’ll need to exit the airport to vape.
If this occurs at a foreign airport, you’ll need to pass through customs and officially enter the country before vaping. Re-entering the airport will require going through the security checkpoint again.
Because vaping can be inconvenient at certain airports, having an alternative form of nicotine supplementation available can be beneficial.
TSA Regulations for Vapes
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) permits passengers to carry electronic cigarettes and similar devices like vaporizers, vape pens, mods, atomizers, and electronic nicotine delivery systems as part of their carry-on luggage. However, these devices are strictly prohibited in checked baggage.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented the ban on e-cigarettes in checked luggage back in 2016 due to reported incidents of small fires occurring in cargo holds. This restriction is in place to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew members.
It is essential to comply with this restriction for the safety of everyone on the flight. Attempting to bypass this rule could pose risks to both passengers and crew.
How To Transport Your Vapes Through Airports
Bringing Vapes Through Security
When traveling with your vapes and e-cigarettes at the airport, you can easily bring them inside your carry-on or a personal item like a backpack without any issues. However, it’s not advisable to keep them in your pocket while navigating through airport security scanners, as you might forget them there.
Some airlines, like American Airlines and Delta, recommend storing these items in a designated carry case that may have come with your original vape packaging. If your vaping device consists of multiple parts, it’s a good practice to disassemble it before entering the security line. Even better, organize all the components neatly within a carrier for easy inspection.
During the actual security screening, it’s recommended to remove your e-cigarette or vape, place it in a tray or bin, and send it through the X-ray scanner separately from your carry-on bag. Keeping it inside your bag may raise suspicions and lead to additional screening.
As a general rule, larger vaping devices are more likely to attract the attention of TSA agents for a closer inspection. If they decide to examine your device, it’s best to cooperate and let them do their job. If you don’t have any illegal substances, there’s no need for concern.
Liquid Vape Cartridges
Liquid cartridges that hold e-juices, fall under the category of liquids and are subject to the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. The 3-1-1 rule stipulates that all liquid containers must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller and should be stored in a quart-sized bag, preferably a clear Ziploc bag. When transporting vape juice packs, it’s crucial to adhere to these guidelines.
Firstly, ensure that your vape cartridges are smaller than 100ml. Most vape juice cartridges are well below this limit, making it easy to find TSA-compliant options. In some cases, you may need to detach the vape cartridge from your device to ensure it contains no liquid.
Secondly, place these cartridges inside a quart-sized Ziploc bag. It’s essential that the cartridges fit comfortably within the bag, without overstuffing or causing the bag to burst at the seams.
If you don’t have TSA Pre-Check, be prepared to remove your liquids bag from your carry-on during the airport screening process. As an alternative, you might consider transporting your pods in your checked baggage, where you can carry unlimited quantities.
There have been reports of pods leaking at high altitudes, so keeping them in a sealed bag is strongly recommended. Additionally, it’s better to transport partially used cartridges that have room for the liquid to expand, reducing the risk of leakage.
Checking Your Bag at the Gate
There are instances when your plane might not have sufficient space for your carry-on luggage, particularly if you are boarding towards the back of the line.
If you encounter this situation and you’re traveling with your vape, remember to remove your vape and batteries from the carry-on bag that is being checked, as they are not permitted as checked items.
Vape Pen Chargers
When you bring a power charger or power bank containing a lithium-ion battery, it must also be placed in your carry-on bag. This precaution is taken because battery packs like these can pose a risk of explosions and fires in the cargo hold. To ensure safety, it’s best to carry your spare batteries in your carry-on luggage.
Keep in mind that TSA may subject you to extra scrutiny when traveling with multiple spare batteries due to the potential risks they pose. This is especially true if your lithium batteries have a capacity exceeding 100 watt-hours. For this reason, you might choose to travel with only one spare battery or carefully pack multiple batteries to prevent any contact between them.
Bringing Your Vape Juice on a Plane
When it comes to traveling with liquids in your carry-on luggage, airlines have specific rules that you must consider if you plan to bring vape juice on a plane. These airline restrictions apply to all liquid or gel products you intend to carry, including bottles of vape juice and any vape tanks or pods containing e-liquid.
To carry a bottle of vape juice in your carry-on bag, the bottle must be limited to 1 oz (approximately 30 ml) or smaller in size. All liquid products within your carry-on must fit within a single quart-sized zip-top bag. When passing through the airport security checkpoint, you’ll need to remove the zip-top bag from your carry-on for separate inspection.
While organizing your zip-top bag with toiletries and other items, you might find limited space left for vape juice. However, these liquid restrictions for air travel pertain solely to liquids in your carry-on bag. You can transport additional vape juice in your checked luggage without specific limitations. It’s advisable, though, to pack extra e-liquid in plastic bags to prevent potential leaks.
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Conclusion
Before traveling, it’s essential to consider whether you’ll be allowed to vape in all the places where you typically do so at home. If you enjoy vaping while walking in a park, be aware that many nations and localities have public smoking bans that also encompass vaping. It’s necessary to assume that you should not vape in a location where smoking is prohibited, especially at the airport.
