Off on holiday anytime soon? If the answer is yes, then chances are you’ll want to enjoy your vape while you’re away. However, with the rules on vapes often vague or confusing, and some countries banning vape devices altogether, you might be wondering whether taking your e-cigarette away with you is a good idea.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place! Here, we’ll answer all your travel-related questions to keep you in the know and help you stick to the rules when travelling with your vape.
After reading this guide, you’ll be clued up on everything vape/travel-related, including whether or not you can take your vape on a plane, whether vaping is legal in your chosen destination, and what restrictions, if any, are in place.
Can You Take Your Vape On A Plane?
The first and most pressing question on many vapers’ lips is whether airlines allow you to take your vape on their flights. The answer is yes, in most cases you’re able to take your vape with you. However, any vape you do take must be stored correctly and safely.
So where is the best place to store your vape—in your hand luggage or your suitcase? The answer is that your vape must be kept in your hand luggage. Do not store any vape devices in your suitcase, as pretty much all airlines have a blanket ban on this in place.
If you’re wondering why packing a vape device into your hold luggage is not permitted, it’s because of the batteries they contain. In some rare instances, lithium batteries in vapes can overheat and eventually explode which could cause a fire. If a blaze were to take place in the hold, this could be disastrous to all on board, which explains why no airlines allow passengers to carry vapes in their hold luggage.
So the next time you travel with your vape, just remember to keep it in your hand luggage and you shouldn’t have any issues boarding your flight.
How Much Vape Liquid Can You Take On A Plane?
So now you know the rules on taking a vape device and where to store it, what about e-liquid? Afterall, your e-cig will be pretty useless without your favourite flavours to vape with it!
Thankfully, the rules most airlines have in place for e-liquid are also pretty straightforward, saying that you’re free to take your juices in your hand luggage or in your suitcase. This is with the exception of Qatar Airways which requests that all passengers keep their liquids in their hand luggage.
Just keep in mind that while most airports in the UK are removing the 100ml liquids limit rule from next year, this restriction may still be in place when you travel.
With that in mind, if you’re looking to take bottles that are bigger than 100ml or you’re travelling with more than one litre in total then you should pack it in your suitcase instead.
If you do choose to pack your liquids in your suitcase, make sure the tips are all screwed on properly and store the juices in a plastic bag. Arriving at your hotel to find that your e-liquid has exploded all over your clothes is truly what nightmares are made of.
Limits on Batteries?
If you own a vape that uses external batteries, then you may wish to take some spare in case they run out while you’re away.
Keep in mind that while most airlines will allow you to take spare batteries, there’s usually a limit on the amount you can carry. Moreover, like with your vape device, you’ll need to keep your spare batteries in your carry-on baggage. Do not pack them into your hold luggage for the fire risks mentioned above.
What we’ve given you here is a general overview of the rules most airlines have in place. If you’re in any doubt or would like to know for certain, we would recommend checking with the airline before you travel. This will help ensure you stick to the rules while also providing peace of mind.
The exact rules that are in place will depend on the airline. So depending on who you’re flying with, this will determine how many batteries you can take. While some may allow up to 20, others may only permit you to carry eight.
If you’re travelling away for a while and you’re considering taking quite a few batteries, it may be best to check with the airline before you travel.
Vaping At Airports?
Now we’ve established you can take your vape and e-liquid with you on your travels, what about vaping in the airport? While the rules may differ depending on where you are, here in the UK you’re not permitted to vape in airports unless there’s a designated smoking area/room.
Furthermore, these designated areas tend to be outside of the terminal. So if you’ve passed security, then you’ll need to wait until you’ve reached your destination to use your device.
Don’t be tempted to use your vape in unauthorised areas. Regardless of how much you enjoy your vape, this could land you in a spot of bother and won’t be a great way to start your holiday!
Can You Vape On A Plane?
If you’re wondering whether you’ll be allowed to use your vape on a plane, sadly the answer is no. While vapes are undoubtedly less harmful to those around you than cigarettes, using your e-cig while you’re on a plane is banned by all airlines.
Regardless of how much you enjoy using your vape, refrain from using it on a plane. Whether it’s using it in your seat or the bathroom, vaping on an aircraft could land you in serious trouble and could even derail your travel plans so it’s simply not worth it.
If you’re on a long haul flight or you’re concerned about nicotine withdrawals, consider taking some nicotine gum or patches. This should help stave off your cravings until you’ve reached your destination, where you’ll be free to use your vape.
Where is Vaping Legal?
One of the trickier aspects of travelling with your vape products is the vastly different rules that are in place around the world. In some countries such as the UK vaping is actively encouraged by the government as a way to help people quit smoking.
However, in other parts of the world, this isn’t the case and some countries take a very hardline stance on vape products. If you’re travelling to a country in Europe then chances are you’ll be fine using your vape device while you’re away. So if you’re off to a destination that’s popular with Brits such as Spain, Portugal or Greece then you’ll be fine to use your vape. France also permits the use of vapes, although disposables are set to be banned there soon.
You can also take your vape products to Turkey, which is another popular location for Brits, although you won’t find any for sale there, so be sure to travel with what you need.
Looking further afield, many countries in South America have banned vaping, so while you may be able to travel with your vape device, you certainly won’t find them for sale in these countries. They include Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Venezuela, while Mexico has also outlawed vape products, so you won’t find them there either. Countries that take an even tougher stance are Thailand, Cambodia, India, Qatar and Sri Lanka which have all made it illegal to vape there. So if you’re off to any of these countries, then it’s probably best that you leave your vape kit at home!
Australia has also made it illegal for anyone to vape unless they have a doctor’s prescription, so for those heading down under, it’s advisable to leave your vapes at home.
Airlines’ Policies On Vaping
Depending on who you fly with, the rules on vaping may be slightly different. Here are 5 of the most popular airlines for Brits and their rules on vaping.
- British Airways: For flights with BA, your liquid must be in its own container of no more than 100ml (rules changing in 2024). You will be required to put all your items in a single plastic bag of up to 20 x 20cm (eight x eight inches) with a total capacity of up to one litre.
- TUI: For flights with Tui, your e-liquids or refills must be kept in hand luggage in a clear plastic bag as part of your liquid allowance. Bottles must contain no more than 100ml. You’ll be allowed to take a larger quantity of e-liquid if you have checked luggage.
- Ryanair: For the Irish budget airline RyanAir, the standard rules apply with regard to taking e-liquids in your carry-on baggage. If you want to take more liquids, simply pack them into your checked luggage as this is allowed.
- EasyJet: According to EasyJet, passengers can only carry liquids, aerosols and gels in containers of 100ml or less. Again, these should all fit into one transparent, re-sealable 20cm x 20cm bag with no travellers allowed to take more than 1 litre in total.
- Jet2: E-juices are treated like any other liquids. No more than one litre (100ml max bottle size) and bottles should be packed tightly, ready to be presented to security before boarding.
- Qantas: If you’re flying with Qantas then the standard rules on e-liquids apply. That means no bottles must exceed 100ml and your liquids must not exceed 1 litre in total.
- KLM: E-liquids can be taken with other liquids such as shampoos and cosmetics. These need to be in small containers of up to 100 ml per item, and liquids should be kept together in a transparent and closed plastic bag that doesn’t exceed 1 litre. Passengers that wish to take more should put their liquids in their case.
- Lufthansa: E-cigarettes and vape devices can be kept in hand luggage only. Also, keep in mind that the liquid capacity of these items should fit within the airport’s rules.
- Qatar Airways: You may carry liquids, gels, pastes, and aerosols in containers up to 100ml (3.4oz) inside your hand baggage. Containers larger than 100ml cannot be accepted, even if only partly filled. On their website, Qatar Airways also says carrying liquids in your checked baggage is not permitted, unlike most other airlines.
- Virgin Atlantic: For flights with Virgin, all liquids must be in bottles or containers of 100ml or smaller. Unless you need them during the flight, we recommend you pack your liquid items in your hold baggage to avoid security delays.
*As mentioned above, although many of the airlines’ rules mention the 100ml cap on liquids, these rules are being axed in 2024. So it might be a good idea to check with the airline you’re flying with once these rules have started to change.
So those are the main considerations to make if you’re a vaper and you’re flying sometime soon. Thankfully, you’ll be allowed to take your vape abroad with you. Just remember to keep any vape device in your hand luggage, while any liquids kept in the same must not exceed 100 ml per bottle of 1 litre in total.
Remember, this one litre limit also includes your other liquids such as shampoos and toothpastes, although the rules should change across the UK’s airports in 2024.
There are some countries, particularly in South America, East Asia and the Middle East that take a tough view on vape products. So if you’re travelling to these countries, then you may have to leave your device at home. However, if you’re travelling within the EU then you’ll be glad to know that most countries have similar rules to the UK.
