Never hunt for an airport outlet again.
If you travel with a phone, earbuds and a watch, or add a laptop to that list, this page is for you. A power bank is the difference between hunting for an airport outlet and sitting wherever you like.
Part of: Best Power Bank for Travel
The four picks run from a slim, fast-charging bank that fits a jacket pocket to a laptop-class battery that can power a workday on a plane, with a two-pack for couples and a magnetic Qi2 bank for iPhone owners in between. They come from roundups at Travel + Leisure and WIRED, matched to the exact Amazon listing. The one thing to check before buying is the airline rule: power banks must travel in your carry-on, never in a checked bag, and large batteries have watt-hour limits that vary by carrier. The Wh figure is printed on the bank, so compare it with your airline's policy before you pack a big one.
We compared every pick on capacity, max output, ports, wireless charging, weight and airline watt-hour rating, so you can choose in under two minutes.
Best for: Solo travelers and city-breakers who need a phone and earbuds charged through a long day of sightseeing
Best for: Couples and families on vacation who each need a phone charged through a day of sightseeing
Best for: iPhone owners on city trips who want cable-free top-ups while they keep using the phone
Best for: Remote workers and business travelers who need a laptop charged on long flights and train rides
Who each pick is for, its main selling point, the reason you might skip it and the price.
| Pick | Product | Best for | Main selling point | Potential drawback | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | INIU 45W 10,000 mAh | Solo travelers and city-breakers who need a phone and earbuds charged through a long day of sightseeing | A slim 10,000 mAh bank with 45W USB-C output, so a modern phone fast charges from a pocket instead of trickling. | 10,000 mAh will barely move a laptop or get a tablet through a long flight | About $17 |
| Best Value | Miady 10,000 mAh 2-Pack | Couples and families on vacation who each need a phone charged through a day of sightseeing | Two 10,000 mAh power banks in one box, so a couple or a family never argues over who gets the charge. | Charging speeds are modest next to the INIU and the Anker picks | About $22 |
| Trending Now | Anker MagGo 10,000 mAh Qi2 | iPhone owners on city trips who want cable-free top-ups while they keep using the phone | A 10,000 mAh Qi2 bank that snaps to the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone and charges through the magnets. | Costs several times more than a plain bank of the same capacity | About $90 |
| Go Premium | Anker 25,000 mAh 165W | Remote workers and business travelers who need a laptop charged on long flights and train rides | A 25,000 mAh bank with 165W total output, enough to run a laptop and a phone at the same time through a long flight. | Heavy enough to feel in a personal item every time you lift it | About $112.5 |
Watch out: Large batteries add weight and are subject to airline limits.
Straight answers to what travelers ask most about power banks.
Yes, in your carry-on only. Lithium batteries are not allowed in checked luggage. Most airlines allow banks up to 100Wh without approval and larger ones up to 160Wh with airline permission. The watt-hour rating is printed on the bank; check your carrier's policy before flying.
For a phone, a 10,000 mAh bank gives a couple of full charges and is easy to refill nightly, so it covers most trips. If you want to charge a laptop or several devices between outlets, step up to 20,000 mAh or more, accepting the extra weight.
Only if it supports USB-C Power Delivery at a high enough wattage. Most phone-class banks will not. Among our picks, the Anker 25,000 mAh 165W is built for laptops; the others are for phones, earbuds and tablets. Check the Amazon listing for the current output spec.