Vapes on a plane - a guide to travelling and vaping abroad in 2023

As summer approaches, and with the lockdown travel bans of Covid a thing of the past, many of us will be preparing for a long awaited annual holiday. If you’re travelling abroad this year, and you’re a vaper, what do you need to know about holidaying with your vaping device?

I’m off on holiday to Mexico next week. My partner turns 40 this month, and Mexico is his dream destination, so we booked this trip to celebrate his big birthday. Then, as the departure date approached, I spotted that, as of this year, it’s actually illegal for me to take my vaping kits and e-liquids into the country.

I realise now that I should have checked the local laws before booking the holiday; it didn’t cross my mind at the time as I always tend to (naively) forget that other countries don’t have the same progressive attitude towards harm reduction as the UK (currently) has.

Would I have still booked to go to Mexico? As ridiculous as it might seem to some, I’m not entirely sure that I would have. Vaping is the only thing that has ever successfully kept me from smoking- and I don’t want to be in a position where I will be tempted to have a cigarette.

I know my craving triggers, and sunshine and alcohol are the biggies. If I take my vape kit with me, I risk it being confiscated by Mexican customs. Even if I make it past customs, I risk fines and even detention by Mexican officials if I’m caught with my e-cig in public. It doesn’t seem worth the risk, despite knowing that I’m going to have to satisfy those cravings somehow while I’m there.

So, to avoid making the same mistake with your own travel plans, this article will outline everything you need to know about travelling with your vaping devices in 2023.

Vaping Equipment Allowed on Planes

The good news is, for the vast majority of commercial airlines, you will be allowed to carry your vaping equipment onto the plane.

All airlines prohibit lithium batteries from being placed into the hold due to the fire risk, so all of your disposable puff bars and/or rechargeable vape batteries will need to be transported in your hand luggage. If your airline detects lithium batteries in your checked baggage, you could delay your flight, or even lose your place on it.

Disposable vape pens on planes

Travelling with a disposable, such as an Elf Bar 600, is subject to resrictions - it must be on your person or in your hand luggage, and not in your checked bag. However, with single-use vapes being a completely sealed unit, there is no need to separate them from any tanks.

You may be tempted to travel with disposables rather than refillable devices, as they’re so light, compact, and convenient. Remember though the most common commercial airlines will only allow you to take a maximum of 20 lithium batteries onboard. This also includes any laptops, phones, or other electronic devices that you are travelling with; so if you’re away for a long trip, don’t pack too many.

The e-liquid within the disposable vape also counts towards your overall declared liquid allowance. Since you’re limited to one plastic bag of liquids per person, you’ll have to decide if taking multiple vape bars is more important to you than taking sun cream and toothpaste!

Refillable/rechargeable vape kits on planes

The battery must be charged and disconnected from tanks or pods to comply with battery safety regulations. You are prohibited from charging your vape device on board the aircraft as it must remain safely packed for the duration of the flight.

E-liquids and prefilled pods on planes

Bottles of vape juice, and prefilled pods, are fine in your hand luggage - just treat them as you would any other liquid and put them in the clear plastic bag when going through security. Larger shortfill e-liquids (>100ml) must go into the hold, or be decanted into smaller bottles if you’re not checking a bag.

If you are checking a bag, the UK Civil Aviation Authority actually recommends that you aim to pack as many of your required liquids as possible into your hold luggage. Great news for long trips, or for vapers who like to swap between a variety of flavours. Just be sure to put all your bottles into a sealed bag so you don’t unpack your case to find all your clothes covered in vape juice!

Check before you fly whether your destination country will allow you entry with e-liquids containing nicotine, as some consider them to be a poison. If in doubt, consider travelling with 0mg shortfills, but remember to mix your nic shots before you travel (if you’re a nicotine user).

If you’re travelling to a country within the EU (where strict TPD regulations are enforced), you should be able to easily find premium vape juice in shops if you run out. If your holiday takes you outside of the EU, make sure you take ample e-liquid with you for your trip. The quality of the ingredients, and flavours available, can be pretty poor in some countries.

Vape tanks and vape pods on planes

Separate your tanks or pods from your vape battery before going through security. If the tank or pod contains any e-liquid, remember to declare it in the same plastic bag as your other liquids to avoid delays at security.

Vape tanks/pods and cabin pressure aren’t a great combination. Empty out any remaining vape juice before you board to avoid annoying leakages.

Vaping at the Airport and on the Plane

Can I vape at the airport?

This is purely dependent on the airport. If vaping is legal in the country, and the airport contains a smoking lounge/area inside the terminal, you should be able to vape there as well (if you can stand the smell). Always ask if it’s not clearly signposted.

Otherwise, most airports have designated smoking areas situated outside the terminal building where you can safely satisfy your cravings before you head to departures, or after you’ve cleared arrivals.

Can I vape on the plane?

Categorically not! This is not permitted by any commercial airline, regardless of local laws. Most airlines have now added the use of e-cigs into their pre-flight notices about smoking being forbidden onboard.

You may think that vaping is very unlikely to set off smoke detectors in the toilet, as what you’re breathing out is vapour rather than smoke; but you’d be wrong.

Most aircraft smoke detectors can't differentiate between vapour and smoke. If you vape in the toilets, the smoke detector will likely go off. This raises an alarm in the flight deck that has to be investigated by the Cabin Crew.

Even though vaping on a plane isn’t technically a criminal violation, the fact that you’ve set off a smoke alarm, and disobeyed clear flight directives, could earn you a hefty fine of between $2,000 to $4,000. If you’re daft enough to tamper with the smoke alarm in order to avoid detection, it becomes a criminal violation, and the situation becomes much worse.

Qatar Airways have actually arrested and imprisoned passengers for vaping on their flights. Until recently, you couldn’t even carry an e-cigarette on board (you can now carry vaping equipment in your cabin baggage).

Just like smoking, vaping on a plane is not worth the risk of missing your holiday for a hit of nicotine (as this passenger found out when he chose to chance it on a Ryanair flight to Ibiza last year).

If you really think you’re going to struggle, stick on a nicotine patch, put your headphones on, and wait for the craving to pass.

Vapes on a plane in summary

In the majority of cases, you will be able to transport your vape kit to and from your destination. If you have a connecting flight in a country where vaping is illegal, you should be fine as long as you aren’t leaving the terminal building.

If your journey ends in a country where vaping is illegal (see below), be aware that there’s a risk of having your vape equipment confiscated if the security or customs officer you meet is especially grumpy. Follow our guidance, double check with your airline and/or destination country before you travel, accept any risks, and you shouldn’t run into any problems.

Where Vaping is Banned or Illegal

We've put together this handy infographic so you can check if your vaping equipment is illegal or banned before you fly out to your destination country.

Click the image to view full size (opens in new tab)

Travelling to your destination is only the first hurdle. You need to know if there are any vaping restrictions in place once you get there.

Asia and the Middle East and Asia are currently the least vape friendly areas, and where you risk the strictest punishment if you’re caught vaping. However, with global vaping news being dominated with stories of outright bans to combat the issue of vaping by minors, we expect to see more countries jumping on the ban-dwagon in the near future.

It is definitely worth noting that, even in most heavily restricted countries, the focus is generally weighted towards the seller/importer rather than the user. The number of vaping tourists facing heavy fines, or even jail, is on the rise; but instances are still rare on the whole.

Countries where the sale of e-cigarettes is banned

There are currently 29 countries that have officially banned the retail trading of any equipment related to vaping.

If you're travelling to one of these countries, it’s vital that you check whether there are also import and consumption restrictions in place. It’s reasonable to assume that if a country has banned the sale of vapes, then they probably take a dim view on vaping in general.

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cambodia
• Ethiopia
• Gambia
• Hong Kong
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Lebanon
• Macau
• Mexico
• Oman
• Panama
• Qatar
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Suriname
• Syria
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Uganda
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

Countries where vaping is illegal

Thailand

Widely regarded as the worst country in the world to be caught with an e-cig; reports tell of Thai police using roadblocks to search cars in order to catch people with vaping equipment and levy hefty fines. A ban on the import, export, sale and possession of vaping products has been in place since November 2014. Anyone caught breaking this law will have their items confiscated, receive a fine, or even be sent to prison for up to 10 years.

Singapore

It is illegal to purchase, possess, and use vape devices in Singapore. In fact, the rules are so strict that they even include any device that could be used to mimic the act of smoking. Anyone caught in possession of such a device can be fined up to $2,000. If you buy a vape online, and ship it to Singapore, you could even face serious jail time.

Hong Kong

Considering Hong Kong is part of China, which has a humongous vape manufacturing industry, the illegality of vaping in Hong Kong is pretty ironic. Get caught and you could be fined over £10k plus spend two years in a Hong Kong prison.

Taiwan

The sale and use of e-cigs is heavily regulated by Taiwanese drug laws and is strictly illegal, punishable with heavy fines. You are not allowed to carry e-cigarettes or e-liquid into Taiwan, and you have to declare vaping items to customs even if Taiwan is only a layover destination.

Qatar

Like Thailand, vaping has been banned in Qatar since 2014. Vapers face three months in prison, or a $2,500 fine if caught.

India (State of Punjab)

There are conflicting stories about the current legality of vaping across India. Nationwide bans keep being flouted, and then retracted, so it’s important to check on current legislation. Punjab appears to be the only state right now that is taking a punitive approach to vaping, with fines and jail time possible.

Australia

If your vape juice contains nicotine, then you need to have a doctor’s prescription to use an e-cig in Australia. Anyone caught without one could face a fine of up to £125k, with some states enforcing up to two years in jail.

Cambodia

The Cambodian government is so serious about banning vaping that they’ve banned it twice! However, unlike their Thai neighbours, their main focus is the crackdown on the sale of vapes. You can’t currently get arrested or fined for vaping in Cambodia, but they will confiscate devices. If you fancy chancing it, take inexpensive kits with you.

Countries where vaping is banned from public places (including nicotine free)

My research has captured a further 14 countries where the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited. These bans are generally enforced only in enclosed/semi-enclosed public places, workplaces, and public transport, with a punitive approach taken for non-compliance.

Basically, anywhere that you would expect to not be able to smoke, you are also unable to vape, or risk some form of retribution. Stick to clearly designated outdoor smoking areas if you are unsure.

• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Costa Rica
• Guyana
• Iran
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Russia
• Syria
• United Arab Emirates (inc. Dubai)
• Uruguay

Countries where vaping rules are less clear

The countries above officially state that the sale and/or use of vaping devices is illegal or heavily restricted, and you can expect official enforcement. However, even with laws in place, there is still massive uncertainty about how strictly they are imposed. Many travellers report openly vaping in countries with consumption bans without issue.

Some South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela have bans in place on the sale of vaping products, yet reports show that they’re still widely available in major cities.

Plus, even the countries where there is no outright vaping ban in place may still have their own quirks to muddy the waters.

For example, in Japan you are free to vape without restriction, as long as your e-liquid doesn’t contain nicotine. The same law also applies to South Africa.

In Cuba, it’s legal to vape, and to take your vape with you into the country - but it’s possible that customs will confiscate it when you leave.

If you’re heading across the pond the regulations could vary depending which of the US states you’re visiting. Vaping isn’t illegal anywhere in America, but different states have different views on what constitutes an open space.

Finally, you can wander around Rome puffing away to your heart’s content; but if you’re planning a sight-seeing trip into Vatican City, you need to put your vape away. E-cigarettes have been banned within the walls of the Pope’s home city-state since 2020.

Check before you travel with your vape

There is still lots of uncertainty around vaping laws, and rules can change on a dime, which is why we strongly encourage you to do your own research before travelling. If you decide to chance it, travel with inexpensive vapes that you wouldn’t mind having confiscated.

Alternatively, take a few disposable vape bars with you, and only carry one when you’re out and about. That way, if you do happen to fall foul of a particularly militant official, you still have more vapes to fall back on when you get back to your hotel. I’ve decided that’s the way I’m going to play it in Mexico.

Be a considerate vaping tourist

Even in countries where vaping isn’t restricted, it’s still unlikely to be as popular as it is in the UK. Keep an eye out for no-vaping signs in public spaces as you might be told to go elsewhere if you choose to take a crafty draw.

In less touristy destinations, locals may never have seen vaping equipment before; or their opinions may be heavily influenced by misinformation, or even shameless lies from tobacco lobbyists. You may find yourself on the receiving end of some dirty looks or derision. Bear this in mind before blatantly blowing clouds!

We're here to help you quit smoking for good

At Vape UK, we pride ourselves on being responsible vaping advocates. We keep up to date with all of the latest news and studies; we only supply high quality TPD compliant vaping products; and we are always on hand to offer helpful and honest advice about vaping. Please get in touch if you have any queries on quitting smoking.

Note: This guide is for information purposes only; we highly recommend that you conduct your own checks with local tourist information services before you depart, as regulations around vaping are changing every day.