Still, traveling with your vape requires some maneuvering and pre-planning before your next trip to ensure that you get the best possible vaping experience. when you’re away from home. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when traveling with a vape.
You Have to Carry on Your Vaping Devices— Unlike most questionable luggage items — like full-sized liquids, some aerosol products and knives — personal vaping devices must be transported in carry-on bags rather than checked bags, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The Federal Aviation Administration requires that any e-cigs, vaporizers, atomizers and other vape devices be stored in the aircraft cabin to prevent them from creating fire hazards in the cargo area. This is because vapes use lithium-ion batteries, which occasionally explode or catch fire, and addressing fires is much easier in the cabin than it is in the plane’s storage area. As always, there are limitations to how much liquid you can carry-on (more on that later), and vaping is usually barred onboard.
Vaping Is Still Usually Considered ‘Smoking’— Have you noticed that, in the past five or 10 years, they’ve started to add vaping to the list of barred activities on flights and in airports, restaurants, bars and other public places? Airlines generally ban the use of electronic cigarettes and vapes during flights for a few reasons, including that the aroma may be disruptive to those around you and the clouds of smoke may be alarming to fellow travelers. What’s more, the use of e-cigs is often banned to prevent the emission of secondhand vapor, which could be problematic for some travelers. If you’re traveling in airports that still allow smoking, you can vape in the smoking-designated areas.
Some Vapes Are More Travel-Friendly Than Others — In general, a good vape is one that’s easy to take with you wherever you go and that’s easy to transport in your pocket, purse or briefcase. Hence why those giant, old herbal vaporizer tanks have mostly fallen out of fashion. And even though premium vapes get smaller and smaller without sacrificing technology, not all are ideal for traveling. Look for compact, travel-friendly vapes that don’t take up a ton of space in your carry-on. You might also consider investing in disposable vape pens or those that utilize disposable cartridges to lighten your load a bit.
You Can Check a Certain Amount of E-Juice— For the same reasons you can’t take full-sized shampoo and bottles of soda through security, you can’t carry-on large quantities of e-liquid or vape juice. Per the TSA, you can’t pack a container with more than 3.4 ounces (or about 100 milliliters) of liquid in your carry-on. The standard bottle of e-liquid is between 20 to 60 milliliters, so as long as you don’t have extra-large bottles, you should have no trouble getting through security. Note that the TSA doesn’t specify how many 100 milliliter sized bottles you can carry on, but they say the containers should fit into one quart-sized, resealable bag. Keep it to a few small bottles and you’ll be good to go (literally).
Batteries Are the Real Problem — It’s not the vaping mechanism, the liquid or even the heating element that the TSA hates about your vape. It’s the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. As previously mentioned, these batteries can occasionally overheat and start fires, so the TSA prefers that they be stored in the cabin of the plane — in your carry-on — rather than in the storage area below. This means that, if you’re traveling with extra Li-ion batteries to power your vaping device, just make sure that you stash them in your carry-on with your vape rather than in your checked luggage. You can store your vape charger, extra liquids and backup parts in your checked baggage, if you like.
Vaping Indoors May Be Illegal Where You’re Going — One of the reasons you probably switched to vaping over traditional cigarette smoking is because you can do it indoors in many places. If you live in a state where there are no indoor vaping bans, it may be worth your while to reference this map of vaping laws by state.There is a state-wide ban on indoor vaping in several states — including New York, California, Oregon and Maine — and several areas have city- and county-wide indoor vaping laws to consider. Be sure that you’re always following the law of the land rather than the laws you’re used to back home, especially when it comes to vaping.
There are Vape Shops (Almost) Everywhere — If you find yourself in a bind while you’re away from home — like if you need some spare vape coils, a backup charger or cartridges — fear not. These days, you can find vape shops just about anywhere. If you’re someplace where there are no vape retailers, you can always rely on online vape shops that offer same- or next-day delivery. If you find that traveling with your vape accessories, extra liquids, etc. is too much of a hassle, remember that you can always order online and have your products shipped to your hotel or wherever you’re staying.
Play it Safe When Traveling with Your Vape
A good general rule when traveling with any device is to always consult the TSA with your questions. If you aren’t sure whether it’s legal, safe or generally a good idea, wait until you get to the airport before deciding whether to check it, carry it on the plane or leave it at home. As long as you’re familiar with the rules of the air, you’ll be able to go anywhere in the world with your trusty vape.
