Having your items confiscated at the airport can be a frustrating situation. Especially if security takes something of value to you, like a decent flashlight. It’s important to check security regulations on what you can and can’t bring in your checked bag and/or carry on before you travel.
Yes, you can take a flashlight on a plane. TSA allows flashlights in both carry-on and checked bags, with no size limit. Spare lithium batteries must go in your carry-on, never a checked bag. The TSA officer has the final say, so pick a compact light that doesn’t look like a weapon.
Flashlights are one of the most useful accessories to have on hand for numerous occasions. Don’t leave yourself unprepared by having your flashlight confiscated before you even get on your flight. Below are the current TSA and FAA rules, how to pack the batteries, and the lights we recommend for your carry-on.
Why Carry a Flashlight on a Plane?
Some might ask why you would want to take a flashlight on a plane with you and why this is a common question. There’s no huge mystery to it. Flashlights are handy in multiple scenarios, including:
- Going camping, hiking, hunting, and other outdoor activities.
- You collect flashlights.
- You like to be prepared.
- Your job requires the use of flashlights.
- You’re afraid of the dark (and that’s okay!).
If you’re heading off on a camping trip for the weekend and only want to take carry-on luggage, you’ll want to do your homework first to make sure you’re carrying a flashlight that isn’t going to be seized from you by TSA.
Don’t risk being left in the dark or having to buy a new flashlight at your own expense because security doesn’t want to hear about your camping trip. It’s the TSA’s job to keep you and other passengers safe. The flashlight you bring on the flight mustn’t be seen as a risk to other people.
What are the Rules on Taking a Flashlight on a Plane?
The rules have been updated since we first wrote this article. TSA’s flashlight page, last updated July 14, 2026, gives flashlights a yes for carry-on bags and a yes for checked bags, with no size limit. It also says: “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.” The officer in front of you can pull anything they deem unsafe to passengers. Outside the US you may hear a flashlight called a torch, and the same airport rules apply to a torch in hand luggage.
Here are the rules for taking a flashlight on a plane:
- Flashlights are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage.
- A flashlight that is part of a multitool with a knife blade is prohibited in your carry-on. That kind goes in checked baggage.
- Any flashlight that looks like a weapon, like a self-defense light with a spiked striking bezel, can be pulled from your carry-on by the officer.
- Spare lithium batteries cannot go through checked luggage. They must travel with you in your carry-on, with the contacts covered.
- A flashlight with its battery installed is best kept in your carry-on. If it goes in a checked bag, it must be switched completely off and protected from turning on.
- Any flashlight can go through checked luggage if safely packed.
James from our team carried a B.A.M.F.F. 6.0, bludgeon tip and all, through TSA in his carry-on for the video above, and it made it through without a problem. In his words: “I fly with flashlights all the time and I’ve never had an issue with any of our tactical style flashlights.”
Can You Take a Rechargeable Flashlight on a Plane?
Yes. Most rechargeable flashlights run on a lithium ion battery. With the battery installed, the light can go in your carry-on, or in checked baggage if it’s switched completely off. Spare batteries are the ones with stricter rules, and here’s why. Lithium batteries have been known to cause fires if the battery is damaged or if the battery terminal is short-circuited. Flight crews are trained to handle a lithium battery fire in the cabin, which is why spares have to stay up there with you.
Each lithium ion battery is limited to 100 watt hours, which covers nearly every flashlight battery. A typical 18650 flashlight battery is around 7 to 13 watt hours. Bigger batteries, from 101 to 160 watt hours, need airline approval, and you can carry no more than two of them as spares. Non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries, like a CR123A, are limited to 2 grams of lithium each. Here’s the Federal Aviation Administration’s full list of battery rules for passengers, and our breakdown of the best flashlight battery if you’re shopping for one.
Consider STKR Concepts’ range of rechargeable flashlight batteries for your flashlight carry-on spare battery options.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tips on how to pack spare batteries in your carry-on:
- Keep them in their original packaging.
- Or place tape across the battery’s contacts.
- Or pack them snugly in a plastic bag or battery case.
- If your carry-on gets checked at the gate, take the spare batteries out and keep them with you.
What Are the Best Flashlights to Take on a Plane?
Going by the rules and sticking to something that you won’t have taken away from you, if carry-on is your preferred option, you’ll want a small, pocket-sized flashlight.
Don’t carry your pocket-sized flashlight through security in your pocket though. It goes in your carry-on bag or the bin. If you still have the original box for it, it might be a good idea to pack it away in that for good measure.
Don’t get caught in the time-consuming process of security having to check through your items because you’ve given them a reason to.
Here’s a list of smaller flashlights that are able to be carried onto a plane:
FLEXIT Pocket Light 4.0
A good example of what type of flashlight you shouldn’t have any issues with taking as carry-on luggage on your flight is the FLEXIT Pocket Light 4.0. It’s one of the two lights we recommend in the video because it has no sharp edges. It’s also lightweight, rechargeable, and small. If you’re still deciding what kind of light you want, here’s what a pocket light is and which one is best.
- 400 lumens.
- 4 modes: spotlight, floodlight, both together, and red light.
- Flexible head that bends 180 degrees.
- USB-C rechargeable 18650 lithium ion battery with a battery gauge.
- Clip, magnet, and hanging hook for hands-free light in a tent or a hotel room.
- IPX5 weather resistant and impact resistant.
- 6.3 inches in length.
B.A.M.F.F. Dual LED Flashlights
The B.A.M.F.F. is our tactical style flashlight and the other light from the video, the one James carried through TSA. The B.A.M.F.F. 6.0 he flew with puts out 600 lumens from two LEDs: a long distance spotlight and a wide floodlight.
- Long distance spotlight and wide area floodlight.
- 6 modes, including strobe and SOS.
- Runs on a rechargeable 18650 lithium ion battery or 3 AAA batteries.
- Tap to change tail switch.
- Pocket-sized design at 5.1 inches in length.
It does have a bludgeon tip for emergencies, and that’s the part an officer could question. James made it through with no problem, but the security team gets to decide on their terms whether or not your flashlight is considered safe for travel. If you’d rather not leave it up to them, pack it in your checked luggage, switched off, with any spare batteries in your carry-on.
LP-EDC 5.0 and LP-EDC+ 8.0 Flat Flashlights
If you want the lowest profile light in your bag, go flat. Our LP-EDC flashlights are 5.5 inches long and less than an inch thick, with a rechargeable battery. They slide into a pocket of your carry-on the same way your phone does. New to everyday carry? Here’s what an EDC flashlight is.
- LP-EDC 5.0: 500 lumens from dual CREE LEDs, with high, medium, low, and custom brightness.
- LP-EDC+ 8.0: an 800 lumen spotlight plus a side floodlight, and a red light mode for moving around a dark hotel room without waking anybody up.
- USB-C charging, like most current phones.
- Two magnetic mounting spots.
- IPX4 weather resistant.
SlimJIMMY Keychain Light
This one rides on your keys, so it goes through the X-ray bin right along with them. The SlimJIMMY is only 2.35 inches long, and it still hits 400 lumens on boost, plenty to find your car in a dark airport parking lot at midnight.
- 5 modes, from 5 lumens up to 400 lumens on boost.
- USB-C rechargeable.
- Two magnetic attachment points.
- IPX4 weather resistant.
- 2.35 inches in length.
Conclusion
Having a flashlight confiscated at the checkpoint is a frustrating way to start a trip, and it’s easy to avoid. TSA allows flashlights in carry-on and checked bags, spare lithium batteries go with you in the cabin, and the officer at the checkpoint makes the final call on anything that looks like a weapon.
Pack spare batteries with their contacts covered, put anything tactical in your checked baggage if you don’t want to leave it up to the officer, and pick a light that’s simple to explain. A FLEXIT Pocket Light or a flat LP-EDC in your carry-on, or a SlimJIMMY on your keys, will still be lighting up the campsite, the rental car, or the hotel hallway long after you step off the airplane. Safe travels.
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