TSA Rules · Updated October 4, 2026
Can You Bring Headphones on a Plane?
Usually yes; battery rules apply. TSA permits headphones, but wireless devices must meet battery-safety limits. Keep lithium-ion charging cases and power banks in your carry-on. Carrying the headphones in the cabin is also recommended.
The rules
Carry-on essentials
Move through the airport fast and keep everything in its place from gate to gate.
Headphones and charging cases: packing rules
| Type | Carry-on | Checked | The rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wired headphones | Yes | Yes | TSA permits them; screening and airline rules still apply |
| Wireless over-ear | Yes | Yes | Installed batteries must meet FAA limits and checked-device safeguards |
| Wireless earbuds | Yes | Yes | Headphones may be checked if battery conditions are met; keep a lithium-ion charging case in carry-on |
| Lithium-ion charging case | Yes, within limits | No | FAA lists lithium-ion charging cases with spare batteries and power banks: carry-on only |
The official word
Straight from TSA
“Headphones are allowed in carry-on and checked bags.”
TSA, What Can I Bring · verified July 2026
Before the checkpoint
Battery handling and in-flight headphone use
Installed lithium batteries must meet size limits. Checked devices need protection from damage and accidental activation and normally must be fully off, not asleep. US rules exempt devices at or below 2.7 Wh lithium-ion or 0.3 g lithium-metal content from the shutdown requirement; other conditions still apply.
Long flights are better with your own noise-cancelling pair than the airline’s thin freebies.
Eligible headphones can be checked under battery rules. Lithium-ion charging cases, spare lithium batteries and separate power banks must remain in the cabin, including when a carry-on is gate-checked.
FAQ
Headphones on flights: common questions
Can you bring headphones on a plane?
Can wireless headphones with batteries go in checked luggage?
Can you use headphones during the flight?
Do headphone charging cases have battery limits?
Sources: TSA: What Can I Bring · FAA battery and charging-case rules · 49 CFR 175.10 · Battery guidance checked October 3, 2026; original review July 2026