Complete Guide To Traveling As A Vaper

So...You Want To Travel With Your Vape, Eh?

Vaping is such an enjoyable pastime, and many former smokers actually credit vaping as the most helpful way to kick the habit. Naturally, a vaper’s box mod becomes a precious necessity and is carried in pockets and purses everywhere. Granted, there are some places where vaping is frowned upon or requires a designated area to use them, such as amusement parks, public beaches, subways, restaurants, etc.

But what happens when vapers want to travel on an airplane? A pack of cigarettes doesn’t pose a problem going through security, and matches or lighters can be found at any convenience store upon arrival. But a metal box mod with lithium ion batteries, a fragile glass tank, and a glass/plastic bottle of e-liquid suddenly becomes a lot more stressful to travel with.

This article looks to alleviate some of that stress by explaining in depth the do’s and don'ts of traveling with your trusty vape. Let’s get started!

Taking Your Vape Hardware On a Plane

You might think that the easiest solution to traveling with a vape would be to put it in your checked luggage; out of sight, out of mind. But the TSA states on their website that all vape pens, mods, and batteries must be placed in your carry-on luggage. I thought that was weird until someone pointed out that if your batteries explode or catch fire, the airline won’t know who started it. But if it’s in your carryon, you can know immediately if they start to smoke or you smell something burning, rather than to land and discover the entire cargo area is destroyed. To avoid this, simply remove the batteries from the mod or ensure your mod is completely turned off when you enter the airport.

Taking Your Vape eLiquid On a Plane

TSA guidelines strictly enforce the limit of 100mL liquids of all carryon items. While most of us think this only applies to shampoos, colognes, or water bottles, vape juice falls into that category as well. Keep in mind that some vape bottles come in both glass and plastic, and that several of the plastic bottles can be as large as 120mL. If you’re traveling with both carryon and checked bags, simply pack your larger bottles in with your carryon. Just make sure the lid is screwed on tightly or sealed in a plastic bag. Otherwise you’ll arrive at your destination with a sweet and sticky mess all over your suitcase!

Charging Your Device On A Plane

It’s very tempting to charge your vape batteries via the USB cord on the plane, especially if it’s a long flight, but flight regulations ban this practice due to safety reasons. Obviously if something is wrong with your device, a simple spark could ignite the entire vape and cause the battery to explode. A visit from the sky marshal isn’t something you’ll want to deal with on your flight, so wait until you reach your destination before attempting to charge your drained batteries.

Vaping On A Plane

Frequent flyers have undoubtedly seen signs in airplanes and throughout the cabin the prohibit smoking on an aircraft. This includes e-cigarettes and vape kits as well. I remember the first time I went to California, the 6 hour flight had me craving a sweet-scented cloud and it was extremely tempting to take a puff in the airplane bathroom. Thankfully, I waited until we landed in LA and that delicious cloud tasted like heaven. What I found out later is that fire alarms are installed in airplane toilets, ready to bust rebels at the first hint of smoke. While it doesn’t usually happen, there are indeed instances of people getting caught smoking and the end result is not pretty.

For example, Qatar Airways are merciless if any passenger is caught using e-cigarettes, leading to arrests and even jail time for something seemingly harmless. British Airways used to sell e-cigs for the comfort of their flyers, but due to updated regulations, banned the on-board sale of e-cigs for flights to Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. An airline called RyanAir allows you to purchase something called a “smokeless cigarette” to tame the nicotine craving. The general consensus is that they’re quite terrible, and not worth the money and taste you sacrifice to get your nicotine hit.

Leaky Tank On A Plane

We mentioned in our last article how to avoid a leaky tank while traveling. Since the air pressure changes drastically while flying, consider emptying your tank out in an airport bathroom before boarding the plane. While it does waste some perfectly good e-liquid, the peace of mind about a leak-free tank is worth a few drops of e-liquid. The last thing you want to deal with after a long flight is not being able to vape as soon as you leave the airport doors.

Vaping In Airports

I had the pleasure of traveling to California last year to attend my brother’s wedding. It was the first time I’d been on such a long flight (6 hours) and I wanted to get one last puff in before I boarded the plane. I looked around trying to find a smoking area (amusement parks, concert halls, and public parks usually have signs), but was startled to find there were none. I asked a passing airport worker, and he said the only way to smoke or vape would be to exit the airport building, have my “smoke break” and then pass all the way through security again. As my flight was leaving in a few minutes, it was dismaying to learn that I couldn’t have my final puff before boarding. Vaping in airports was once allowed alongside smoking areas, but I can only assume the complaints of billowing clouds caused security to ban the use of vape devices indoors. However, there are a few airports that allow you to vape indoors.

Going Through Security With Your Vape

We mentioned earlier that in order to travel with your vape, you must use your carryon luggage. This means going through the security; keep in mind, you may get stopped. Many TSA workers are still getting used to the wide variety of vape shapes and sizes. The Smok Mag is actually shaped like the barrel of a gun and vape batteries have been mistaken for bullets as they go through the TSA scanners. For those of you who like to build your coils, consider packing your pliers and wire (and anything else sharp and metallic) in your checked luggage.

Traveling Abroad with Your Vape

For most of us, traveling within the United States with a vape is pretty simple. Empty out your tank before flying, remove the batteries, store your vape juice in a plastic bag, and that’s it! But there are several countries that have outright banned the possession or use of a vape or traveling with it (i.e. Dubai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and others). Be sure to do your research as to each country’s e-cig and e-liquid rules before bringing your vape. Some vape setups can cost over $100, and are extremely customizable. Having that precious vape setup confiscated is not the way you want to start a vacation or business trip. Keep in mind that while cigarettes are usually readily available and widely accepted, the rest of the world is still getting used to vape and huge clouds. You may run into people with aggressive attitudes, cruel words, and even threats about your vape. This isn’t to scare you from traveling with your vape, but rather to keep you informed and aware of potential problems. If you’re curious about the countries that outright ban vs. simply using vaping equipment, you can check out this complete and extremely extensive list here.

Conclusion

Hopefully this list has been helpful to those of you concerned with traveling with your vape. For the most part, traveling within the US is simple enough. I’ve gotten stopped twice before, but only because my vape bottles were over 120mL and I had forgotten to only bring 100mL bottles. It’s strongly advised to remove your batteries from your mod before you go through security and board the plane. Most batteries come with a hard plastic case, which comes in handy when you’re looking to travel with multiple sets of batteries.

As long as you know what to expect when you’re going through security, there’s no cause for stress or anxiety. TSA workers see vapes hundreds if not thousands of times a day, especially with how popular vaping has become. If you’ve had an experience with traveling through security with your vape, let us know your story in the comments below! If you have more questions that weren’t covered here, we can always be reached via our phone number or email. Here at eJuice.deals, our customers are our top priority, and we’d be glad to help you with whatever concerns you may have! Good luck on your traveling adventures and enjoy your smooth and puffy clouds wherever you go!