When vape devices and e-cigarettes first came out, there weren’t any rules in place to regulate their use. In fact, one of the main draws of these devices is that they don’t come with the same lingering smell that cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products do.
As vaping has become more and more popular, legislation and regulations for vape use, sale, and transportation have been introduced in most places. But not all of these rules are the same and so it can be difficult to know what is and is not allowed when you are looking at travelling.
Can I Bring a Vape on a Plane?
The short answer to the question can I bring a vape on a plane is yes, but only in your carry-on luggage. While individual airports and airlines have their own specific rules about the number of vape devices and how much e-liquid you can bring, the guidelines set by both The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Transportation Security Administration in the United States are pretty straightforward.
The CATSA states that vape devices and electronic cigarettes need to be placed in carry-on luggage and that the amount of e-liquid you can bring cannot exceed 100 mL. In the U.S. the TSA is much more concerned with the batteries in your device than your vape juice. They have a specific limitation of 100 Watt-hours and a lithium content of 2 grams for any vape battery, so long-lasting disposables might not be allowed on an American flight.
The reason for these rules is devices that contain lithium batteries could get activated in the cargo hold and potentially malfunction during flight, which poses a serious safety risk. This is extremely important to keep in mind if you are ever forced to have your carry-on baggage checked at the gate as you will need to remove any devices with lithium batteries in them and transfer them to other carry-on bags that you are allowed to take on with you. Vape mods that use regular disposable batteries can go in either your checked bags or your carry-on, but as with all valuables, you probably want to keep it with you in your carry-on regardless.
As for your e-liquids and vape juices, those can be stored in your checked baggage, in fact, it’s likely what you will need to do if the container is larger than 3 oz. If you are bringing pods with you, these can go in either your checked luggage or in your carry-on bags, but it might be wise to have them in your liquids bag if they fit.
While your vape device needs to come with you in your carry-on bags, you still cannot vape on a plane, not even in the bathroom. The smoke detectors in airplane bathrooms are becoming more and more sensitive and can detect vapour as it is denser than air. If you are caught vaping on a plane you could be arrested and force an emergency landing, all of the associated fines and fees for which you would be responsible.
Simply put, yes you can bring your vape devices and e-cigarettes onto planes, but it is flat out not worth the risk to attempt to vape while you’re on the plane.
Is Vaping Legal Where I’m Going?
Another thing to consider before you even get on the plane is whether or not vaping is legal where you’re going. There are 47 countries around the world where e-cigarettes and vaping devices are banned.
That’s not to say that you’ll be arrested for bringing your own vape into the country, but that’s not to say you won’t be hassled over it either. In Brunei, for example, using a vape device outside of a designated smoking area can come with a fine of up to $500 USD. In parts of Malaysia, there are even punishments for vaping in parks, public buildings, and at gas stations with a fine of up to $2,300 and as much as two years in prison. In some other places, like Egypt, Mexico, UAE, Turkey, and Norway, your vapes may be confiscated at customs.
If you are travelling to Singapore you are also likely to have your vapes confiscated, but you can also receive up to a $5,000 fine if you manage to get one through and are caught vaping. Taiwan takes vaping seriously, handing out large fines and prison sentences for violations of the ban, but the most punitive vape ban is in Thailand where the maximum sentence can be 10 years in prison plus heaps of fines.
Do your research before you head to the airport, or even before you book your trip. Ask yourself if you can feasibly go without for the length of your trip, look into other alternatives that may be legal in the country you’re going to like nicotine patches, gums, or other cessation devices.
Can I Vape on a Cruise?
Bringing a vape on a cruise ship is fairly similar to bringing it onto an airplane. Once you’ve made sure that you can legally bring your vape with you to all of your port destinations, simply follow the directions and guidelines laid out by the cruise line itself.
As with storing vape devices in checked luggage on airplanes, you’ll also want to avoid packing your vape into any bags that you will not be handling yourself. The safest bet is to keep your vape with you in your personal bags like a purse or backpack that you will keep with you as you board.
There aren’t any cruise ships that have designated vaping only areas so you will be expected to use the designated smoking areas. Nearly all cruise lines, including the big three - Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian - prohibit smoking and vaping aboard the ship except in these designated areas. A few cruise lines like Holland America and Princess Cruises allow vaping in their staterooms but not elsewhere on the ship aside from the designated smoking areas and a number of others like Olsen Cruise Line and Costa Cruises allow you to vape or smoke on your balcony.
The fine for vaping outside of designated areas on a cruise ship can be quite steep and are usually the same as those for smoking. These fines are almost always hundreds of dollars with the potential to be removed from the ship if you continue to violate the smoking and vaping rules.
Once again, it’s just not worth it to vape on a cruise ship where you’re not supposed to. The good news is, there are places on nearly if not all cruise ships where you will be able to vape, you just might be sharing it with smokers as well.
The STLTH Pod System Makes Travel Easy
Bringing a vape with you when you travel requires some special attention, but the STLTH pod system makes it easy to safely, securely, and effectively travel with your vape to keep you working towards your goal of becoming nicotine free.
STLTH pods come prefilled so you don’t have to take up a ton of space in your liquids bag or checked luggage with e-liquid refill bottles, just pop a few extra pods in your carry-on and you’re good to go.
The pods easily detach from the STLTH battery so you can safely store your device during flight. Since all STLTH batteries are draw activated, the device is considered to be off when no pod is attached.
With the STLTH pod system, you can travel with ease and peace of mind knowing all you have to do is pop your vape pod back into the battery when you land and you can enjoy your vacation, work trip, or whatever else calls you to travel without worrying about refills.