Travelling with a Laptop in 2026: Security, Customs, Batteries and the New Export Controls

The queue at Chicago O'Hare Terminal 3 security moves in fits and starts. Near the front, a passenger unpacks a laptop from its padded sleeve, places it in a separate tray, then hunts for the charger buried somewhere in a side pocket. Behind them, a dozen people wait. In the neighbouring PreCheck lane, a business traveller walks through with their bag closed, shoes on, laptop inside, and is out the other side in thirty seconds. The underlying rules governing that laptop — screening procedures, battery regulations, customs declarations and, increasingly, export controls — are more complex in 2026 than most frequent flyers appreciate. Getting them wrong can mean a missed connection, a confiscated device, or in serious cases, a criminal referral.

This guide covers every stage: from the security checkpoint to arrival customs, from lithium battery watt-hours to the chip-export rules that now affect a growing number of professional machines.

Security screening in 2026: what's changed and what hasn't

The rule that laptops must be removed from bags for X-ray screening has been in place in the United States since 2006, and was adopted by the UK and EU in the years that followed. In theory, CT (computed tomography) scanners — which create a full three-dimensional image of bag contents — have the resolution to eliminate the need for laptop removal. In practice, rollout has been slow and inconsistent.

In 2026, the position at major airports is broadly as follows:

• United States (TSA standard lanes): Laptops must still be removed and placed in a separate bin. This applies at virtually every US airport unless you hold TSA PreCheck, CLEAR Plus, or Global Entry, in which case your laptop stays in the bag. If you fly to the US more than three or four times a year, TSA PreCheck at $78 for five years pays for itself in time saved alone.
• United Kingdom: Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh have CT lanes at some security checkpoints where laptops may remain in the bag — look for lanes marked “CT screening” or “enhanced”. Where CT lanes are not available, or you are directed to a standard lane, the laptop must come out. Do not assume — check the signage and, if in doubt, remove the device proactively.
• European Union: Major hubs including Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt and Paris CDG have CT lanes in operation, but rollout across smaller airports is incomplete. The safest default remains: laptop out of the bag, in its own tray.
• UAE, Singapore, Japan: Most major airports here operate CT screening across all lanes and no longer require laptop removal. Singapore Changi and Dubai International have both confirmed full CT coverage for their security checkpoints as of early 2026.

Regardless of scanner type, a laptop that triggers an alert — either because of an unusual thermal signature or an unfamiliar internal configuration — may be held for secondary screening. Laptops with large external SSDs, docking attachments, or cooling pads can trigger this even at CT lanes. Keep accessories in an accessible pocket and expect the occasional pat-down.

Lithium batteries: the numbers that actually matter

Lithium-ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods under IATA regulations, which govern what airlines and airports will accept. The rules have not fundamentally changed in recent years, but they are widely misunderstood — particularly around spare and external batteries.

Battery capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh). You will find this figure printed on the battery itself (if removable) or listed in the technical specifications for your device. Here are the thresholds that determine what is and is not permitted:

• Under 100Wh: Permitted in carry-on baggage without any airline approval. Most consumer laptops — including 13-inch and 14-inch models from Apple, Dell, Lenovo and HP — fall in the 58–82Wh range. The 16-inch MacBook Pro sits at 99.6Wh, safely below the threshold.
• 100–160Wh: Permitted in carry-on only, and requires airline approval in advance. This bracket covers some larger gaming laptops and high-performance workstations. Contact your airline before travel — approval is routinely granted but must be on record.
• Over 160Wh: Prohibited on passenger aircraft in both carry-on and checked baggage. Laptops in this range are specialist professional or industrial devices; most travellers will never encounter this limit.

The critical rule that catches people out: spare and external batteries — including power banks — must always travel in carry-on, never in checked luggage. A power bank in a checked bag can be confiscated at any airport in the world, even if its capacity is well below 100Wh. The same applies to spare laptop batteries, if you carry one.

Laptops themselves may be placed in checked luggage, but airlines strongly discourage it — not because of a battery rule, but because of theft and damage risk. If you must check a laptop (for example on a flight with very limited carry-on space), power it down completely, wrap it well, and accept that baggage handlers are not particularly careful with fragile electronics. Most travellers who have done this once do not do it twice.

Customs: declaring a laptop when you arrive

Most travellers are surprised to learn that bringing a high-value laptop into certain countries can trigger a customs declaration requirement. The general principle in most jurisdictions is that goods for personal use and already owned before travel are exempt from import duties. A laptop you bought six months ago and are carrying for your own use does not need to be declared when arriving in France or Japan. The situation becomes more complicated in a handful of scenarios.

India applies strict customs rules to electronics brought into the country. Travellers arriving in India are permitted a duty-free allowance of INR 50,000 on personal electronics, but high-value laptops above this threshold — particularly professional workstations or recent MacBook Pro models — should technically be declared. In practice, customs officers at major airports exercise discretion for obvious tourists, but business travellers bringing multiple devices or units intended for corporate use should take the declaration route to avoid seizure at a later date.

Temporary import relief is available in many countries for business travellers who are bringing equipment for professional work rather than leaving it permanently. The ATA Carnet system — a document issued by your national chamber of commerce — provides a formal record that a device entered the country for temporary use and will leave with you. It is rarely needed for a single laptop used personally, but relevant if you are a professional carrying several high-value items for a conference or shoot.

China requires declaration of laptops and electronic equipment valued above a certain threshold, and customs officers at major airports have been known to inspect devices brought in by business travellers. The concern in this context is less about import duty and more about the device itself — which brings us to export controls.

Export controls: the rules that changed in 2026

Export controls on semiconductor technology have existed for decades, but the rules that affect travellers are relatively new. Since 2022, the United States Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has progressively tightened restrictions on the export of advanced computing hardware — initially aimed at preventing military end-use of high-performance chips, but increasingly broad in scope.

For most travellers carrying a standard consumer or business laptop, these controls are irrelevant. A MacBook Air, a Surface Pro, or a ThinkPad X1 Carbon does not contain controlled technology. The controls become relevant when you are travelling with:

• A laptop or workstation containing an advanced AI accelerator or GPU — for example, machines built around NVIDIA's H-series or A-series chips at the top end of the product range.
• A device that the manufacturer explicitly notes is subject to Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or has an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) other than EAR99.
• Multiple high-performance machines that could plausibly be interpreted as a commercial shipment rather than personal equipment.

The practical concern for travellers is travelling to countries on the Entity List or subject to comprehensive BIS controls — which currently includes China, Russia, Iran and a number of others. If you are a US person (or if your device was manufactured in the US) and you travel to one of these destinations with a controlled device, you may require an export licence even for a temporary trip. “Temporary export for personal use” exceptions exist but have conditions attached; if your work involves AI research or advanced computing and you are travelling to a restricted jurisdiction, consult your employer's legal counsel before departure.

The UK has its own parallel controls under the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) and the Strategic Export Controls lists. As of 2026, the UK rules largely mirror the US approach for advanced semiconductors, following the coordinated multilateral approach agreed at the 2023 and 2024 technology-export summits. If you are uncertain whether your device is subject to UK controls, the ECJU provides an online checker tool.

Practical checklist before you fly

• Find your battery's watt-hour rating. Look on the underside of the battery, in the device specs, or search “[model name] battery Wh”. If it is between 100 and 160Wh, contact your airline before booking and request approval in writing.
• Never pack a power bank in checked luggage. Move it to your carry-on the night before. This applies regardless of capacity.
• Know your destination's customs rules. If you are travelling to India or China with a high-value machine, either be prepared to declare it or carry proof of prior ownership (a purchase receipt with date is ideal).
• Research your airport's security setup. If you hold TSA PreCheck for US travel, confirm it is enrolled on your booking. For UK and EU airports, check whether CT lanes are available and plan enough time for the occasional secondary screening.
• Keep the device accessible in the overhead. On many longer flights, crew ask passengers to lower laptop screens during final approach. A laptop buried at the bottom of a bag under the seat means rummaging at an inconvenient moment — keep it in the overhead, in the outer compartment of your bag.
• Check your power adapters. A laptop is only useful if it can be charged. Use our power adapter lookup to confirm which plug type and voltage your destination uses before you pack.
• Export controls: if in doubt, ask before you travel. Your employer's legal or compliance team can confirm whether your specific device requires a licence for your destination. The consequences of getting this wrong — even innocently — can include device confiscation and personal liability. This is not a check to leave until the airport.

The bigger picture

For the vast majority of travellers, flying with a laptop is uncomplicated. Remove it at security if the signs say to, keep the power bank in the carry-on, and you are done. The more detailed considerations here — customs thresholds, export licence requirements, CT lane availability — matter mainly at the margins: business travellers crossing into restricted countries, researchers carrying specialist hardware, or anyone with a machine above the 100Wh battery threshold.

The pattern mirrors the connectivity picture we covered in our eSIM versus roaming guide: the default — doing nothing and hoping for the best — is almost always fine, right up until the one trip where it is not. Five minutes of research before departure is the entire cost of avoiding the exception.