📹 Action camera

Spare lithium batteries — including those for GoPros and similar action cameras — are prohibited in checked baggage and must travel in carry-on only. If screeners or airline staff discover loose spare lithium batteries in a checked bag at the airport, they will be removed. The camera itself can go in either carry-on or checked baggage, but spares must be with you in the cabin.

The prohibition on spare lithium batteries in checked baggage is a global aviation safety standard adopted by the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and most other countries — it is not a US-only rule. The underlying concern is the fire risk from lithium cells in an unmonitored cargo hold. Enforcement is consistent, and airlines worldwide train staff to catch this at check-in and bag drop.

Airlines most often catch this at the check-in counter or bag drop when agents remind passengers of the lithium battery policy, rather than at the security checkpoint. If you check a bag with spare batteries inside, a screener or ramp agent may flag it before the bag is loaded. The safest approach is to remove all spare batteries from your camera bag before checking it and transfer them to your carry-on.

Keep the camera and all spare batteries in your carry-on, with batteries stored in a small case or their original packaging to prevent short-circuiting. If your carry-on gets gate-checked due to overhead bin space, retrieve the spare batteries from the bag before handing it over — this is a situation that catches many travelers off guard. The camera itself is fine to gate-check, but the batteries must stay with you.