Flying Emirates, Etihad, flydubai or Air Arabia? What You Can and Can’t Pack in Your Baggage
By Thasmiya
Packing for a flight from the UAE can be confusing. Your laptop may be fine in your cabin bag, a bottle of shampoo may need to go into checked luggage, and a power bank that seems harmless can cause problems if you pack it in the wrong place.
If you are flying with Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai or Air Arabia, there are important rules covering **power banks, batteries, liquids, electronics, medicines, sharp objects, aerosols and other restricted items**.
While many rules are similar across UAE airlines, there are some airline-specific differences worth knowing before you reach the airport.
## **The easiest rule to remember**
Before packing, think of your baggage in three categories.
**Cabin baggage:** Passport, valuables, phones, laptops, essential medicines and permitted power banks generally belong here.
**Checked baggage:** Larger toiletries, permitted liquids over 100ml, many sharp objects and other items that cannot pass through cabin security may belong here, subject to airline rules.
**Do not pack at all:** Explosives, fireworks, dangerous chemicals, certain gases, disabling sprays and other dangerous goods are generally prohibited.
Your destination or transit country can impose additional restrictions, so airline rules are only part of what you need to check.
## **Power banks: Do not put them in checked baggage**
This is one of the most important rules for UAE travellers.
Power banks are treated as spare lithium batteries and generally **must be carried in cabin baggage rather than checked luggage**.
However, the exact limits differ between airlines.
## **Emirates power bank rules**
Emirates introduced stricter power-bank rules from October 1, 2025.
Passengers may carry **one power bank below 100Wh**. The capacity rating must be clearly visible on the device.
The power bank must be kept in cabin baggage and cannot be placed in checked luggage.
There is another important rule once you board: the power bank **cannot be stored in the overhead locker**. It must be kept in the seat pocket or in a bag underneath the seat in front of you.
Passengers are also prohibited from using the power bank to charge another device during the flight or charging the power bank using the aircraft’s power supply.
## **Etihad power bank rules**
Etihad Airways also requires power banks and spare batteries to remain out of checked baggage.
Etihad’s current baggage guidance says power banks should be carried in the cabin, with restrictions applying according to battery capacity. Smart bags must also meet specific battery requirements.
For smart luggage, a removable battery or power bank must be taken out before the bag is checked and carried in the cabin instead.
## **flydubai power bank rules**
flydubai allows power banks in hand baggage but not checked baggage.
Its current guidance says power banks above **100Wh are prohibited onboard**. The airline’s cabin-baggage page also advises passengers to remove power banks and spare batteries if a cabin bag has to be checked in.
## **Air Arabia power bank rules**
Air Arabia currently permits passengers to carry a maximum of **two power banks**, each with a maximum capacity of 100Wh.
They must be in cabin baggage and cannot be placed in the overhead lockers. Instead, they must be kept in the seat pocket or in a bag that fits underneath the seat.
They cannot be used to charge devices onboard, cannot themselves be charged during the flight and must remain switched off.
Power banks are prohibited in checked baggage.
## **Can you carry liquids in cabin baggage?**
Yes, but the familiar **100ml rule** remains important.
For cabin baggage, liquids, gels, creams, pastes and aerosols generally need to be in individual containers with a capacity of no more than 100ml.
A 200ml bottle containing only 50ml of shampoo can still be rejected because security considers the size of the container, not simply how much is left inside.
flydubai, for example, requires containers of no more than 100ml to be placed inside a single transparent resealable bag with a maximum capacity of one litre. Etihad similarly permits common liquids such as drinks, creams, cosmetics, perfumes and gels in the cabin subject to the 100ml limit.
Exceptions can apply to essential medicines, baby food and certain special dietary requirements, subject to screening and supporting documentation where required.
## **What about shampoo, perfume and toiletries?**
Small containers of shampoo, perfume, creams, toothpaste and similar products can normally travel in cabin baggage when they comply with liquid-security limits.
Larger containers should generally go into checked baggage.
There are still limits on certain aerosols and toiletries in checked luggage. For example, Air Arabia currently limits permitted toiletries and aerosols in checked baggage to a combined 2kg or 2 litres per passenger, with each individual item limited to 0.5kg or 0.5 litres.
## **Where should you pack your laptop?**
For most travellers, the cabin bag is the safest place for laptops, tablets, cameras and other valuable electronics.
Etihad specifically recommends carrying personal devices such as phones and laptops in the cabin. flydubai advises against placing computers, personal electronic devices, valuables and important documents in checked luggage.
Electronic devices containing lithium batteries can be subject to additional battery-capacity and safety requirements.
## **Can you pack spare batteries?**
Spare lithium batteries generally belong in **cabin baggage only**.
Their terminals should be protected against short circuits, particularly when batteries are loose.
Air Arabia, for example, permits spare lithium-ion batteries up to 100Wh under its normal cabin-baggage conditions and requires them to be individually protected. flydubai similarly applies limits to lithium batteries and portable electronic devices.
Larger batteries may require airline approval or may be prohibited entirely.
## **What about smart luggage?**
Smart suitcases containing built-in batteries require extra attention.
The rules depend on whether the battery is removable, its capacity and whether you are checking the bag or taking it into the cabin.
Air Arabia says that when smart baggage is checked, its battery must be removed and carried in cabin baggage. Smart luggage with a non-removable lithium battery is not accepted as checked baggage.
Etihad similarly permits qualifying smart bags only under specific battery conditions and prohibits smart bags with certain non-removable or oversized batteries.
Do not assume that every USB-equipped suitcase can automatically be checked in.
## **Can you carry knives and sharp objects?**
Knives and many other sharp objects should not be placed in cabin baggage.
This can include larger scissors, box cutters, blades, tools and other objects that could potentially be used as weapons.
Etihad lists knives, meat cleavers, open razor blades, swords, scalpels and scissors with blades longer than 6cm among sharp objects prohibited from normal cabin carriage but permitted in checked baggage under its stated rules.
flydubai’s cabin restrictions similarly cover knives, box cutters, corkscrews, tools, drills, hammers, saws and several other sharp or potentially dangerous objects.
Always check the exact item before travelling because restrictions vary according to its design and size.
## **What should never go in either bag?**
Dangerous goods are subject to strict restrictions.
Common examples include explosives, fireworks, gunpowder, flammable fuels, certain compressed gases, toxic chemicals, corrosive substances and radioactive materials.
Pepper spray and similar incapacitating devices are also prohibited by several airlines.
flydubai, for example, prohibits items including fireworks, flammable liquids, butane and propane, poisons, corrosive substances and radioactive materials from normal passenger baggage.
Do not try to move an item into checked luggage simply because airport security will not allow it in the cabin. Some items are prohibited from **both**.
## **Can you travel with medicine?**
Most ordinary medicines can be carried, but prescription drugs and liquid medication may require extra documentation.
Etihad recommends carrying necessary medicines and medical equipment in the cabin together with a prescription or doctor’s letter.
Travellers should also check the medicine laws of their destination. A medication legally available in the UAE may be controlled elsewhere, and the reverse can also apply.
If you are travelling with controlled medication, check the relevant government requirements before arriving at the airport.
## **Can you carry e-cigarettes and vapes?**
Airline baggage rules generally require electronic cigarettes and personal vaporisers to be carried in the cabin rather than checked luggage because they contain batteries.
Etihad states that e-cigarettes are permitted only in cabin baggage and cannot be used onboard. flydubai similarly requires electronic smoking devices to remain in hand baggage, switched off and protected against accidental activation. Air Arabia also permits them in carry-on baggage but not checked luggage.
However, travellers must separately comply with the laws governing vaping products at their destination.
## **Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia rules are not identical**
The biggest mistake is assuming that because an item was accepted on one UAE airline, another airline must accept it too.
For example, current power-bank rules differ noticeably. Emirates permits one qualifying power bank under 100Wh, while Air Arabia currently permits up to two qualifying power banks of no more than 100Wh each. Storage and onboard-use restrictions also apply.
Rules can also differ for drones, sports equipment, smart bags, food products, Zamzam water and other special baggage.
## **Your destination matters too**
Airline approval does not automatically mean an item can legally enter your destination country.
Customs, aviation-security and import rules can impose additional restrictions on food, medicines, alcohol, tobacco products, batteries, drones and other goods.
Transit airports can also have their own security requirements.
If your itinerary involves multiple airlines, check the rules of **every carrier operating your journey**, not only the airline shown at the top of your booking.
## **Quick packing checklist before your UAE flight**
Keep your passport, valuables, medicines, phone, laptop and permitted power bank in your cabin baggage.
Move larger permitted toiletries and liquids into checked baggage.
Never place a power bank or loose spare lithium battery in checked luggage.
Keep sharp objects out of cabin baggage unless your airline specifically confirms that the particular item is permitted.
Check the Wh rating printed on batteries and power banks.
Check smart luggage before packing to make sure its battery complies with airline rules.
Review destination-specific restrictions for medicines, food, drones and other regulated items.
Finally, check your airline’s baggage page again shortly before departure, because safety policies can change.
## **Why this matters**
A packing mistake can mean more than having an item confiscated at airport security.
Certain dangerous or restricted goods may prevent a bag from being accepted, cause delays at check-in or require passengers to repack their luggage before travelling.
The simplest rule is to treat **power banks, batteries, liquids and electronics** as items that deserve a final check before every flight.
If you are flying Emirates, Etihad, flydubai or Air Arabia, spending a few minutes reviewing your airline’s latest baggage restrictions before leaving home can save a much bigger headache at the airport.
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