Can you fly with lighters? It’s a fair question. There is a lot of information out there on the subject of flying with lighters. Some of the information is outdated and some info is just plain myth. My goal with this post is to make it clear what kind of lighters you CAN fly with. I am going to be specifically going over four different types of lighters in this post.
If you’re looking for information on matches or any other types of flammable stuff, this post isn’t for you. As I said, this is all about answering the question about flying with lighters. To give you a quick answer to this question we’ve put a quick reference of short answers. You can find them at the bottom of the post. The information I used from the TSA is dated August 2020.
Before we go any further, I am talking specifically about air travel in the US unless otherwise noted. Basically, though, the rules and laws for air travel are the same all around the world. With that being said, I used information from the FAA and TSA located in the US.
What The US Authorities Say About Flying With Lighters
Before we get into any of that, I want to explain that there are two sets of regulations. The first is the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA for short. The second is the Transportation Security Administration or TSA for short.
Here is what the TSA has to say about bringing a lighter on airplanes.
This is what the FAA has to say about flying with lighters.
Let’s jump into this by breaking down what lighters can you fly with.
Can You Fly with Disposable Lighters?
First up, we have disposable lighters.
Disposable lighters are basic lighters made out of plastic. BIC, clipper, and most gas station lighters would also be in the disposable category of lighters. According to the FAA and TSA, you can fly with 1 disposable absorbed fuel lighter in the cabin of the aircraft. That is, as long as it stays in your pocket or in a carry-on bag.
So, YES you can fly with a disposable lighter.
You are also able to bring 2 disposable lighters in your checked luggage under certain conditions:
They must be completely empty of fuel They are in a DOT-approved case.
Why would anyone carry an empty disposable in their luggage? Who knows, but at least you know that you can if you want to.
Next up we have Zippo lighters.
Can You Fly With A Zippo Lighter On A Plane?
When it comes to Zippo lighters, the same rules apply to disposable lighters and vice versa. It may not make much sense to you, but the TSA sees Zippos as “absorbed fuel” lighters.
So, YES you can fly with a zippo lighter.
When the TSA and FAA say “Zippo lighters” they don’t mean just the Zippo brand. They are simply talking about the style of Zippo-style lighters. You know, metal flip-top lighters that use lighter fluid and flint.
Also, I should mention Zippo torch inserts here. Just because you’ve got a zippo case doesn’t mean you can fly with a torch insert inside. I go into that a little further down the post.
Ok, Zippos and disposable lighters are good to go. Now let’s jump into electronic lighters.
Can you bring an Electronic Lighter on a plane?
What does the TSA consider to be an electronic lighter? It’s a good and fair question.
The TSA considers Arc Lighters, Plasma Lighters, Electronic Lighters, E-Lighters, flux lighters, Tesla Lighters, and coil lighters all the same thing.
You Can Fly With An Electronic Lighter If:
- Unintentional activation is prevented by the traveler. Lithium batteries in lighters must be less than 100wh and contain less than 2 grams of lithium.
What they mean by “unintentional activation” is removing the battery, using a safety lock, or putting it in a case. According to the TSA, you may NOT bring electronic lighters in checked baggage.
I have seen comments and posts where people have said they put their e-lighters in an approved case and had no problems. It was only a few years ago that flying with an e-lighter wasn’t a problem. I guess times have changed. The bottom line is that it’s up to the TSA agent checking your lighter who decides if you can take it on the airplane.
Can you bring a Torch Lighter on a plane?
So, this is where it gets a little confusing. The FAA says one thing and the TSA says another. According to the TSA, you can NOT fly with torch lighters and are NOT allowed in carry-on bags or checked baggage. On the other hand, the FAA, as of May 2018, says torch lighters are okay in checked baggage as long as they are in DOT-approved containers.
Unless you are flying on a private jet and aren’t subject to the TSA you should be ok. The majority of us are going to have to go through a TSA checkpoint.
According to the TSA:
they have the final say if your lighter will be confiscated or allowed to fly with you. With that being said, I think it a good idea to leave them at home.
You could always mail your cigar torch in advance, but that seems like a bit too much work. When it comes to traveling with torch lighters, you can find many posts where people have taken their lighters with them without a problem.
I do have to say that the information on the FAA site is older than the information on the TSA site. I would recommend that you follow TSA guidelines, or at least verify with them before you travel. There is a PDF from 2013 in reference to FAA regulations on flying with lighters but seems to be outdated.
So why are torch lighters banned on airplanes? I wrote up a specific post about this issue getting info from the TSA.
A Quick Reference Guide:
Disposable Lighters
carry on: yes
checked baggage: in an approved case
Zippos
carry on: yes
checked baggage: in an approved case
Torch Lighters / Jet Torch Lighters
carry on: no
checked baggage: no
E Lighters / Plasma Lighters
carry on: no
checked baggage: no
In Conclusion
The bottom line on flying with lighters in the US, the TSA has the authority to confiscate anything they think may be a security risk. Even if the item is normally allowed. Airlines also have the right to deny items in carry-on and checked baggage regardless of what it is. My best advice would be when in doubt ask the airline or the TSA.
If there is still doubt in your mind just don’t take a lighter that might get confiscated. I hope this answers your question. We would love to hear from you! Do you have any stories about flying with lighters? If you do please share any information you’ve got! For any questions or comments, you can head over to the contact page.
