Winter is in full swing, and people everywhere are making plans to escape the cold weather for a while and fly away to warmer locales. If you vape, you’re naturally going to want to travel with your vape gear – and that requires you to make a few special considerations.
If you tried flying with your vape gear in the past and received some funny looks from airport security, the good news is that things have really changed; you no longer have to worry about answering questions from people who have never seen a vape pen before. Everyone at the airport will know what your vape gear is, and if it’s packed correctly, you’ll experience no problems.
The bad news, however, is that trying to sneak a stealth hit while you’re on the plane is a serious no-no because everyone will know what you’re trying to do.
So, what’s it like to travel with your vape gear in 2020? This guide will explain what you need to know.
Know Airport Smoking Rules Before You Go
Most airports do not allow vaping except where smoking is allowed, and it’s your responsibility to learn the airport’s rules before you pull out your vape pen. Be aware that many airports have eliminated smoking entirely within their security perimeters. That means you’ll need to enjoy your last vape in an outdoor smoking area before you go through the security checkpoint. If you have a stopover at another airport before reaching your final destination, it might be necessary for you to leave the perimeter and go through security again if you want to vape. A few airports, however, do still have indoor smoking lounges and observation decks where vaping is allowed.
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Pack Your Vape Gear Properly
When you fly with your vape gear, your vaping device and batteries belong in your carry-on bag. That’s because the internal pressure change within the battery creates a slightly elevated risk of fire in the air. If a fire occurs during a flight, it needs to happen in the passenger cabin where flight staff can deal with it immediately. Don’t forget to turn your vaping device off before placing it in your bag.
Don’t put batteries in your checked baggage. If you travel with loose batteries, place the batteries in a protective carrier that prevents them from touching other metal objects.
Vape juice can safely travel in your checked luggage. When you put e-liquid in your checked bags, you can pack whatever quantity you like. You can also put e-liquid in your carry-on bag. If you do that, though, you’ll need to conform to TSA guidelines for liquids. E-liquid bottles placed in your carry-on bag should be 100 ml or smaller, and you’ll need to pack them in a single quart-sized zip-top bag with your other liquids.
Don’t Try to Vape on the Plane
As we mentioned above, today’s airline staff members know what vaping is, and they’re on the lookout for it. If you’re constantly bringing an object up to your mouth during the flight, people will know what you’re doing. Virtually every airline in the world forbids in-flight vaping – and that includes the bathroom. Do not, under any circumstances, try to vape on the plane. If you have a long flight, bring some nicotine gum or lozenges to keep your cravings under control.
Be Mindful of Elevation Changes
When you travel with your vape gear, your tanks and pre-filled pods will experience elevation changes. Air expands at high altitudes, and you need to be mindful of that because the expanding air can push the e-liquid out of a full tank. Empty all of your tanks before boarding the plane.
If you use a vaping device with pre-filled pods, it’s obviously not possible to empty the pods before you fly. You should know, however, that vape pods often tend to leak a bit at high elevations. If pods for your vaping device are available where you’re going, it’s a good idea to minimize the number of pods that you travel with and plan to buy extra pods when you reach your destination.
Are you traveling to a region where mountain driving is likely to be on your activity list? Even mountain elevations can be high enough to make a vape tank leak, and it’s extremely unpleasant to reach for your vaping device only to find that the tank has emptied its contents into your cup holder. If you’re driving at high elevations, you can minimize leaking by driving with your vape tank half empty.
Traveling Internationally? Learn the Local Vaping Laws
In the United States, most laws relating to vaping are similar to smoking laws – at least from the consumer’s point of view. You can vape where you can smoke, and you can buy vaping products at vape shops and wherever tobacco is sold. Many other nations, however, have laws that apply specifically to vaping – and in some cases, local laws are actually more permissive toward smoking than they are toward vaping.
Here are some things that you should consider before you travel internationally with your vape gear.
- Some nations have banned vaping entirely. At the time of writing, vaping is banned in India, Brazil, Singapore and Thailand.
- Some nations allow vaping but do not permit the sale of nicotine e-liquid. At the time of writing, Japan, Australia and Norway fall into this category. In some cases, however, nations that don’t allow the sale of nicotine e-liquid may still allow you to import vape juice for personal use.
- Some nations may forbid vaping in public or in cars. In general, you cannot vape in any place where you are not allowed to smoke.
Remember that it isn’t the responsibility of your destination country to explain the local vaping laws when you travel. Many international travelers have reported receiving fines when vaping in public, and others have had their vape gear confiscated at airports. Vaping is something that’s still developing and changing, and local laws and customs regarding vaping can change without notice. It’s your responsibility to learn the local laws before you go.
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