Can You Bring A Speaker On A Plane: Audio Boxes Allowed
Carry-on, checked bag or not allowed
- Carry-on
- Allowed; best spot for battery speakers
- Checked bag
- Allowed
- Not allowed
- None
Contents
- Everything You Need To Know About Bringing A Speaker On A Plane
- Bringing My Bluetooth Speaker In My Checked Luggage
- Bringing Bluetooth Speaker In A Carry-On Bag
- Traveling With My Subwoofers As Checked/ Carry-on Luggage
- Traveling With A Soundbar Speaker As Checked Luggage
- Watch This!
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can You Pack Your Speakers In Carry-On?
- Can I Bring My JBL Speaker On My Next Flight?
- Why Do The FAA And TSA Prefer That You Carry Your Speakers In Your Carry-On Baggage?
- Conclusion
- Sources
Photo by Freekhou5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
We all love listening to music; therefore, we always carry our earphones whenever we listen to music or our speakers to entertain ourselves when we reach our destinations.
Unfortunately…
Several items passengers are not allowed to bring on a plane have left many wondering if they can carry their portable speakers or subwoofers. And if they can bring your wireless speakers onboard, can they be transported as checked luggage or part of their carry-on bag?
So in this article, we’ll try to answer the question “can you bring a portable speaker on a plane?” and elaborate more on the regulations set by the TSA.
Everything You Need To Know About Bringing A Speaker On A Plane
Can you bring a speaker on a plane? The short answer to this question is yes. Speakers are not on the list of prohibited items, but they still need to meet your airline’s size and weight limits.
According to the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), speakers are allowed in both carry-on and checked bags.
If your speaker has a battery, it also falls under FAA rules for portable electronic devices, which affect how you should pack it.
Speakers that are handy, like Bluetooth speakers, are usually allowed on the plane; you can include them in your in-hand luggage and take them to the plane with you. Airlines generally don’t let you play music out loud on board, so use your AirPods or wired headphones instead.
On the other hand, you can include the big and cumbersome speakers in the checked luggage. Even though these speakers are allowed on planes, the final decision to let anything into the airplane rests with airport security.
Bringing My Bluetooth Speaker In My Checked Luggage
You can pack a Bluetooth speaker in checked luggage, but the FAA recommends keeping it in your carry-on. That is because most Bluetooth speakers contain batteries that are a fire risk.
Most wireless Bluetooth speakers come with lithium-ion batteries, which pose a threat to the plane and the passengers under harsh conditions.
These batteries are known to smoke and under certain harsh conditions, they can even catch fire. The lithium-ion battery may be considered a stable power source, but it can easily burst into flames when it gets punctured or overheated.
A fire in the cabin can be spotted and handled quickly, while one inside a checked bag in the cargo hold is much harder to reach. That is why the FAA says devices containing lithium batteries should be carried in carry-on baggage, where flight crews are trained to respond.
If you do check a speaker with a built-in lithium battery, it must be completely powered off and protected from accidental activation or damage.
Spare lithium batteries and power banks are a different story: they are always prohibited in checked baggage. So, when traveling with any lithium-ion battery device, the carry-on is the better choice. Other than the danger these batteries pose, they are generally safer in your hand luggage; after all, the way checked goods are handled can result in them getting damaged or stolen.
Bringing Bluetooth Speaker In A Carry-On Bag
All portable speakers are usually allowed on the plane as carry-on luggage, but you must ensure they can fit in the overhead cabin or beneath the plane’s seat. As long as it meets the requirements of any carry-on luggage, then you won’t have any issue carrying it on the plane.
As aforementioned, all portable devices are considered carry-on luggage. A huge percentage of your electronic devices like cell phones and Bluetooth speakers, powered by lithium-ion batteries, are allowed into the plane. Even spare lithium-ion batteries have to be carried in your carry-on bags.
Huge speakers can also be considered hand luggage if they meet the weight and size requirements.
Traveling With My Subwoofers As Checked/ Carry-on Luggage
Subwoofers are speakers; therefore, they can be allowed on planes if they meet the weight and size requirements. This means that they should be able to fit in the plane’s overhead cabin or below the seat in front of you.
Most passive subwoofers don’t have lithium batteries, so they can usually travel in checked bags. If yours has a built-in battery, follow the same FAA rules as other battery-powered devices.
However, the presence of powerful magnets and their wiring can force the TSA to open and inspect them.
Subwoofers can get damaged while in transit, we recommend that you pack your subwoofer well and label it fragile.
Traveling With A Soundbar Speaker As Checked Luggage
Photo by Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yes, soundbars are generally long speakers that don’t threaten the plane or passengers; therefore, you can take them to the plane. But they must meet the required dimensions to be allowed on the plane.
Unlike a Bluetooth speaker, soundbars are too long; therefore, transporting them can be cumbersome since they can’t fit inside the plane’s overhead compartments. Therefore, you should contact the airline and find out if you can travel with your soundbar as a carry-on item, even though it’s not a portable speaker.
Due to their length and shape, these speakers can be easily destroyed during unloading and loading. Hence you have to find out if you can carry it as part of your carry-on luggage instead of checked luggage, where it can get damaged or, in the worst-case scenario, stolen.
Outdoor Speak: Bringing along a speaker depends entirely on the type you like to stuff inside your bag. However, have you experienced listening to airplane music already? If not, then read our post: How To Listen To Music On A Plane.
Watch This!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Pack Your Speakers In Carry-On?
Yes. Speakers are among the many things that you can carry on a plane. If they fit, then you can pack your portable speaker in your bag and place it beneath the seat in front of you or the overhead cabin. But if they are bigger and aren’t powered by a lithium-ion battery, you can transport them in your checked luggage.
Can I Bring My JBL Speaker On My Next Flight?
Yes, you can travel with your JBL speaker. At the security checkpoint, TSA officers may ask you to take it out of your bag for separate screening. Remember, you shouldn’t play it out loud on the aircraft.
Unfortunately, airlines have different regulations, so you can inquire about the airline’s regulations on JBL speakers before leaving your home.
Why Do The FAA And TSA Prefer That You Carry Your Speakers In Your Carry-On Baggage?
Despite not affecting the plane’s electronics, most Bluetooth speakers are powered by lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are considered a fire hazard and under certain conditions, they can explode and set the plane on fire.
Conclusion
Several things are prohibited on planes, but your Bluetooth speaker is not one of them. TSA allows them in carry-on and checked bags, but because most contain lithium-ion batteries, the FAA recommends keeping them in your carry-on. Subwoofers and soundbars are allowed too, as long as they meet your airline’s size and weight limits.
Sources
- Speakers (What Can I Bring?), Transportation Security Administration
- PackSafe: Portable Electronic Devices Containing Batteries, Federal Aviation Administration
