You can bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane, but you need to pack it in your carry-on luggage, not a checked bag. Portable electronics are allowed on airplanes but must be in your carry-ons if they have a lithium-ion battery.
This post will examine if you can bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane. I’ll tell you why this is allowed and what you need to keep in mind if you plan on traveling with your Switch. I’ll also provide some other relevant information.
Let’s get flying.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- You can bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane, and this device falls under the category of portable electronics for most airlines.
- If you are using a battery pack with your switch, you need to keep it in your carry-on luggage because lithium-ion batteries are only allowed in a plane’s cabin and not underneath storage.
- Keeping the Switch in your carry-on luggage will also make it easier to deal with any issues that arise from bringing it through security.
Can You Bring a Nintendo Switch on a Plane?
If you want to travel with your Nintendo Switch, you’re in luck because you can bring this device with you on a plane. Portable gaming devices like the Switch are allowed by nearly every airline, so you can bring it along for the ride no matter where you are headed.
To bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane, you must ensure it’s in your carry-on luggage. If you put it in your checked bag, there’s a chance it might be confiscated for safety reasons, which I’ll break down in the sections below.
Other than bringing it in your carry-on, there isn’t much else you need to know about flying with your Nintendo Switch. It’s a very portable device, making it easy to bring with you on the move, and it can fit nicely into a travel bag.
Whether you want to play games on the play or just at your destination, you need to keep the Switch in your carry-on luggage. That’s important because you don’t want the device taken from you as you travel.
Nintendo Switch Airplane Ban
You might have heard about a Nintendo Switch airplane ban. But there isn’t actually a ban from taking your Switch on a plane. The ban relates to how you pack the console, and it relates to many other devices as well.
Nearly every airline prohibits you from packing anything with a lithium-ion battery in your checked baggage. This safety issue relates to these types of batteries catching fire in flight. It is rare, but it is possible.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in just about every type of portable electronic device. From laptops to cameras to video game consoles, these batteries power our modern world and make life very convenient.
But they are a little dangerous if they overheat or malfunction. There are examples of these batteries catching fire and damaging an airplane. And that’s why they are banned from being in your checked bag.
Nintendo Switch Airplane Mode
The Nintendo Switch comes with a Flight Mode feature that is basically the same thing as Airplane Mode that you might be familiar with on your smartphone. This is an important function and safety feature during flight.
Using Flight Mode on your Nintendo Switch prevents the device from putting out signals that might interfere with the communication or operations of the plane. It’s a safety feature that is required by some airlines.
Flight Mode is easy to access and turn on from the settings menu of a Nintendo Switch. And it’s a good thing to activate while you are in flight. The chances of the Switch posing any problems is rare, but they can happen.
Chances are, no one from the flight crew will make you put the Switch into flight mode. But you should still do it anyway. They will make a statement over the airline speaker to put all portable electronics into this mode around takeoff.
Do I Need a Travel Case for the Nintendo Switch?
Unless you plan to take your switch with you carrying the box it came in, thereby announcing your possession of the console to anyone who sees it, you might want to find a more elegant solution.
Though the switch is said to be relatively durable and able to survive a number of drops, you still probably don’t want to tempt fate. You also wouldn’t want scratches on the screen, as they can be distracting while playing in handheld mode.
When deciding on which case you want to purchase, you’re going to need to make a decision on how exactly you’re going to be using the console while traveling.
Are you going to keep the joy-cons attached, or are you going to remove them for two-player play or gyro features? How many game cartridges do you plan on taking with you?
Deciding on these things early will shape your decision on which case will be right for you and save you from wasting money on unnecessary features.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to if you can bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane.
Can you put Nintendo Switch in checked luggage?
You cannot put Nintendo Switch in your checked luggage. This is because the battery in the device is a safety issue, and it can potentially catch fire. You can still bring the Switch in your carry-on, just not your checked bags.
Does Nintendo Switch have a lithium battery?
The Nintendo Switch does have a lithium-ion battery. This provides excellent battery life and is a common type of battery used in many portable electronic devices. But these batteries cannot be put into a checked bag on an airplane.
Can you bring a Nintendo Switch charger on a plane?
You can bring a Nintendo Switch charger on a plane. You just need to pack it in your carry-on luggage rather than your checked bag. You’ll also need to take the charger and the Switch out during security screening and place it into a bin in most cases.
Can I bring a Switch Pro controller on a plane?
You can bring a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on a plane. This should be packed in your carry-on luggage rather than your checked luggage to avoid any issues with safety. You’ll likely need to take it out during security screening.
Final Thoughts
You are allowed to bring a Nintendo Switch on a plane. You just need to ensure it’s in your carry-on rather than your checked baggage. This helps prevent the battery in the Switch from catching fire when it’s out of reach.
Have you ever brought a Nintendo Switch on a plane? Let me know in the comments below.
