Power banks or portable chargers can be lifesavers during travel. Latest high capacity power banks are capable of powering up even laptops and MacBooks. High output USB-C PD Portable chargers can be recharged or charge phones/laptops two to three times faster than power banks from a few years ago.
We have carefully handpicked the best power banks for travel use that offer a combination of portability, charging speed, versatility, weight, and reliability for travelers.
All our recommended power banks are TSA approved for carry in cabin baggage (carry-on baggage) on flights. If you are asked by the TSA agent regarding the safety worthiness of your powerbank, point out the Wh rating on the powerbank. TSA and other international flight safety agencies allow power banks less than 100Wh, (that is less than 26,800 mAH).
Here are our top 6 picks in best power banks for travel:
Best High Capacity Compact Portable Charger for Travel for iPhones, Samsungs, Pixels, iPads
Anker Zolo 20000 USB-C PD – 30-watt
Anker’s latest 20,000 mAH model now comes with a very convenient built-in USB-C cable and faster charging speed of up to 30-watts that can even charge MacBook Airs at decent speed. Anker Zolo 20000 USB-C PD – 30-watt is a great compact, light weight and high capacity portable charger weighing just 12 oz (330 grams). Anker Zolo 20000 charges all the latest iPhones including 16/15 series and Samsung/Pixels at the highest possible speeds.
It charges the latest iPhone 16, 15, and older 14, 13, 12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR/XS/X from zero to 60% in about 30 minutes.
The 20,000 mAH capacity is enough to charge iPhone 16, 15 from 20% to 100% five times with it while Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus can be charged almost four times from 20% to 100%. The Anker Zolo 20000 USB-C PD 30-watt has 2 charging ports – one USB-C port via the built-in cable and a regular USB port.
The Anker Zolo 20000 USB-C PD – 30-watt power bank can be fully charged in ~5-6 hours using any iPhone or Samsung/Pixel compatible USB-C charger
What We Like!
- Great balance of portability and high capacity
- Can charge the latest iPhone 16, 15, and 14, 13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR/XS/X from zero to 60% in just 30 minutes and iPads, Samsung S/Note at fast speed.
- Charges iPad Pro, iPad mini and iPad Air at fastest possible speed as well
- Gets charged in just 7-8 hours
- Superb Anker 18-month warranty and service
- In-built USB-C cable
What we do not like!
- None.
Best Ultralight 3-in-1 Adapter + Portable Charger + USB-C cable for Travel
Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 USB-C 30-watt
Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 is our pick among ultra-compact travel portable charger that can also function as power adapter. This handy device combines a 5,000 mah powerbank with a wall charger and in-built USB-C (with a choice for Lightning as well) meaning you do not have to pack your wall charger, cable and power bank separately
Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 charger weighs just 6 oz and can charge almost all iPhones and Android phones from 20% to 100% once.
When used as a wall charger, Anker Fusion 5000 charger first charges your device and then charges itself, This means that you do not have to remember to separately charge your powerbank. It gets fully charged in about 2.5 hours.
What We Like!
- Great one stop travel charging solution
- Fast Charges latest iPhones 16/15 to 11 from zero to 60% in 30 mins
- High 30-watt max charging output when used as adapter
- 22.5 watt output as power bank fast-charges all iPhones/Samsungs/Pixels
- Great for both iPhones and Android phones
- Very light and compact at just 7 oz (210 grams)
- Excellent Anker build quality
What we do not like!
- None
Best High Capacity Portable Charger for Travel (Maximum TSA-allowed capacity)
Anker PowerCore 24K 65-watt USB-C with two USB-C ports
Anker PowerCore 24K PD 65-watt has 24,000 mAH capacity – close to the maximum 27K allowed by the TSA for air travel and can charge all your latest smartphones (including latest iPhone 16/15, 14, 13, S24 series) at the highest possible speeds (zero to 60% in 30 mins) over USB-C. This portable charger also charges Macbooks and USB-C laptops at 45-watt charging speeds.
The power bank has two USB-C ports and can output max 45-watt from one and 20-watt from other at same time. So you can charge Macbook and fast-charge an iPhone at same time!
You can fully charge iPhone 16, 16/Pro, 15, 15 Pro nearly six times from 20 to 100% with this portable charger. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, Pixel 9 Pro/Pixel 9 can be charge almost five times from 20-100%.
The Anker PowerCore 24K PD 65-watt gets fully charged with a 18-20 watt iPhone/Samsung USB-C adapter in about 7 hrs and in 2.5 hrs with 60-watt or higher MacBook adapters. It has total 3 charging ports ( two USB-C + one USB-A), so you can charge three devices at once if required.
The 1 lb pound (about 470 grams) total weight is lighter than other chargers of similar capacity in the market.
What We Like!
- Maximum TSA allowed battery capacity with high 45-watt output
- 45 watt USB-C PD supports Macbooks, USB-C laptops, and latest iPhones, Samsung Android smartphones
- Charge iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR/XS/X, Samsung S24, S23, at fastest speed zero to 50% in 30 mins
- Charge Macbook Air/Pro at high 45-watt speed.
- Very premium build quality
- Gets charged in just 2.5 hours with MB adapters and ~7 hours with iPhone/Samsung adapters
- Great warranty and service
- 1-lb (476 gram) weight is fine for the capacity
What we do not like!
- None
Best High Capacity Portable Charger for Travel (Runner-Up)
AmazonBasics 26800 USB-C PD 45-watt
AmazonBasics 26800 PD 45 watt is our next pick as ultra high capacity portable charger for travel. It will charge nearly all popular latest smartphones (including iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR, XS) at the high speeds of zero to 50% in just 30-40 minutes with its support for max 45-watt USB-C PD output. AmazonBasics 26800 PD 45 watt charges Macbooks at quite fast 45 watt charging speeds and will also charge all iPads including the latest iPad Air 4, and iPad Pro 2021.
iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, XS/XR/8, 8 Plus can be fully charged almost 6 times with it. The portable charger has a total of 3 charging ports – one USB-C and two regular USB – and this is handy for charging multiple phones/tablets at once.
The AmazonBasics 26800 PD 45 watt gets fully charged with a PD wall charger in about 4 hours. The powerbank can be charged via the USB-C port in just 4 hours using a 45-watt USB-C adapter..
The powerbank weighs around 1 pound (450 grams).
What We Like!
- Maximum TSA-allowed battery capacity for carrying on flights
- 45 watt USB-C PD supports latest iPhones and Samsung/LG/Pixel/Moto smartphones
- Charges iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR/XS/X, all iPads, Samsung S/A etc. at high speed
- Charge Macbooks at high 45-watt speed.
- Sturdily built power bank
- Three charging ports
- Can be charged via USB-C port
- Gets charged in 4-5 hours
- Great price
- A USB-C/USB-C cable is included
What we do not like!
- Heavy and dated. Anker 24K 65-watt gives faster charging speed at similar price point
Best Multi-Purpose AC Outlet + USB-C + Wireless Charging + Variable DC Output Portable Charger for Travel
OmniCharge Omni 20+ Portable charger with 100 watt AC, variable voltage DC, wireless charging & 60-watt USB-C PD
Omnicharge Omni 20+ is a unique portable charger that that comes with a portable 110 volt AC outlet as well as adjustable voltage DC outlets and a 60-watt PD USB-C port for running a wide range of electronic equipments such as laptops, speakers, camera equipment, etc. in addition to charging smartphones.
The standout feature of this extremely highly priced portable charger is its extreme versatality. Omnicharge Omni 20+ can power most latest laptops due to its 100 watt AC outlet port. The same AC port can be used to power almost any professional and electronic appliances with a power draw of up to 100 watts. Omnicharge Omni 20+ comes with variable adjustable DC outlet port – which can output a wide range of DC voltages. In fact, it can output ANY DC voltage from 1 volt to 24 volts including 9 volt, 10 volt, 12 volt, 18 volt, 20 volt, 24 volt etc. with a power draw of up to 70 watt. This enables Omni 20 to power a huge range of professional electronic equipment.
Another uniquely feature of Omnicharge Omni 20+ is its wide range of input power. Omnicharge Omni 20+ can be charged with a wide range of input voltages including solar cells in addition to the bundled AC brick. It can be charged in just 3 hours with the bundled AC brick.
If you just need high USB-C PD output for you USB-C Macbooks or laptops, and do not require AC outlet and DC barrel port input/output, then the Omni 20+ also comes in a 100-watt USB-C PD output version – the Omni 20C+ . The Omni 20C+ has two USB-C ports and also features a unique USB-C PD passthrough/UPS feature. This allows you to charge the power bank via a USB-C port (60-watt max input) and at the same time charge your Macbook/laptop with the other USB-C port (maximum 100-watt USB-C PD output).
Pros
- 60-watt USB-C PD output is great for Macbooks and Dell, Lenovo, Surface laptops
- 100 watt 110-volt AC outlet is handy for speciality equipment
- USB-C PD allows it to fast-charge latest Apple iPhones 12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR, XS X, 8, 8+ etc. (zero to 60% in 30 mins).
- Regular USB ports charge iPhones at twice the speed (12-watts) of Apple 5-watt iPhone charger
- Can fast-charge all Pixels including Pixel 5, 4 XL, 4 as well as latest Samsung, LG, phones via USB-C PD
- 1- 24 volt adjustable DC output charges wide range of laptops efficiently. A huge range of professional equipment and devices can be charged.
- Inbuilt 10-watt wireless charging pad means you can charge latest iPhones, Samsung S/Note phones, and other flagship phones by simply placing them on top of the power bank
- Can be charged with a wide range of DC voltages via the DC barrel port
- Can be charged fully with Macbook and many other laptop USB-C chargers in just 4 hours
- Can also be charged via USB-C port with any smartphone USB-C charger, such as iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max chargers or iPad Pro chargers in 7 hours, and with Samsung phone chargers in 10 hours
- Supports solar charging
- Supports pass through charging. Use it as UPS to charge devices while charging the power bank. This is a great feature when you are in a hurry and need to quickly charge your power bank and devices simultaneously.
- QuickCharge 3.0 compatible USB ports are great for fastest charging of Android USB-C smartphones including LG/Xiami phones and Samsung S10, S10+, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S7, S6, Note 10/9/8 etc.
- Compact and sturdy charger with premium build quality (5 x 1.1 x 4.8 inches and 1.39 pounds weight)
- Unique portable charger with unmatched versatility
Cons
- High price makes it a reasonable purchase only for enthusiasts and professionals.
- 1 year limited warranty is a bit less than ideal for such a highly priced piece of equipment.
- 20000 mah capacity is less than the 26800 MAH maximum allowed by TSA. For such a high price, 26800 mah would have been an ideal capacity.
Xiaomi 20000 USB-C PD 18-watt Portable Charger
Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C portable charger, from Xiaomi related to the world’s second largest phone maker Xiaomi, is our overall #1 pick as it offers a balance of high capacity, weight and extremely versatile charging features. Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C can charge latest iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR, XS, iPhone 8/8+ at speeds of zero to 60% in just 30 minutes and Samsung S21, S20, S10, S9, S8, & Note 20/10/9/8 etc. at speeds of zero to 50% in 30-35 minutes possible over USb-C PD. It will also charge all the iPads including the latest M1 iPad Pro 2021, and iPad Air 4 etc. at their fastest possible speeds. But what is more, Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C charges Macbooks at an incredible 45 watt charging speeds – the highest output provided by any reasonable sized premium portable charger in the market.
The 45-watt output also allows it to charge most newer Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo USB-C laptops as well.
Besides this Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C, also charges older iPhones (iPhone 7, 7 Plus,6s, 6/6s+, SE etc.) at more than twice the speed of Apple iPhone chargers.
You can fully charge iPhone 8/7/6s about 7 times with this portable charger. Samsung Galaxy S21, S20, S10 and iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XS/XR/8 Plus can be fully charged more than almost 5 times with it.
The Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C gets fully charged with a USB-C PD wall charger or any Macbook charger in just 4-5 hours – making it a great travel companion. It can be charged via either the USB-C port or a micro-USB port. Using the micro-USB port, it can be charged in about 12 hours with old Android phone chargers.
Xiaomi 20100 18 watt USB-C has a three charging ports, a USB-C PD port and two regular USB ports. It weighs 14 oz pound (about 400 grams) which is decent weight for a charger of this capacity.
What We Like!
- Fast-charges latest iPhone 16, 15, 14/13/12, 11, 11 Pro/Max, XR, XS at speeds of zero to 60% in just 30 minutes
- Fast-charges latest Samsung S/A, and Pixel phones zero to 50% in 30-35 minutes
- Fast charges all iPad Pros and iPad Air/mini etc. at maximum spee
- Excellent build quality
- Can be charged in two ways – USB-C or micro-USB
- Gets charged in 4 hours via USB-C PD port
- Gets charged in 12 hours via micro- USB as well
- A USB-C/USB-C cable is included
What we do not like!
- None