Taking your electric scooter on an airplane is complicated. Chances are, you will probably not be able to take your electric scooter on your flight.
Most airlines strictly prohibit any kind of electric rideables on board. This applies to both checked-in and carry-on baggage. The few airlines that allow electric scooters have strict rules and battery limits, and most electric scooter models for adults are unacceptable. If you want to transport your electric scooter, consider using airline cargo services.
Typically, the airlines that do allow electric scooters, will only allow models with up to 160 Wh batteries. Further, if the battery is between 100 Wh and 160 Wh, you will have to get previous permission from them to bring your scooter.
That leaves us with few adult scooters, allowed on very few airlines. Most children scooters will be eligible to be taken in the airplane, since their battery will rarely be above 160 Wh.
Let’s see all the airlines that will let you bring your scooter on board, and all the electric scooter models you can take with you.
Airlines That Allow Electric Scooters
These 6 airline companies allow you to bring your electric scooter on board:
- Turkish Airlines (policy)
- S7 (policy, use Google Translate to see English version)
- Qatar Airways (policy)
- Lion Air (policy)
- Air India (policy)
- Vietnam Airlines (policy)
Still, I recommend checking with each of them before taking your scooter with you. The rules on their websites may be outdated, or they may change frequently.
While these are only a few companies, some of them are pretty big ones.
Turkish Airlines are probably one of the best airlines in the world right now. I’ve flown with them a few times, and they are always very professional.
They have a lot of destinations, and will probably be your best option to take your electric scooter with you. For European flights, they will probably be the best option.
Couple with S7 from Russia, they will provide you with some solid options to get wherever you need throughout Europe.
Another very popular airline is Qatar Airways, with lots of international destinations. Besides Turkish Airlines, they are also a good option for flights between Europe and Asia.
The local Asian airlines, like Lion Air (Thailand), Air India (India), and Vietnam Airlines (Vietnam) will give you excellent coverage for Asian flights.
At the moment, it seems like no USA airlines allow electric scooters or rideables on their flights.
Airlines That May Allow Electric Scooters On Board
Some airlines have no specific rules regarding electric scooters and rideables on board. That can be good news, since they don’t prohibit them strictly.
Most of them do allow electric mobility vehicles and wheelchairs, which is a good start. Contact them directly to find out about your specific situation.
The following 10 airlines may or may not allow electric scooters on board:
- China Eastern
- Hainan
- Viet Jet Air
- Spice Jet
- GoAir
- Avianca
- Viva Air Colombia
- Tame
- Kenya Airways
- TunisAir
It’s best to contact these airlines to find out about your specific situation.
If an airline is not on one of the lists, it is almost certain they simply don’t allow electric scooters on board.
Always check with your airline if you can take your electric scooter on board, even if the rules on their website say you can take it.
Airline Approved Electric Scooters
Now that we know which airlines will allow electric scooters on board, let’s see which models will be allowed.
As we mentioned, the scooter’s battery must not exceed 160 Wh of capacity. Otherwise, you will not be able to take it on board.
Also, if the scooter’s battery is between 100 Wh and 160 Wh, you will have to get permission from the airline to take your scooter with you.
These electric scooters for adults can be allowed on planes:
- Razor EcoSmart
- Swagtron Swagger
- SoFlow Air Aluminum (discontinued)
- FLJ I11
- Kugoo Kirin S2 Mini
- Swagtron Swagger Pro
- Swagtron Swagger 2
- UScooters Eco
- Swagtron Cali Drift
- Swagtron Swagger 5
If you believe you will often need to take your electric scooter on a plane with you, you may consider one of these models. Some of them will have even more specialized use-cases, that can make your decision easier.
Double-check the battery capacity with the manufacturers before buying and make sure it’s below 160 Wh. These specifications can change over time, so if your goal is an airline-approved scooter, don’t get one more powerful than that.
Best airline-approved electric scooter
Out of all the airline-approved electric scooters for adults you can buy, the best option is in my opinion is the Razor EcoSmart.
It’s the most trusted, most tried-and-tested, most proven model on this list. Besides, it is a very affordable option with great motor power, solid performance, and one of the few electric scooters with both a seat and a trunk.
Both the seat and the trunk are removable. That makes it not only very practical for travel, but also very customizable in general.
Plus, the trunk, which is a basket that is attached to the bar for the seat, is one of the most useful features an electric scooter can have. You will have much more than a commuter scooter, the basket has many applications that come in very handy.
It has a battery capacity of 108 Wh, which makes it safe within the limits for airline-approved scooters.
Razor EcoSmart Metro Specifications
Top speed | 30 kmh |
Top speed | 18.6 mph |
Range | 19 km |
Range | 12 mi |
Motors | single chain drive |
Power | 500 W |
Battery | 36 V |
Charging time | 12 h |
Weight | 29 kg |
Weight | 64 lbs |
Weight limit | 100 kg |
Weight limit | 220 lbs |
Tire size | 16 in |
Tire type | pneumatic |
Foldable | no |
Foldable handlebars | no |
Seat | yes |
Trunk or basket | yes |
Build material | wood, steel |
Terrains | urban |
Brakes | rear disc brake |
Shock absorbers | no |
Lights | no (customization possible) |
Keys | no |
Warranty | 90 days |
Return period | 30 days |
Rider age | 16 |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 146 cm * 51 cm * 109 cm |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 57 in * 20 in * 43 in |
Adjustable handlebar | yes |
Notes | lead-acid battery; |
Best value airline-approved electric scooter
Swagtron Swagger will give you the most bang-for-buck out of all the airline-approved electric scooters.
It’s usually priced below $300, often around $250.
Why is the Swagtron Swagger such a good value scooter?
It’s the combination of 15 mph / 25 kmh top speed and a range of 15 mi / 25 km on a single charge. Budget scooters typically only have just one of those at that high a number, and the other one is almost half that.
The battery capacity of the Swagtron Swagger is around 98 Wh, though you should double-check with the reseller just to be sure.
Where to buy the Swagtron Swagger 1 from?
Swagtron Swagger 1 Specifications
Top speed | 25 km/h |
Top speed | 15 mph |
Range | 25 km |
Range | 15 miles |
Motors | single front wheel |
Power | 250 W |
Battery | 98.4 Wh, 29.4 V, UL certified battery |
Charging time | 1.5 h |
Climb angle | 20° |
Weight | 7.7 kg |
Weight | 17 lbs |
Weight limit | 113 kg |
Weight limit | 250 lbs |
Ingress protection (IP) | IPX4 |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 100 cm * 23 cm * 41 cm |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 39.4 in * 9.1 in * 16.1 in |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 100 cm * 40 cm * 92 cm |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 39.4 in * 15.7 in * 36.2 in |
Rider height | 130 – 200 cm |
Rider height | 51 – 74 in |
Adjustable handlebar | yes |
Tire type | solid rubber |
Seat | no |
Trunk or basket | no (customization possible) |
Build material | carbon fiber |
Foldable | yes |
Terrains | hard surface, flat road |
Shock absorbers | rubber suspension |
Lights | LED headlight |
Speed modes | 3 |
App | no |
Warranty | 12 months |
Airline approved | yes |
Best airline-approved electric scooter for heavy adults
If you, like myself, often weigh around 220 lbs / 100 kg or more, you will need to consider a model with a bigger weight capacity.
Most of the airline-approved electric scooters will have a weight limit of around 220 lbs / 100 kg, but that means it’s their absolute limit! As the rider’s weight approaches that number, the performances of these scooters will suffer noticeably.
The Swagtron Swagger 5 will not have that problem. Its weight capacity is 320 lbs / 145 kg, which makes it perfect for anyone on the heavier side.
What’s even better, this scooter weighs only 26 lbs / 12 kg, which is almost like a miracle for a scooter with this capacity.
The 37 V and 4.2 Ah battery will have a capacity of 155 Wh. That’s pretty close to the limit of 160 Wh, but still within it.
If you need a scooter for heavy adults, that you can take on a plane, then your choice is clear. It’s the Swagtron Swagger 5. This scooter is available on Amazon.
Waterproof airline-approved electric scooter – FLJ i11
Not only is the FLJ i11 one of the lightest electric scooters in the world right now, but it’s also the only one with an IP rating of IP55. That makes it almost waterproof.
If you travel a lot, and the places where you travel have lots of rain, this will be your choice.
Overall, FLJ i11 is a solid budget option. One of the best-looking electric scooters, this budget option will come with a battery of 120 Wh, well within the limit for airline-approved batteries.
FLJ I11 Specifications
Top speed | 20 km/h |
Top speed | 12.4 mph |
Range | 15 km |
Range | 9.3 mi |
Motors | single hub BLDC |
Power | 250 W |
Climb angle | 15 ° |
Battery | 120 Wh, 24 V |
Charging time | 3 h |
Weight | 9.2 kg |
Weight | 20.2 lbs |
Weight limit | 100 kg |
Weight limit | 220 lbs |
Tire size | 6 in |
Tire type | solid |
Foldable | yes |
Foldable handlebars | no |
Seat | no |
Trunk or basket | no (customization possible) |
Build material | aluminum alloy |
Terrains | urban |
Brakes | front |
Shock absorbers | front spring |
Lights | headlight + rear brake |
Control | Mosaic instrument panel |
Keys | no |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 97 cm * 46 cm * 42 cm |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 38.2 in * 18.1 in * 16.5 in |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 94 cm * 46 cm * 113 cm |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 37 in * 18.1 in * 44.5 in |
Deck to handlebar height | 103 cm (est) |
Deck to handlebar height | 40.6 in (est) |
Adjustable handlebar | no |
Where to buy the FLJ i11 from?
Lightest airline-approved electric scooter
The best option for an electric scooter well-suited for travel is the Swagtron Swagger Pro (this title belonged to the SoFlow Air Carbon/Aluminum models, but they have been discontinued, and the Swagtron Swagger Pro is now the best option for this use case).
It is one of the lightest electric scooters for adults ever made, weighing just 16 lbs / 7.25 kg. And that makes a lot of difference when traveling. Trust me, every kilogram you can shave off makes a world of difference.
Where to buy the Swagtron Swagger Pro from?
Swagtron Swagger Pro Specifications
Top speed | 25 kmh |
Top speed | 15.5 mph |
Range | 29 km |
Range | 18 mi |
Motors | single |
Power | 250 W |
Battery | 155 Wh, 24 V |
Charging time | 2.5 h |
Ingress protection (IP) | IPX4 |
Weight | 7.25 kg |
Weight | 16 lbs |
Weight limit | 100 kg |
Weight limit | 220 lbs |
Tire size | 7 in |
Foldable | yes |
Build material | carbon fiber |
Terrains | urban |
Brakes | regenerative |
Shock absorbers | no |
Lights | LED headlight |
Control | digital display |
Cruise control | yes |
Warranty | 1 year warranty, 30 day return |
Certificates | UL2272 |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 100 cm * 41 cm * 24 cm |
Folded dimensions (L * W * H) | 39 in * 16 in * 9 in |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 92 cm * 41 cm * 100 cm |
Unfolded dimensions (L * W * H) | 36 in * 16 in * 39 in |
Adjustable handlebar | no |
How To Transport Your Electric Scooter?
Even if your airline doesn’t allow your scooter on board, you can still arrange it to be transported.
There are two main options here.
The first one is to mail the scooter using DHL, UPS, FedEx, or postal service.
The other option is to use an airline cargo service. Most of the airlines will provide this option.
To learn more about electric scooters on airplanes, check out the full guide on that topic here.