Take Nintendo Switch on the plane: In hand luggage only under certain conditions

1. Console may be carried as hand luggage

2. Nintendo Switch in hand luggage: Only under these conditions

3. Charge Nintendo Switch on a plane

As a mobile hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch in all its variants is almost predestined to take with you on vacation. It becomes problematic if you want to reach your destination by plane. Travel destinations that are far away often do not offer any other travel options. But strict guidelines apply on airplane flights, especially when it comes to technology. So does your Switch have to stay on the ground?

Console may be carried as hand luggage

We can reassure you there. Basically, there’s nothing wrong with taking your Nintendo Switch with you on the plane. The tourism company TUI writes on its own website that “larger electronic devices such as laptops” can also be used on board. The Switch is not explicitly mentioned, but it falls into this category in terms of size and wording.

Other tour operators handle it similarly. You can also take the Switch with you to your seat there, as long as your hand luggage does not exceed the airline’s permitted size and weight. If you want to be on the safe side, you can of course contact the airline of your choice before you travel and find out whether your Switch can be put in your hand luggage.

Never put sensitive electronics in checked baggage

We advise you to only take the Switch in your hand luggage (if possible) and not to stow it in your checked luggage. Checked baggage is that which is carried in the hold of the aircraft.

The risk of damage due to the handling of the luggage is significantly greater here than in hand luggage. Unlike checked luggage, you always have your hand luggage with you, which is why you don’t have to worry about your bag with the Nintendo Switch suddenly getting lost somewhere.

Nintendo Switch in hand luggage: Only under these conditions

However, if you want to carry your Nintendo Switch, your Nintendo Switch Lite or your Nintendo Switch OLED in your hand luggage, you have to follow a few rules. These are independent of the respective airline and therefore apply to all flights:

• Your Nintendo Switch must be in airplane mode.
• You must switch off the sending and receiving functions before starting.
• The console must be switched off during takeoff and landing.
• In addition, you must stow the devices safely during takeoff and landing (e.g. in your hand luggage bag).
• The use of electronic devices (including the switch) is prohibited during the staff safety briefing.

Bluetooth connections are exempt from the above limitations, but there may be exceptions. These will then be communicated by the crew on board. Of course, the aircraft crew and the airline itself always have the final say. Special instructions from the staff must therefore always be followed. By default, Bluetooth is blocked in airplane mode anyway.

Switch to airplane mode with the switch

Turning on the Nintendo Switch’s airplane mode only takes a few seconds. So you can do this quickly just before you start your trip. In the linked article we show you the steps in detail.

Charge Nintendo Switch on a plane

If you want to take a replacement battery or power bank with you for your Nintendo Switch, please note that there is a limit to the number of lithium batteries and lithium accumulators that you can carry. However, you can easily pack two to three power banks in your hand luggage.

However, if you plan to charge your Switch using a socket on the plane, you should always carry a suitable travel adapter with you, as sockets abroad usually do not meet German standards. But there are no problems with a German airline.

In some countries it is also mandatory for your electronic devices to be individually examined during security checks. This also applies to the Nintendo Switch. This is common on flights within the EU and when traveling to the USA. You can find out more about this and other regulations in our large guide to technology on vacation.

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