Three Anker packs for a long-haul trip, compared on capacity, total output and how many devices charge at once. Airlines limit power banks by watt-hours, so read the figure printed on the bank before you fly.
Top picks
1. Anker Power Bank 25000mAh Travel Essential (165W Triple USB-C) - Best Overall
SPP Score: 9.4 / 10 - 25000mAh with 165W total, three USB-C outputs and a USB-A port. Our all-round pick.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.5/10 - Build 9.4/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 9.8/10
Fit for this guide: A long-haul bag wants one pack for every device, and this one has 25000mAh behind three USB-C outputs.
Every pick here is scored out of 10: four marks rate the product and are the same in every guide, and the fifth rates its fit for this guide - how we test and score.
Hands-on We own this one and it is the bank we take on long flights: two built-in USB-C cables (one of them retractable) plus a third USB-C port cover a phone, a tablet and a laptop at once, and it has held up to daily use and travel without wear.
With the cables built in, there's less to pack and less to leave behind. Anker's own page lists "three USB-C ports each delivering up to 100W", two of which are the built-in cables, with a USB-A port alongside.
Pros
- ✓ 25000mAh, the most capacity of the three picks
- ✓ Up to four devices at once, per Anker, from the 165W in its listing title
- ✓ Two built-in USB-C cables
Cons
- ✗ The 165W is a total, not a per-output rating, so devices charging at once split it
Who it's for: Long-haul travellers who want one bank for every USB-C device in the bag.
Who it's not for: Light packers who only carry a phone.
2. Anker Power Bank 20000mAh 87W (Built-in Cable) - Best Budget
SPP Score: 9.0 / 10 - 20000mAh, with 87W shared across three devices, one of them on a built-in USB-C cable. Our value pick.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.9/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 8.9/10
Fit for this guide: A built-in USB-C cable and 87W to share cover a long trip from a 20000mAh pack.
Anker's own page says it can "Distribute 87W across three devices", one of them on the built-in USB-C cable. The attached cable is the one lead you can't leave at home.
Pros
- ✓ 87W total output, shared across three devices at once, per Anker
- ✓ A built-in USB-C cable, per its listing title
Cons
- ✗ The lowest total output of the three picks, so it has the least to share when several devices charge at once
- ✗ The cable is built in, so a frayed lead is not something you can swap out
Who it's for: Flyers who want 87W to share and a built-in cable in a 20000mAh pack.
Who it's not for: Travellers who want the most total output, which is the Prime's 220W.
3. Anker Prime Power Bank 20100mAh 220W - Best Premium
SPP Score: 8.7 / 10 - 20100mAh with 220W total output and app control. Our pick for maximum capability.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.9/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 8.0/10
Fit for this guide: 220W total and app control go beyond what one trip needs; Anker's listing title calls the pack TSA-Approved.
Anker's maker page gives the Prime "220W Total Output Power", "split between two USB-C and one USB-A port", and its listing title adds app control.
Pros
- ✓ 220W total output, the highest of the three picks
- ✓ App control, per Anker's listing title
Cons
- ✗ A 20100mAh cell holds well under the 25000mAh winner's, so a laptop-and-tablet day leaves less in reserve
- ✗ No built-in cable, unlike the other two picks, so every lead has to go in the bag
Who it's for: Multi-device travellers who want 220W from one pack and an app to manage it.
Who it's not for: Phone-only travellers - a 220W pack is overkill for a single handset.
Quick verdict
For most long-haul travellers, the Anker Power Bank 25000mAh Travel Essential (165W Triple USB-C) is the one to pack: the most capacity here, with its cables built in. The Anker Power Bank 20000mAh 87W (Built-in Cable) fits 87W and its own cable into 20000mAh. The Anker Prime Power Bank 20100mAh 220W adds app control to a 220W pack.
How we chose
We read each pack's capacity, total output and ports from Anker's listings and maker pages, then asked one question of each: can it keep several devices going through a long journey? The Travel Essential is the one we own; the other two are judged on Anker's published figures.
FAQ
Q: Can I take a power bank on a plane in my hand luggage? A: Yes, and only there: the UK Civil Aviation Authority says power banks "must only be carried as carry-on baggage", never in the hold. The same page allows "power banks up to 100 Wh rating (lithium ion)" without airline approval; our power bank rules for UK flights explainer covers the larger sizes and how many banks each passenger may carry. US flights follow the same line: the Federal Aviation Administration keeps spare lithium batteries, power banks among them, in "carry-on baggage only" and caps each at "a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery"; your airline can approve up to two larger spares of up to 160 Wh each.
Q: What capacity power bank do I need for a long flight? A: 20000mAh gives a 4000mAh phone about four full charges, by the sum in our how many charges from a 20000mAh power bank explainer; 25000mAh earns its place when a tablet or laptop shares it. For everyday use away from flights, see our 20000mAh power bank guide. If a short hop only needs the phone topped up once, a 10000mAh pack will do the job.
Q: Can a power bank charge a laptop on a flight? A: Not on board under UK rules: the Civil Aviation Authority says power banks "should not be used to recharge a portable electronic device while on board the aircraft", and airlines set their own rules too, so check yours. The bank's job is the rest of the journey, from a layover to the hours after landing, and there its output has to cover the laptop. Apple lists a "140W USB-C Power Adapter" for the 16-inch MacBook Pro's fastest charge, while Anker caps the 87W bank at "up to 65W" for a single device, so a large laptop charges from it more slowly than from its own adapter. For a guide built around laptops, see our best power bank for laptops picks.
More questions, answered in full
- Do You Need A Voltage Converter For Your Charger?
- How Long Does A Power Bank Take To Charge?
- Why Does My Power Bank Turn Off?
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