Quick answer
Yes, one: a single lighter or one packet of safety matches, carried on your person or in your carry-on. Torch lighters, spare refills and strike-anywhere matches are not allowed in the cabin.
Source: faa.gov, checked 5 Nov 2026
Lighters
Carry-on: One, on person or in carry-on; torch lighters not in cabin
Checked bag: Only in an approved container
Quantity / limit: One per passenger
Source: faa.gov, checked 5 Nov 2026
Safety matches
Carry-on: One packet, on person or carry-on
Checked bag: No
Quantity / limit: One packet
Source: faa.gov, checked 5 Nov 2026
What are the airlines' lighter rules?
| Airline | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | One small packet of safety matches or one lighter (no unabsorbed fuel) on person; strike-anywhere matches, blue-flame/cigar lighters, lighter fuel banned | aerlingus.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Aeromexico | Lighters/matches listed as restricted | aeromexico.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Air Arabia | Strike-anywhere matches, blue-flame, cigar and unprotected lithium lighters not permitted | airarabia.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Air Austral | Lighters/matches prohibited in hold; blue-flame/storm lighters banned | air-austral.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Air New Zealand | One small lighter or one box of safety matches, on person; blue-flame/torch/BBQ lighters forbidden | airnewzealand.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Air Tahiti Nui | One small book of matches or small lighter on person; strike-anywhere, blue-flame/cigar and unprotected battery lighters forbidden | us.airtahitinui.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Air Transat | One lighter per passenger in liquids bag; one book of matches on person; torch, gun/grenade-shaped lighters banned | airtransat.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| AJet | Lighter fluid prohibited | ajet.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| American Airlines | Carry-on only: one book of safety matches, plus common Bic-style / unsealed Zippo-style lighters; to/from/through Japan max 1 lighter; torch/windproof lighters, strike-anywhere matches, lighter fluid banned | aa.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Asiana Airlines | 1 lighter, plus 1 box of matches in cabin only (never checked); prohibited on flights departing China | flyasiana.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Austrian | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches on person (LHG) | 6 Nov 2026 |
| Azerbaijan Airlines | Matches, lighters listed as allowed on board | azal.az 6 Nov 2026 |
| Azores Airlines | Safety matches or small lighter on person only; fuel/refills, strike-anywhere, blue-flame and unprotected lithium lighters forbidden | azoresairlines.pt 6 Nov 2026 |
| Bangkok Airways | One small packet of safety matches or small lighter on person | bangkokair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Brussels Airlines | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches on person (LHG) | 6 Nov 2026 |
| Caribbean Airlines | Blue flame, cigar and lithium battery lighters forbidden | caribbean-airlines.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| China Eastern | Lighters and matches prohibited | global.ceair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| easyJet | Listed among items forbidden anywhere on the aircraft | easyjet.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Egyptair | Lighters forbidden in checked and carry-on | egyptair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Emirates | One small packet of safety matches or one small cigarette lighter, on person | emirates.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Ethiopian Airlines | Page lists lighter fuel, matches and firelighters as not permitted in carry-on or checked | ethiopianairlines.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Etihad Airways | Non-safety matches banned; no smoking/lighter use on board; no separate carriage rule for ordinary lighters stated | etihad.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Eurowings | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches on person (LHG) | 6 Nov 2026 |
| EVA Air | All lighters and matches banned (cabin and checked) on flights from Macau, China, Philippines; blue-flame/cigar lighters and strike-anywhere matches banned everywhere | evaair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Hainan Airlines | All matches and lighters (incl. lighter fuel) prohibited | hainanairlines.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Icelandair | Lighter fuel / strike-anywhere matches prohibited | icelandair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| IndiGo | Lighter fuel/refills and inverted lighters prohibited; matches on person | goindigo.in 6 Nov 2026 |
| Jet2 | One small lighter or one small packet of safety matches on your person; blue-flame/cigar lighters, lighter fuel, strike-anywhere matches forbidden | jet2.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Kenya Airways | Lighters not to be carried on US flights (TSA) | kenya-airways.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| KLM | Small cigarette lighters and safety matches on your person only, not in bags | oman.klm.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Korean Air | Lighter fluid prohibited | koreanair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Link Airways | Disposable lighters, refills and matches prohibited in checked and cabin baggage | linkairways.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Loganair | One cigarette lighter, kept on person; lighter refills prohibited | loganair.co.uk 6 Nov 2026 |
| LOT Polish Airlines | One small gas lighter and one small matchbox, on person only; glow lighters and strike-anywhere matches banned | lot.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Lufthansa | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches, on person only | lufthansa.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Lufthansa City Airlines | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches, on person only | lufthansa.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Lufthansa CityLine | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches, on person only | lufthansa.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Luxair | One classic lighter or safety matches on person; lithium lighter needs safety cap; fluid/blue-flame lighters and strike-anywhere matches forbidden | luxair.lu 6 Nov 2026 |
| MEA | Cigarette lighters and safety matches: No (cabin and hold) | mea.com.lb 6 Nov 2026 |
| Myanmar Airways International | One small packet of safety matches or small lighter on person only; strike-anywhere, blue-flame, unprotected lithium lighters forbidden | maiair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Neos | 1 personal lighter carried on person | neosair.it 6 Nov 2026 |
| Pakistan International Airlines | Lighters (butane, absorbed fuel, electric, battery, novelty) listed as prohibited | piac.com.pk 6 Nov 2026 |
| PGA-Portugalia Airlines | One box of matches or one small lighter (no unabsorbed fuel) allowed; lighters completely banned on flights to/from USA; never checked | flytap.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Porter Airlines | Not permitted in checked baggage | flyporter.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Qatar Airways | One e-cigarette lighter / small lighter only when carried on the person | qatarairways.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Riyadh Air | Matches and lighters allowed on person | riyadhair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Rossiya Airlines | One disposable lighter per passenger allowed in carry-on | rossiya-airlines.ru 6 Nov 2026 |
| Royal Jordanian | One small packet of safety matches or one lighter on person; blue-flame/cigar lighters and lighter fuel forbidden | rj.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Safair | Lighter fuel and refills not allowed | flysafair.co.za 6 Nov 2026 |
| Salam Air | Lighters listed as not allowed | salamair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| SATA Air Acores | Safety matches or small lighter on person only; fuel/refills, strike-anywhere, blue-flame and unprotected lithium lighters forbidden | azoresairlines.pt 6 Nov 2026 |
| Shanghai Airlines | Lighters and matches prohibited | global.ceair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Singapore Airlines | One box of safety matches or one small cigarette lighter, on person only; cigar/blue-flame lighters and strike-anywhere matches banned | singaporeair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Solomon Airlines | Cigarette lighters allowed under conditions; strike-anywhere/book matches, fuel, refills, blue flame, plasma and cigar lighters forbidden | flysolomons.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Southwest Airlines | Not in checked luggage (TSA rules for cabin) | support.southwest.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| SpiceJet | Lighter fuel/refills prohibited; matches on person | corporate.spicejet.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| SWISS | 1 small lighter or 1 box of safety matches on person (LHG) | 6 Nov 2026 |
| TAP Air Portugal | One box of matches or one small lighter (no unabsorbed fuel) allowed; lighters completely banned on flights to/from USA; never checked | flytap.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Tianjin Airlines | Lighters prohibited in checked, carry-on and cabin | global.tianjin-air.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Turkish Airlines | One small pack of safety matches or one lighter (no unabsorbed liquid fuel), on person only; blue-flame/torch, cigar, plasma lighters banned | turkishairlines.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| UNI AIR | All lighters and matches banned (cabin and checked) on flights from Macau, China, Philippines; blue-flame/cigar lighters and strike-anywhere matches banned everywhere | evaair.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| United Airlines | Common lighters in carry-on; torch lighters banned; from Beijing all matches/lighters banned; from Japan max 1 lighter | united.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Uzbekistan Airways | One small lighter on person; fuel/refills, blue-flame/cigar and unprotected lithium lighters not permitted | uzairways.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| Virgin Atlantic | Blue-flame/cigar lighters banned; safety matches in limited quantity (not to/from Caribbean); no lighter fuel/refills; all lighters banned to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada | virginatlantic.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| WestJet | Small personal lighter or safety matches on person only; fuel/refills not accepted | westjet.com 6 Nov 2026 |
| ZIPAIR | Matches/cigarette lighters and lighter fluid listed as forbidden | zipair.net 6 Nov 2026 |