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Flying was never the most stress-free way to travel, but thanks to never-ending airline delays, unruly passengers, and the incredible shrinking airline seat, it can be a nightmare. If you're ready to upgrade your flying experience, picking up a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can go a long way.
You definitely have options: plenty of headphones, from over-ear headphones to wireless earbuds, offer active noise cancellation. And in 2024, it's not too hard to find ANC headphones that cost under $100. That said, we do recommend spending a little more to enjoy maximum calm at 35,000 feet, and with Black Friday around the corner, you'll have more access to headphone deals.
How much should I spend on noise-cancelling headphones?
If you want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, you should be prepared to pay $250 to $500. Premium headphones offer improved active noise cancellation, customizable settings, and transparency modes that allow you to hear those all-important gate announcements.
Many cheap headphones claim to offer "noise-cancelling" features, but a random pair of $50 over-ear headphones is more susceptible to letting sounds around you through, struggling to connect easily and switch between devices, or simply wearing more uncomfortably.
But as we mentioned above, investing in a more expensive pair of headphones can feel like less of a splurge during sales like Black Friday. Typically, Black Friday brings the best prices of the year — already we've seen picks on this list drop down to their former record-low prices, so we're expecting even bigger price drops during the actual sale. To help guide you on your headphones purchasing journal, we've added context on pricing history for each of our picks below.
At the end of the day, going for that good all-around pair is worth it, because on a flight, ANC on its own won't save the day — otherwise, we'd just direct you to our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. For long flights, comfort is also key. It won't matter if your headphones block sound if you only want to wear them for two out of five hours of your flight. And because this is a flying-focused roundup, we did give extra points to headphones with thoughtful design that makes storage easy.
If that $250-plus price range feels totally out of the question, we've included a couple of budget earbuds in the under-$100 category, but they come with tradeoffs. If you're okay with a mid-range pick, consider buying wireless earbuds with ANC instead of over-ear headphones.
If the cost of a pair of headphones is off-putting, you can always wait for a sale to start. We see headphones from Bose, Sony, and Apple get marked down year-round — if you don't want to keep your eyes peeled yourself, Mashable's deals coverage is a great place to find any noteworthy headphone deals.
What are the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying?
Noise-cancelling headphones are at their most useful on airplanes. It's difficult to find a moment's peace when so much is going on around you. Frequent flyers may prefer to rest or work, and the best way to prepare for either is by using the best ANC headphones to block out the chaos.
Because shopping for headphones shouldn't be as stressful as heading to the airport, we've done extensive testing to bring you the top options. So, read on to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for airplanes in 2024 — all based on Mashable's hands-on headphones reviews.
If you're looking for over-ear headphones that sound great and can easily give you all-day wear, the Bose QuietComfort Ultras wear as comfortably for a full day of work as they do for a cross-country flight. They're definitely an investment, but we think the Ultras are worth it (especially when they're on sale) thanks to their long-term wearability and strong noise cancellation.
Leading into Black Friday, we've already seen these headphones drop down to $329, which is an excellent value for what these headphones offer.
Why we picked this:
Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard here. Personally, I've owned, used, and loved Bose QuietComfort headphones for years. (I previously tested the QC 35 IIs and the QC 45s, both standouts in the field of ANC headphones.) But, with the Ultras, I feel like Bose really stepped up the QuietComfort line. They're durable but still supremely comfortable. I've worn them with earrings all day and on a five-hour flight while wearing glasses, and not once did I experience any soreness or discomfort.
Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino also tried out the headphones, and she had a similar experience, calling the Ultras "the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn." Beyond comfort, they offer good noise cancellation, which is key for flying. Mangino was less impressed than I was, noting that "while the noise cancellation is really good at blocking out low-pitched noises, it can't wholly block high-pitched sounds unless you turn up the sound to unhealthy volumes." When I wore them on a flight, they significantly reduced the hum of the airplane's engine and my fellow passengers, but I agree that they do best with lower pitches. They certainly block sound better than past QuietComfort models.
Sound-wise, Mangino nailed it when she described it as "rich" and able to allow the little details shine. Bose's first pass at spatial audio is fine, but we think the standard settings are good enough. However, the on-ear controls of these headphones could definitely use some work. They didn't reliably turn on, and we had to resort to alternating short and long presses for them to power up and connect to our devices. Their multipoint connection can also be spotty with two devices connected, but this is likely to be less noticeable on a flight.
The lack of passive playback with a wired connection was noticeable, however. Thankfully, these have a decent battery life that should be enough to get you through wired and wireless listening. Another travel bonus: The earcups fold in, allowing the headphones to take up less space in your bag. That also gives them an edge compared to the Sony WH-1000XM5s, which can only lie flat.
The Good
Hands down one of the most comfortable pair of headphones on the market
Top notch active noise cancellation
Immersive spatial audio bumps up the listening experience from past generations
Decently portable for a pair of over-ear headphones
Stiffer earpadding remains comfortable while feeling durable for multiple years of use
The Bad
Some connectivity issues, especially with stand-by mode
While having active noise cancellation at the ready while traveling might sound great, spending hundreds of dollars sounds decidedly less so. (Airline tickets are expensive enough, thank you.) If you're not looking for the most elite ANC, sound, or build quality, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20s don't break the bank. And while they may not have more premium features, we found they wore comfortably and got the job done.
Why we picked this:
The Life Q20s are a fraction of the price of the other headphones on our list, but their merits go far beyond their budget status. The cushioned ear pads make them easy to wear comfortably for the length of a long flight. The active noise cancellation is strong enough to block out ambient airplane sounds, and the battery life is also impressive. It took us several days of use to run it down listening at about 50 percent volume — and that was with noise-cancelling engaged.
Plus, unlike higher-end headphones in this guide (namely, the Bose QC Ultras), these headphones support passive playback via a 3.5 millimeter aux cable. In other words, if you do happen to run out of battery on your flight, you're not completely out of luck. As for the actual listening experience, these headphones provide a surprisingly well-balanced sound, but if you don't like how they sound out of the box, you are unfortunately out of luck.
Part of the reason they clock in at such a good price (and even more so when they're on sale) is because these headphones are an older model, so they're not compatible with the Soundcore app and its equalizer features. Overall, these headphones epitomize the word decent — but that's not a knock against them at all. You probably shouldn't expect any huge markdowns during Black Friday, but we saw them fall down to $40 during October Prime Day.
The Good
Inexpensive
Good battery life
Pretty good sound quality for the price
Support passive playback
The Bad
ANC is only average
They feel light, but cheap
Sound quality is just okay, though reasonable for the price point
If you're not an over-ear headphone stan, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds offer similarly impressive noise cancellation and comfort as our top pick, the QuietComfort Ultra headphones. If you like to lean against the window to nap during flights or just need a lower-profile set of headphones so you can travel a bit lighter, the QC Ultra buds are the way to go.
They're also a cool $130 less than our top pick, making them easier on the wallet. Similar to other Bose headphones, shopping holidays will bring their price down significantly. Back in July and during October Prime Day, they got down to $229. Leading into Black Friday, they've hit this price yet again, making it a good time to grab them for at least $70 off, if they don't drop even further in price during the height of the sale.
Why we picked this:
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds snagged a Mashable Choice award shortly after their release for their stellar noise cancellation, comfortable fit, and impressive Immersive Audio tech. Per usual for the brand, Bose's ANC drowns out a ton of background noise, making these buds a perfect fit for flights. In his review of the QC Ultra buds, Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth mentioned that Bose's noise cancellation is so good that he often wears these buds even when he's not playing music.
"When I want to take a nap on a plane or focus on my work, I pop in these earbuds and let the noise-cancelling cocoon wash over me," Werth says. "Do they offer 100 percent sound dilution? No, but all but the loudest and closest sounds should disappear. On airplanes, they significantly reduced noise, making it much easier to take a nap. I have to warn my partner when I'm putting on these earbuds, otherwise she'll think I'm giving her the silent treatment."
In terms of complaints, we noticed that the design of the case makes it a bit difficult to remove the buds. We also experienced some finicky Bluetooth connection during long-term testing, but these are minor qualms — the pros of the QC Ultra buds absolutely outweigh the cons.
The Good
Offer premium comfort and ANC for less than over-ear headphones
Significantly reduced noise on airplanes
The Bad
Multipoint pairing can be touch and go
Case makes it difficult to remove earbuds with ease
Details
Battery life: Six hours (Up to 24 with charging case)
Sony's flagship over-ear noise-cancelling headphones are the WH-1000XM5. Though they're not an essential upgrade for those who already own the ultra-popular WH-1000XM4s, the improved noise cancellation and fuller sound make these the stronger pick for airplane travel in 2024.
During the major shopping holidays this year, we've seen these headphones drop $100 to $299, making them a much more affordable pair of over-ear headphones. With these headphones being a 2022 release, we're hoping Black Friday brings an even bigger markdown, but grabbing them for sub-$300 is still pretty good.
Why we picked this:
While the ANC is solid, it's not a standout among other high-end noise-cancelling headphones. However, they still pack impressive noise cancellation and stellar audio quality for music. Considering noise cancellation is most effective in tandem with music, these headphones should appeal to music lovers and audiophiles. In her review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, Mashable's Deputy Shopping and Reviews Editor Miller Kern said the XM5s were "probably the best-sounding headphones I’ve ever tried," making them a great pick for folks who take pride in their Spotify playlists.
Besides sounding amazing, they offer exceptional travel functionality with the "quick attention" mode, activated simply by covering your right ear cup, allowing you to hear gate change announcements and flight attendants without completely stopping your music. Voice assistant support, crisp call quality, and a great battery life of up to 30 hours complete the package.
Though they look great, the biggest drawback is that these headphones don't fold up, and the carrying case is quite tall, though slim. For obvious reasons, that's not ideal for travel. Still, if premium sound quality is more important than portability, they're not that much bulkier than other headphones on this list (and they're still more travel-friendly than the AirPods Max). We also appreciate that, unlike the Bose QC Ultras, they support passive playback and generally have a less finicky time connecting via Bluetooth or with multiple devices, meaning you won't spend half your flight trying to figure out why you can't connect to your phone. The headphones also outshine AirPods Max and Bose with their battery life, offering 30 hours total to the Max's 20 hours and the Ultras' 24 hours.
It's by far the best battery life of headphones on our list, though not the absolute best we've ever seen from over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. That honor goes to the Dyson OnTrac headphones, but we think they're a little too bulk to reasonably recommend as a good pair of travel headphones.
The Good
Fantastic sound quality and ANC
Quick Attention mode is useful
Good battery life
Lightweight
The Bad
Not the absolute best ANC in the game
On the bulkier side, both in and out of the carrying case
These headphones are expensive as all hell, but for those deep in the Apple ecosystem who want a pair of over-the-ear headphones, they could very well be worth the price. Plus, the noise cancellation is pretty great. Apple did just release a "new" version of the Maxes in Sept. 2024 with a USB-C charging port and a new set of colorways, but we're continuing to recommend the 2020 version as they're more likely to be on sale and offer the exact same performance as the newer version.
The USB-C Maxes didn't get any huge markdowns during Prime Big Deal Days, so we're guessing that the Lightning AirPods Max will still be your best bet for saving the most possible cash, with their price falling as low as $395 this year. However, if that USB-C port is a game changer for you, Black Friday will probably be when we see the best pricing of the year on the newer model.
Why we picked this:
The AirPods Max aren't just a pretty pair of headphones. With the help of eight microphones, these headphones provide excellent active noise cancellation. Switching into transparency mode happens with the push of a button, so there's no messing with finicky touch controls to hear what's going on around you. In addition to ANC, they have fantastic sound quality and support for spatial audio will make cinephiles happy.
Their battery life, however, is a bit lacking compared to similarly priced headphones, thanks to the fact that they have no power button. (They're also missing a headphone jack, so a Bluetooth adapter will be a must if you like to enjoy in-flight entertainment). They will go into a low-power mode, but you can never completely turn them off. However, this does allow for easy switching in between devices, and for the "Find My" feature to always work. Plus, 20 hours of battery isn't bad, as that should last for even the most long-haul flights. In a pinch, five minutes of a charge can get you an hour and a half of battery life.
The carrying case is unfortunately, as former Mashable Tech Reporter Brenda Stoylar wrote in her review, "possibly the dumbest thing Apple has ever designed," so these headphones are probably best for people who don't mind wearing them around their neck for the entirety of their trip.
The Good
Excellent sound quality
Five different color options
Super simple Bluetooth pairing, especially with Apple devices
If you prefer something more low-key than a bulky pair of over-the-ear wireless headphones, opt for a pair of earbuds for travel instead. Though this usually means noise cancelling takes a big hit, that's not the case with the second-gen Apple AirPods Pro. Mashable Tech Reporter Stan Schroeder deemed these, "the first pair of earbuds I'd actually consider taking on an airplane," due to the quality of their ANC.
Why we picked this:
The ANC ante has been upped with the latest Pros, which offer even more sound-blocking power than the already great first-generation model. The design remains essentially the same, so you can easily stow the charging case in your bag or pocket. Plus, with last year's upgrade, the USB-C charging port likely means you have to lug around one less cable. Adaptive transparency mode allows you to hear outside noise once more with a press of the stem, while still dampening unwanted noise. To add to the aural experience, these buds do have spatial audio, though that feature is infamous for working great with some songs and not working at all with others.
Plus, the easy pairing AirPods are known for being even more efficient thanks to the upgraded H2 chip found in these earbuds. The especially great thing about AirPods is that though they're expensive, they do go on sale regularly throughout the year.
With that in mind, these headphones very regularly drop down to $199 on sites like Amazon and Walmart. If you see them drop to that price on or near during Black Friday and think you're getting a killer deal, think again. If you really want the most savings possible, wait until they drop to at least $189, if not their record-low price of $168.99.
The Good
Comfy fit
Pairs well with Apple products
Spatial audio
Some of the best ANC earbuds out there
Will barely take up space in your bag
The Bad
Battery life is heavily dependent on charging case
On the pricey side for earbuds
Details
Battery life: 6 hours (up to 30 hours with charging case)
Just because you don't have a ton of cash to spend doesn't mean you should try to fly without any noise cancellation. The Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds won't change your life, but they'll do a good enough job to give you a little more peace while you're up in the clouds.
During Black Friday, you probably won't see these earbuds drop in price too much further, but considering how affordable they are at full price, that's not a knock against them. A little over a week out from the sale, they have a 30% off on-page coupon on Amazon.
Why we picked this:
Budget headphones can often reveal their price tag through their performance, but we're not surprised that the same folks behind our cheap headphone pick delivered in the earbuds category as well. The Life P3i earbuds are some of our favorite budget earbuds in general, offering impressive sound for their price tag, including an app that lets you choose between 21 EQ presets (we prefer Treble Booster). Anker could've stopped there and likely made these buds worth it, but they also have a battery life that outdoes the AirPods Pro and customizable touch controls for each earbud.
So what's the trade off? Well, these earbuds not only have zero multipoint connection, but you'll need to manually disconnect them from one device before reconnecting to another. If you're primarily using these on planes, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. They also have one other major flaw: The ANC does have some hiss to it. If that's not a dealbreaker for you (and it shouldn't be at this price point), then these buds offer surprisingly good value.
The Good
Sound is impressive considering their price point
Equalizer settings available via the companion app
Price is pretty unbeatable
Customizable touch controls on each earbud
The Bad
Zero multipoint connection
ANC has some hiss
Details
Battery life: 7 hours with ANC, 8.5 without (36 hours with charging case)
All seven of these headphones were hands-on tested by Mashable editors and writers, including past and current tech reporters, senior tech editors, as well as shopping reporters and editors. All of these headphones were chosen with the following criteria in mind:
Comfort: As we mentioned above, active noise cancellation becomes much less enjoyable if the headphones delivering it squeeze your head for the entirety of your flight. Any headphones that weren't favored for long-term wear didn't make our list.
Battery life: If your headphones' battery is going to die 30 minutes into your flight, they're not going to cut it for even the shortest of trips. Our picks were typically in a higher price range that have better battery life and quick charge options for the times when you forget to juice up your headphones the night before you leave.
Active noise cancellation quality: There are lower cost options for ANC, but not all active noise cancellation is delivered the same. That's why we focused on picks that either offered multiple levels of ANC, or delivered a strong level of ANC on its own, that didn't require music to make a noticeable difference.
Portability: Over-the-ear headphones are going to deliver the best noise cancellation possible, but they are bulky. To keep these picks travel-friendly, we looked for headphones that fold up or that come with sleek carrying cases.
Durability: Taking your headphones with you through TSA lines just opens them up to more wear and tear, so we went for higher-cost picks that are likely to survive the journey. Plus, we made sure to choose headphones that will last you for years, so the upfront investment is worth it.
Recent testing updates
For Sept. 2024, we didn't change our lineup, deciding against including the Dyson OnTrac headphones — although we really like their long battery life, we imagine the scenario is rare when you'll be without charging access for over 55 hours — plus, they're a little too bulky and expensive to recommend specifically as a good pair of travel headphones.
As of Aug. 2024, the Bose 700 headphones are no longer our pick for the best adjustable ANC headphones, as they're no longer on store shelves after being discontinued nearly a year ago. At the time of writing, we don't have a replacement as many headphones do not offer levels of adjustable ANC like the 700s did. RIP.
In June 2024, we also phased out the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones from our recommendations. We knew they were being discontinued, but as of this writing you can no longer find them on virtual store shelves. We'll be testing out the newer Bose QuietComfort headphones to see if they're a worthy replacement.
In May 2024, we tested out the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e headphones. Though we were wowed by their high-end design and impressive sound profile out-of-the-box, we felt only middling about their active noise cancellation and noticed that their Bluetooth connection wasn't stable when paired to more than one device. For $399 headphones, we expect better on both these fronts, which is why we opted not to include them in this roundup, and would instead recommend the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for a blend of excellent sound and ANC.
In April 2024, we added the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones into our lineup of hands-on tested products. (Prior to this update, we recommended them based on research and customer reviews.) We've also recently added the Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds as a budget option for those who prefer not to use over-ear headphones.
Other more recent additions include the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, which we added in Nov. 2023. As of Feb. 2024, we tested the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds and the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, and added the former. The JBL headphones didn't make the cut even though we liked their long battery life, comfort, and surprisingly functional multipoint pairing — we just didn't think the $300 price tag matched up to the quality of the active noise cancellation. It wasn't bad, but it didn't wow us, and if you're willing to spend that much, we'd recommend going with Bose headphones instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you're on a plane, over-ear headphones are typically going to offer the best experience for noise cancellation. Over-ears create a better seal around your ear that helps you block out even more sound. They also are more likely to have a 3.5mm cable and audio jack so you can use them as wired headphones, which some folks prefer for in-flight entertainment. Active noise-cancelling wired earbuds aren't really a thing, so if you prefer a wired connection, you'll want to opt for wired over-ear headphones.
However, one of their major downsides is that they do take up more suitcase or carry-on real estate than any pair of earbuds will. Earbuds are also generally more comfortable to wear for longer plane rides, but they are more likely to run out of battery (if you're looking for comfortable noise-cancelling earbuds, we recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra buds).
Ultimately, when deciding between earbuds or over-ear headphones for flying, it comes down to your preferences and how you travel. In most cases, we prefer over-ear headphones, reflected by our recommendations in this guide.
Noise-cancelling headphones work by reducing unwanted ambient sounds using active noise control. A microphone captures the ambient sounds around you in real-time; meanwhile, an amplifier generates sound waves out of phase with those unwanted sounds. That way, the music you're listening to shines through the chaos. With ANC engaged, crying babies, people talking, or general airplane noise will fade away like magic.
Generally, noise cancellation works best with constant droning sounds like a plane engine rather than sharp sounds like voices, but the best noise-cancelling headphones still do a good job of blocking these out to some degree.
Some headphones offer passive noise cancellation (also known as noise isolation) rather than active noise cancellation (ANC). Instead of using microphones to filter out undesired sounds, these headphones rely on soundproofing by physically blocking outside sounds. It's less effective than using a pair of headphones that use active noise cancellation, but it does mean there's less of a strain on battery life.
Some people also prefer passive noise cancellation, as active noise cancellation has been known to make people feel pressure in their ears. However, when searching for the best headphones for travel, this is less of an issue and something that frequent flyers will learn to live with.
We'll level with you: that ever-present engine hum of the plane isn't likely to completely disappear, even with the best active noise cancelling. However, ANC can significantly reduce that hum (and the sounds of your fellow passengers), making them a genuinely good accessory to finding more peace on your flight.
Just make sure your headphones are charged beforehand: because ANC typically works by using microphones and amplifiers to cancel out unwanted noise, you won't be able to experience active noise cancelling while using Bluetooth headphones passively (aka with a cable) or with wired earbuds.
Bethany Allard
Shopping Reporter
Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable.
She graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Journalism and English Literature. You can follow her on X @betallard and reach her by email at [email protected]. In her free time, you'll find her playing her Switch, hanging with her cat Mila, or cooking something new in her kitchen.
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