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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's become a nightmare. If you've decided it's time to invest in a quality pair of noise-cancelling headphones for flying, we've got you covered.
The good news is that 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.
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 $300 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 $40 over-ear headphones won't compare to the top Sony noise-cancellers. Typically, the more you pay and the better regarded the brand, the better the noise cancellation. Premium brands like Bose and Sony also offer multiple levels of noise cancellation so you can choose to completely block off the world or opt to allow in some environmental noises while flying.
Let's not forget that 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. A few extra features — like balanced sound and spatial audio — can't hurt either.
Premium headphones that offer comfort and superior audio technology cost between $398 and $549. If that's 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.
Lastly, remember that paying more gets you additional features to supplement your ANC, like voice assistant support, expansive battery life, advanced codec support for better-sounding music, or better call quality. If you're a frequent flyer, the cost is almost certainly worth it.
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.
Best overall: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Read Mashable's full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
Who it's for:
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.
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.
Battery life: 24 hours | App-connected: Yes
Budget pick: Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Who it's for:
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.
Battery life: 40 hours | App-connected: No
Best earbuds for travel: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Who it's for:
If you're not an over-ear headphone stan, the Bose QuiteComfort 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.
Why we picked this:
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds were just released in October 2023, and they've already snagged a Mashable Choice award 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.
Battery life: Six hours (Up to 24 with charging case) | App connected: Yes
Best sound quality: Sony WH-1000XM5
Read Mashable's full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.
Who it's for:
Sony's latest and greatest 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.
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.
Why we picked this:
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).
Battery life: 30 hours | App-connected: Yes
Best for Apple loyalists: Apple AirPods Max
Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Max.
Who it's for:
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 cancelling is pretty great. You can still find these headphones on sale these days, but since they're also rumored to get an upgrade later this year, anyone who's not already a diehard Apple fan will probably want to skip these.
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.
Battery life: 20 hours | App-connected: Yes
Best for adjustable ANC: Bose 700
Read Mashable's full review of the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 headphones.
Who it's for:
The Bose 700s are truly top-of-the-line headphones for active noise cancellation, which makes them one of the best noice-cancelling headphones for flying in 2024. Frequent flyers don't want to be reminded that they're surrounded by a bunch of stressed-out strangers, and these premium over-ear headphones will get the job done.
Why we picked this:
They offer 10 levels of ANC so you can finely tune your experience, blocking out as much or as little as you want. You can create up to three different presets between 0 and 10, so you won't have to filter through all ten options every time you want to change the settings. This level of customization is not common among headphones, really setting the Bose 700s apart from its competitors. Alongside that, they sound great, with bass strong and mids suitably crisp, delivering the audio quality you'd expect from Bose.
In his review, Mashable's Alex Perry noted how comfortable the rubber padding on the headband and the foam ear cups were, even when worn for long periods. He also said these headphones are great at blocking out background sounds while on calls, which makes them especially ideal for frequent travelers who often find themselves on the phone while waiting in noisy airport terminals. To top it all off, they fold flat and come with a zip-up case for safe transport. A downside of these headphones is the battery life, which like the AirPod Max, maxes out at 20 hours. However, the biggest downside is that these headphones are also being phased out of Bose's line, so they can be harder to find and aren't likely to be restocked.
Battery life: 20 hours | App-connected: Yes
Best earbuds for Apple users: Apple AirPods Pro
Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPod Pros.
Who it's for:
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.
Battery life: 6 hours (up to 30 hours with charging case) | App-connected: Yes
Best budget earbuds: Anker Soundcore Life P3i
Who it's for:
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.
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.
Battery life: 7 hours with ANC, 8.5 without (36 hours with charging case) | App-connected: Yes
How we test noise-cancelling headphones for flying
All eight of these headphones were hands-on tested by Mashable staff, 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
Most recently, in June 2024, we 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.
