Good headphones are more than a travel luxury; they’re an investment in travel sanity. They help you tune out obnoxious noise while you tune into your favorite music, movies and audiobooks. The best headphones out there are designed for long wear and optimal noise canceling.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when shopping and selecting your next travel headphones, as well as travelers’ favorite options.

7 Factors to Consider When Buying Travel Headphones

Budget:  You can find headphones for $10, $50, $300 and even $1,000-plus. Today’s budget travel  headphones sound better than they did decades ago. Just try to avoid buying them at the airport shop, where you may experience sticker shock.

Purpose: Do you want to block out ambient noise? Enjoy perfect sound fidelity? Or just fall asleep while listening to the in-flight movie?

Size and portability: You can’t beat Air Pods and similar tiny earbuds for ease of packing. For larger travel headphones, look for models that fold up or come with a protective case. Think about how and where you’ll carry your headphones throughout your adventures.

Sound leakage: Leakage occurs when sounds seep out of headphones and into everyone’s shared listening space. Headphones with poor sound leakage make you the least popular person in the departure lounge. Those with superior sound protection are like vaults – your neighbors will never know what you’re listening to.¹

In-ear or over-ear: It’s your choice of whether you want the classic on-ear design or the more modern in-ear or earbud fit for headphones. Because all ears aren’t made the same, many earbuds come with tips of different shapes, sizes and materials that can be changed in and out until you find the best fit for you.

Wired or wireless: As a general rule of thumb, you’ll compromise audio fidelity by going wireless on entry-level headsets, but the higher-end models will match the output of their wired competition.

Battery life: Wireless travel headphones vary widely in how much listening time you get from a charge. If you’re setting off on a long journey without ready access to a charging port, you might want headphones with an extended battery life. Or, just go for a wired option.

Best noise-canceling headphones for travel

Airports and train stations can be loud. Same for planes and trains, where the constant drone of engine noise blends with the chatter and fidgeting of passengers. That’s when noise-canceling headphones work their magic. They don’t just physically block sound; they actively reduce it by creating anti-noise: sound with an opposite wavelength.

Bose QuietComfort 45 travel headphones: Bose’s QuietComfort headphone models are among the most consistently top-rated travel headphones by consumer electronics reviews and publications. Why? It’s right there in the name: these over-ear headphones deliver quiet, with superior noise-canceling performance, and comfort, with soft ear cushions that rest lightly on your head. Switch from quiet mode to “aware mode” when you need to hear what’s happening around you—such as flight announcements.

Apple Air Pods Max: Air Pods aren’t just tiny earbuds; they also take the form of cushy over-ear headphones. While these are expensive headphones for travel, the Air Pods Max have top-notch noise canceling and sound quality. They’re lightweight and comfortable, and can keep going for up to 20 hours on a single charge. Plus, they connect effortlessly to Apple devices.

Jabra Elite 85h headphones: What makes Jabra’s headphones some of the best for travel? In two words: battery life. Get up to 36 hours of use from a charge, even when active noise cancellation is turned on. Even better, you can get 5 hours of battery life from a 15-minute charge. So even if you have a short window between flights, you may be able to grab enough of a charge at the airport to power through your second flight.

Best noise-canceling earbuds for travel

Some earbuds now deliver noise-canceling technology that’s comparable to on-ear designs. The best earbuds for air travel feature an extended battery life and customizable fit.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro: These earbuds hit the sweet spot of in-ear comfort plus powerful noise canceling. Travel + Leisure’s tester reported that they couldn’t hear a siren, a baby screaming, an airplane cabin, or a construction drill when the noise-canceling feature was activated.¹ The battery lasts up to 8 hours.

Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds: Sony packs powerful noise-canceling technology into these little earbuds, which are designed to wear comfortably for a long time. One cool feature is automatic ambient mode: When the earbuds detect motion (e.g. walking), they reduce the noise canceling so that you remain aware of what’s going on around you. They’re designed to stay securely in place by twisting into your ear, reducing the chance of loss or theft.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2: Bose claims these are the “world’s best noise canceling earbuds,” and many reviewers agree. They feature extraordinary sound quality and effective noise canceling. These earbuds are an especially good pick for travelers who have a hard time wearing earbuds comfortably. They included three pairs of ear tips and three pairs of stability bands, so you can customize the fit for your ears.

Best headphones for airplane travel under $100

Would you rather spend $500 on your trip, instead of investing in high-end headphones? We get it. Luckily, there are plenty of options for good-quality travel headphones under $100.

Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 headphones: “As far as sound, comfort level and build quality go, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than Anker's Soundcore Life Q30 for the money,” CNET reports.² These Anker over-ear wireless headphones feature good sound quality and active noise canceling. Best of all, you get up to 40 hours of play time from a charge (or up to 60, if you turn off noise canceling), which is enough for even the longest flights.

EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds: These tough little earbuds win high marks for comfort (four sizes of ear tips are included), style, noise canceling, and sound quality. Reviewers say they lean toward heavy bass, but the EarFun app allows you to adjust sound levels to your liking.³

JBL Tune 230NC earbuds: Water resistant. Sweatproof. Quick to charge. These affordable earbuds are great for active travelers, and they feature noise cancellation and a robust battery life. Users praise the accompanying app, too, which can be used to customize the sound.

When you’re on a 12-hour flight with noisy seatmates, and you need to complete your company pitch deck or just want to get lost in your own thoughts, having the right travel headphones is critical. Once you find the right headphones, it’s hard to travel without them.

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