The best travel headphones 2024, chosen by our jet-setting reviewers

If you’re looking for the best travel headphones, certain features take priority over general headphones. Portability, long battery life, and active noise cancellation (ANC) are crucial for the best travel experience – and we've gone the extra (frequent flyer) mile for you, to test every option in this guide.

This guide to the best travel headphones shares many top picks with our list of the best noise-cancelling headphones, but narrows down the focus to battery longevity, foldable and lightweight designs, and the inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack. Over-ear headphones typically outperform wireless earbuds in ANC and often come with wired connectivity options, making them our top choice. However, the best noise-cancelling earbuds have a portability advantage, so we've included a few – some of which even support a wired connection.

Our team of expert reviewers tested all of the best travel headphones in this guide in real-world conditions, whether on planes, trains, buses, or even the occasional boat trip, ensuring our recommendations are based on practical travel experiences. We’re also busy testing the new Apple AirPods 4 with noise-cancelling. In our early hands-on review, we called the ANC “amazingly effective”, which means they could soon be on of our top picks for travel. The regular Airpods 4 won’t have ANC tech built-in, but they will be cheaper if you want similar features for less. Apple also updated the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with new features, including Improved Adaptive Audio control, which allows you to set the amount of noise you want to hear – handy for travel.

The quick list

Want a simple way to find the travel headphones with the features and price range you want? Use our quick list below – you can click to see a longer write-up of each product for more in-depth information.

Matt Bolton

I've been reviewing tech for 14 years, and for pretty much all that time I've been testing headphones and speakers. As one of TechRadar's most frequent travellers, I've tested a ton of headphones and earbuds on flights, train rides and bus commutes, and I've used my experience to choose the headphones that best fit the particular priorities of people flying or taking other long journeys.

The best travel headphones 2024

The best travel headphones overall

The Sony WH-1000 range has gone from strength to noise-cancelling strength with each iteration. While the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are now available, the 2020 XM4s still offer an incredible combination of brilliant ANC and enjoyably balanced audio quality from a lightweight set of folding cans. You could shell out the extra for the latest model but these are a significantly better buy for being slightly older.

For travel especially, the noise cancelling here is exceptional. You’ll only realize just how loud that plane engine hum actually is when you take these off. This is thanks to Sony’s proprietary processor, which is constantly sampling the world around you and adjusting the noise cancellation accordingly. And not only will intrusive noises disappear but the pleather cups are cosy and comfortable even for long haul journeys, making the Sony WH-1000XM4s our top pick for the very best travel headphones, even though the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 is available – that model lacks the folding design, and is more expensive without being a big leap better.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review

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The best cheaper travel headphones

If you want a pair of travel-friendly headphones for a low price, look no further. The Earfun Wave Pro are an excellent-value pair of over-ears that prove you don't need to spend more than $100/£100 for solid headphones that'll suit long journeys and music on the move.

During our testing, we found the Earfun Wave Pro to be exceptionally comfortable, thanks to the soft memory foam on the wide cups. The adjustable headband ensures a perfect fit, and the foldable design allows for easy transport in the premium-looking carry case. The 3.5mm jack on the right cup is a crucial feature for in-flight movie entertainment.

When it comes to sound, the Earfun Wave Pro aren't going to compete with audiophile-grade over-ears, but as we wrote in our review, "compared to their rivals, the Earfun Wave Pro are really impressive." Usually, headphones this cheap sound distinctly average and tinny, but the Earfun Wave Pro sound fulsome and great. This makes sense, considering there are some impressive tech specs here, including 40mm drivers, High-Res Audio certification (both for wireless and wired music) and a Sony's LDAC tech for improved Bluetooth streaming.

You'll also get active noise cancellation, which, again, won't compete with the best noise-cancelling headphones but does a good job of blocking out most ambient sounds – you're definitely able to hear movies much more clearly over the plane engine noise because of it, and that's the most important thing.

While you'll find better headphones on this list, you'll have to pay more than double the price. The Earfun Wave Pro over-ear headphones pack everything you need into a comfortable and incredibly affordable package.

Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review

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The best travel headphones for elite noise cancellation

These are, perhaps, the ultimate travel companion – with just one flaw that might put you off. They check so many boxes, with their best-in-class active noise cancellation at the center of the success. We found in our testing that nothing else stops the hubbub of a city or traffic around you so effectively – though we did find that they reacted oddly to extremely loud sounds (sitting by a bus engine on a hill, and during plane take-off) with some very robotic output. But we were happy to forgive these moments, since they're so good the rest of the time.

And on top of that, you get truly exceptional audio quality that's more exciting, precise and detailed than anything else in this list. They're capable of deep, velvety bass and delicate, elevated treble, with plenty of expression and clarity through the mid-range. And on top of this, they have a spatial audio mode that does a good job of feeling like the sound isn't being pumped right into your ears, from any source, which can help flights to feel less claustrophobic.

And they do all this in a fairly light design that folds up for travel, so they're great for your carry-on (and they come with a hard cases). The only real downside? The 24-hour battery life is lower than other over-ear headphones here, though it's still enough to make it through the vast majority of flights, of course. Just remember to charge when you land. All of this comes at a high price compared to the other headphones here, though we think it's well worthwhile if you can stretch to it. (If not, the non-Ultra Bose QuietComfort Headphones offer very nearly as good ANC for cheaper, and are still light and foldable).

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

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The best travel headphones for huge battery life

The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 are an outstanding pair of over-ear headphones designed with travel in mind, perfect for keeping you entertained on long journeys.

The specs and features on offer here are fantastic. Including Class AB amplification, aptX Lossless compatibility (which means there's lossless 16bit/44.1kHz resolution available) and multipoint pairing. In short, these headphones are built to impress. We also have to mention that you can select Matt Berry as one of your options for 'audible feedback', which we found immensely satisfying during our testing.

The most impressive feature, however, is the fact that you'll get a whole 100 hours of battery life, which is exceptional by market standards. It's worth mentioning that is with ANC off, although this design gives you decent noise isolation anyway. Of course, because this is a guide to the best travel headphones there's a good chance you will want ANC on, in which case you'll still get an impressive 60 hours from the P100s.

Audio quality is great. In fact, we described the sound as "endlessly listenable" in our review. That's thanks to a wide soundstage, impeccable detail, solid dynamic potency and an overall engaging and lively experience. This is all helped, of course, by the mind-blowing battery, you don't need to worry about the lovely audio ending for at least a week or two before they need charging, depending on how often you're listening. In our tests, these headphones shine when paired with 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC files via Qobuz or Tidal and connected to a headphone amp or DAC. That said, they handle a variety of audio sources well, as we noted: "They don't judge – give them what you've got, and they'll do their best with it."

In our review, we described the P100 as "flawlessly built and finished", made from tactile materials that feel high-end. It's no surprise then that they're also comfortable to wear, this is down to the fact they're fairly light at 330g and have a clamping mechanism we called "nicely judged" in our review. Which means they don't add unnecessary pressure to your head, so you can wear them for longer than rivals that aren't quite as well-judged. We found the travel case to be bulky, but otherwise the design measures up to the sound and the features on offer, making these fantastic all-rounders that almost give the Sony WH-1000XM4s at the top of this guide a run for their money.

Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review

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The best noise cancelling earbuds for travel

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our top pick for the best noise-cancelling technology in a true wireless form factor. They’re perfect for blocking out external noise in a sleek, convenient design. Replacing the older Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 on our list, these newer Ultras take the crown as the QCE 2 are no longer available. Previously, the QCE 2s offered excellent ANC at better value, but the Ultra earbuds now lead the pack with a more affordable price, industry-leading ANC, and Bose’s new Immersive Audio technology.

Bose’s Immersive Audio creates a spacious, moving soundstage that surrounds you, which is a delight for music lovers and an ideal companion for travel. Paired with outstanding ANC, these earbuds truly let you escape into your audio. They also add aptX Adaptive support for high-quality, low-latency streaming and multi-point connectivity. The only drawback is the lack of wireless charging out of the box. While the Ultras do support it, you’ll need to purchase an additional cover to get it to work.

Sound-wise, the QC Ultras shine. In our review, we said they deliver “head-turning, belly-laughter-inducing joy where musical strands within tracks present themselves either all around you, or slightly in front of your temples.” While you can find earbuds with greater detail, most listeners will be thrilled with how the Ultras handle their favorite tracks.

In terms of design, the Ultras feature long stems like Apple’s AirPods, along with silicone tips and upgraded stability bands to ensure a secure and comfortable fit – we had no trouble finding the perfect fit during our testing. However, they are slightly bulkier than some competitors, which could be a consideration for smaller ears or those looking for ultra-light options. These premium earbuds deliver best-in-class ANC and an unparalleled immersive audio experience. They aren’t cheap, but for the best in noise-blocking, true wireless sound, they’re hard to beat.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review

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The best ANC earbuds for iPhone and iPad

The AirPods Pro 2 were huge leap forward for the AirPods line, delivering not just a super-convenient experience for Apple users, but audio quality and noise cancellation that's up there with the best in the class. There’s an expansive soundscape that we’ve just not heard on previous AirPods, with incredibly layered audio. Vocals, bass, and even individual instruments all get their chance to shine.

Add in excellent ANC that's only a hair behind the Bose at #5 on this list, plus a lighter weight and smaller case than almost all similar rivals, and Apple's Find My functionality in case you leave them somewhere, and the AirPods Pro 2 are the perfect travel companions.

The final cherry on the icing for traveling is Spatial Audio, however. Use them with an iPhone or iPad to watch movies and they recreate the feeling of being in a movie theater surrounded by speakers, rather then feeling the sound is pumping right in your ears. It's nice to feel less confined when traveling, and nothing does that more effectively than these.

Since the initial launch of these buds, Apple has recently added new features to the AirPods Pro 2 in iOS 18. One of the most important for travellers is an improvement to the way Adaptive Audio controls work. Before you could have this setting on or off. Now, you can use a slider to tweak the level of on-ness, so you can hear what you want to hear. There's also going to be lower latency, which means less lag between the signal sent from your audio source and what you hear in your ears.

But, despite improvements, all of the pros of the AirPods Pro 2 really only apply if you're deep into Apple tech; the functionality is very limited on Android. And note that the six hours of battery life per charge is very average – the Earfun Air Pro 3 at #8 on the list offer 9 hours, by comparison.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

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The best mid-priced earbuds for ANC

The Nothing Ear (a) really surprised us with just how much audio quality they squeezed into their modest (under $100 / £100) budget, blowing away even highly rated options from Sony. They're our top pick if you're looking for a pair of great-sounding, noise-cancelling earbuds to travel with that are a step-up from budget but won't cost you a small fortune.

There are several active noise cancellation profiles to choose from here: High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive. We were seriously impressed with the highest setting. In our review, we called it: "a near bubble-of-silence outcome" as it nixes almost all noise when listening to something loud and strong. You can get better ANC, but you'd have to pay twice as much to improve it significantly. That's why, for most people we'd say these are the top mid-range ANC option and should cancel out almost all of the usual travel sounds that would bug you – traffic, whirring engines, screaming kids, etc. Features-wise, you'll get more than just solid ANC with excellent call handling, EQ settings, Bluetooth v5.3 and LDAC support for hi-res audio and in-ear detection.

The sound here is fantastic. In our review, we wrote that they "prioritize fun and energy". If you like punchy, powerful, high-energy tracks, they're the buds for you. Sonically, they're hard to pick fault with. Just like the ANC specs, you will find better audio out there, but you'll have to seriously expand your budget.

Another reason these earbuds are excellent for travel is they're small and light. Each bud weighs 4.8g, making for a comfortable fit even when using them for a long time. But their charging case has also been reduced over previous models too, making them certifiably pocketable – ideal when your hand-luggage allowance is miniscule.

Finally, the battery life here isn't outstanding, but it is good. You'll get 5.5 hours from the buds with ANC on and 9.5 hours without. That should see you through most shorter haul flights and on a commute. But if you're willing to take a break from listening and charge your buds in their case as you travel, you'll get a total of 24.5 hours, which jumps up to a huge 42.5 hours without ANC on. If you need something in this price range that can get you through more of a flight unbroken, the Sony WF-C700N are nearly as good as these, and last 7.5 hours per charge with the ANC on.

Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review

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Best super-cheap earbuds with good ANC

We called these "the best cheap noise-cancelling earbuds you can get" in our review, and that's the long and short of it. Do they block noise as well as the Bose, AirPods, or Sony earbuds also in this list? No – but they're way less expensive (and often discounted further), and they do it as well as anything else at the same kind of price.

And when you then factor in the fantastic nine-hour battery life, and that they're future-proofed with features such as Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio support, they're even more of a bargain. The sound is good for the price, with no obvious weaknesses, even it isn't as rich as more elite models – it's still fun and compelling to listen to.

The design is not very svelte, but we don't mind too much considering what's been packed in there. These are such good all-rounders, and the quality of the sound for the cost makes them our cheapest pick.

Read our full Earfun Air Pro 3 review

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Best true wireless earbuds for in-flight movie systems

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are the brand's third-gen true wireless earbuds and they're seriously impressive, receiving a rare 5 out of 5 stars in our review. They're incredibly competent, sound amazing and are very comfortable, making them a top choice for the most immersive in-flight movie experience. They're also among the best true wireless earbuds we've ever tested.

There are features aplenty here, but the most relevant to travel include the connectivity options. You can plug the case's USB-C port into a non-Bluetooth source, like in-flight entertainment, and it works as a wireless audio transmitter, sending aptX Adaptive transmission up to 24-bit/96kHz quality to your buds. This means no annoying cables and excellent audio for listening to in-flight movies.

To add to this convenient in-flight experience, you'll get a high level of immersion thanks to really effective ANC. In our review, we wrote you'll get: "that cocooned feeling of leaving the outside world" but, crucially, without the all-too-familiar eardrum pressure you'll sometimes experience with a tight seal. This is down to an improved design, which makes them comfortable to wear for long periods without sacrificing the premium look and feel B&W is known for. They also now have in-ear volume control, which the buds before them didn't have but make in-flight listening infinitely easier. Battery life is good at 6.5 hours from the buds and a further 13.5 hours from the case and that's with ANC on. Expect 8.5 hours without it. This is pretty standard compared to high-end rivals.

Audio-wise, these buds are nothing short of impeccable. Expect incredible levels of detail and dynamism regardless of what you're listening to. In our review, we wrote: "no matter what genre of music I threw at them (and no matter the streaming source) it felt as if the B&W Pi8 had unpacked, weighed, opened out, examined, layered and finally presented my music with the skilled hand of a French pâtissier. "

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds are as close to perfection as you'll get. And if you want a true wireless design for long plane journeys, they're hard to beat.

Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

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How to choose the best travel headphones for you

When it comes to choosing the best travel headphones, all of the important decisions are fully subjective. This is about finding the best travel headphones for you and not anybody else, so there are a few things to consider.

The first one is an easy choice. Do you prefer over-ear cans or earbuds? We all have very different preferences, and there’s no right or wrong answer. Some people find in-ear buds invasive or worry about finding exactly the right fit. Thankfully if you’re fretting about the latter, most earbuds now come with a collection of silicone tips to ensure that the buds are snug enough for you not to worry about them tumbling out. Active noise cancelling depends on a good seal, so most ANC pairs have a good selection. Earbuds are also handy for travelling thanks to their compact cases that can slide into an inside pocket.

But if you’re happy to carry something a little bigger and want some added audio oomph, there are plenty of over-ear options explicitly designed to press the mute button on airports and crowded train carriages. Brands like Sony and Bose have long reigned over the travel crowd, purely for their ultra-comfortable over-ear fit, excellent noise cancellation and satisfying audio chops.

They also fit snugly even when you’re cosied into your neck pillow on the plane, which is incredibly satisfying as you drift off. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for over-ears that come with a 3.5mm cable in the case so you can plug into the airplane entertainment system without having to resort to the free foamy monstrosities so you can watch a movie.

True wireless earbuds won't have a cable option (mostly), so if you're taking them on a flight, make sure you've filled your tablet or phone with entertainment.

Once you’ve decided on a fit, it’s time to think about your budget. If you fly regularly or want to silence a noisy metro train daily, you might want to invest in a high-end pair of ANC cans. If you’re just heading onto one short flight and don’t want to spend as much as the ticket on a pair of headphones, plenty of ANC options are available that won’t break the bank. You’ll sacrifice some bells and whistles, but audio quality doesn’t always have to suffer.

Speaking of ANC, you'll want to consider just how much you want to block out the world around you. As we said above, the more you pay the better the ANC tends to be. But that isn't always the case, so be sure to read our first-hand reviews. All of the options in this guide have some level of ANC – we consider it essential for a pair of the best travel headphones – but we also have a guide dedicated to the best noise cancelling headphones and best noise cancelling earbuds specifically if wrapping yourself up in an immersive cocoon of sound is your number one priority.

Higher-end headphones also may come with a system to adjust the air pressure between the seal and your eardrum, which is obviously nice on airplanes, when the pressure changes. Sony's WH-1000XM4 at #1 on this list feature 'Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing' tech, for example, while AirPods Pro 2 at #7 on this list also feature a pressure-balancing system.

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How we test the best travel headphones

When we review headphones with active noise cancellation, we always test them for travel as much as possible anyway, since that's usually the hardest test for their noise blocking powers! We listen to them in cities among traffic, on public transport including trains and buses, and we've tested most of these options on flights, to find the best headphones for airplanes.

For audio fidelity, we test headphones from a range of sources, but mainly the best music streaming services. Our tests range from very high-quality tracks on Tidal to the very basic quality of Spotify's app, plus we'll test podcasts, YouTube, movie streams and other common ways to listen.

We always test out the apps that most modern headphones have, to see how they can affect the experience (for better or worse), plus any features that are enabled by the apps, such as customizable noise cancellation, EQ settings, or spatial audio.

And we'll test the battery claims with actual use – and we'll use them for a long time to test the comfort, while we're at it.

We're comparing our verdicts in all these areas against other products at the same kind of price to arrive at our conclusion of not only whether something sounds good or blocks noise well, but whether it achieves good value while doing that.

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Latest updates to the best travel headphones

November 22, 2024
Replaced the Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds with the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds as our 'best earbuds for ANC' pick based on our testing. The QC 2s are now no longer available and the QCUs represent better value and deliver excellent ANC.

September 27, 2024
Replaced the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless with the Cambridge Audio P100 headphones as our 'best battery life' pick based on our testing and the huge 100 hours on offer from these Cambridge Audio cans. Also replaced the Pi7 S2 with the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 for our 'best in-flight movies' choice after our review review. Added details of the new iOS 18 updates to our AirPods Pro 2 entry.

July 30, 2024
Swapped the Sony WF-C700N for the Nothing Ear (a), based on our reviews of both products.

June 7, 2024
Swapped the Sony WH-CH720N for the Earfun Wave Pro, based on our reviews of both products.

April 11, 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones based on our review.

December 6, 2023
Checked rankings against recent product launches and added in a new lead image.

June 25, 2023
This guide launches for the first time! All entries were chosen by our team, based on our own reviews and opinions of the products.

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