For the jet setter and frequent flyer, the journey can be as tiring as the destination is exciting. The plane engine hums, the chatter of fellow passengers, the airport terminal in – these sounds can turn a great trip into a grind. That’s where a really good pair of noise-canceling headphones go from nice to necessary, a personal bubble of silence in the chaos.
Beyond blocking out distractions, the right noise-canceling headphones let you fully get lost in your entertainment, catch up on work, or have a minute of quiet. But with so many options out there, choosing the right pair for your travels requires considering a few key things: top-notch noise cancellation, supreme comfort for extended wear, and good battery life.
Let’s take a look at the top contenders that get great reviews for their travel-friendly features so your next trip can be a quiet escape.
Our Top Picks:
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | Best overall |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones | Most Comfortable |
| Apple’s Premium Contender: AirPods Max | The finest investment |
| Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | Best battery life |
| Anker Soundcore Space Q45 | Best budget |
| Sony WH-CH720N | Best Value |
Best Overall
Sony WH-1000XM5:
Users of Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones experience excellent noise cancellation, which affects them. Comfort matters a lot to travelers, so Sony crafted the XM5s with plush earcups and a slim design to keep users at ease even on long flights. Their impressive battery life—often exceeding 30 hours with ANC on—lets you cross time zones without needing a charge. Features like “Speak-to-Chat,” which stops your music when you start talking, and adaptive sound control, which tweaks and modifies the ANC depending on your surroundings, enhance their travel convenience.
Most Comfortable
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones:
Another travel headphone powerhouse is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Bose is well-known for developing consumer noise-cancelling technology; their experience is clear in the Ultra Headphones. Although their overall noise cancellation might be neck-and-neck with Sony, many consumers find Bose’s comfort to be unmatched. For marathon travels, their extremely lightweight construction and very soft earcups make them feel nearly undetectable—a significant benefit. Their usually equal and pleasing sound profile makes them adaptable for many kinds of audio. Moreover, Bose headphones typically include a more compact folding style, hence increasing their ease of packing in your carry-on.
The finest investment
Apple’s Premium Contender: AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a solid option for those in the Apple ecosystem; their active noise cancelation is exceptionally practical and provides a truly immersive listening experience. The transparency mode is also highly transparent and helpful for communicating quickly with flight attendants or for gate announcements, as it enables you to hear your surroundings without having to take them off. The construction quality of the AirPods Max, with a stainless-steel frame and plush memory foam ear cups, provides a sense of luxury. The sound is expansive and precise– indicating quality audio. The biggest drawback is that they are generally heavier in comparison to Bose and Sony noise-canceling headphones, which could be a downside for some people traveling a longer distance.
Best Battery Life
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless:
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless offers fantastic sound quality, providing audiophiles with a vibrant listening experience. Its remarkable 60-hour battery life means you won’t have to recharge these headphones as often while traveling. They really do make fabulous high-end travel headphones, in part because they are comfy to wear for long-haul travel and have quiet, effective adaptive noise canceling.
Best Budget
Anker Soundcore Space Q45:
The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 headphones are a strong competitor in the middle price range for noise-canceling headphones. They do a great job of canceling out noise and cutting down on a wide range of background sounds. Travelers will love how long their battery lasts (50 hours with ANC on), how comfortable they are over the ears, and how they work with high-resolution audio codecs like LDAC. They also have multipoint connectivity, so you can easily switch between devices, and AI-enhanced microphones make calls clear. This makes them an excellent choice for travel.
Best Value
Sony WH-CH720N:
The Sony WH-CH720N headphones are an excellent choice for everyday listening because they have achieved an outstanding balance of price and functioning ability. They provide a nice level of active noise canceling—and lessen distractions on the outside—through the help of Sony’s Integrated Processor V1. They are very light and made for long-lasting comfort. They have more than enough listening time and have an impressive 35-hour battery life with ANC. They allow multiple-device connections for a seamless switching experience.
Important Points to Remember When Choosing Travel Headphones:
Keep these things in mind when you are ready to choose your best travel-compatible noise-canceling headphones:
- The Level of Noise Cancellation Performance: How much background noise do you need to be suppressed? Premium-level ANC is typically essential for serious travelers.
- Comfort: If you intend to wear them for many hours, pick lightweight designs, soft earcups, or an adjustable headband that does not put pressure on the head.
- Battery Life: Consider your typical travel duration. For noise cancellation use, look for headphones with 20-30 hours of battery life at a minimum, and fast charging is a great benefit.
- Sound Quality: Good-sounding audio is crucial, but you also want noise cancellation. Although most high-end ANC headphones sound great, some have a reference-type sound, while others feature a weighted bass sound profile.
- Extra Features: This device offers helpful features such as multipoint connectivity (allowing you to pair up with multiple devices at the same time), transparency mode (letting you hear the environment), and easy-to-navigate controls.
- Durability and Portability: If you’re trying to travel with your headphones and keep them safe, a strong case and/or folding options are a good idea.
- Budget: Noise-canceling headphones come in all price ranges, so find out how much you can afford for the features and functionality you want.
In the end, buying a nice set of travel noise-canceling headphones adds value to your trip and your state of mind. Noise-canceling headphones will turn busy, noisy, frantic scenarios into a quieter, private space so you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready for your next adventure.