Over the last 10 years, I've tested dozens of headphones" target="_blank and earbuds during my travels. My current favorite travel headphones are not only comfortable, but they also feature good sound quality and strong noise-canceling performance. True-wireless earbuds are usually a great pick for travel since they're compact and can be easily stored in your pocket. However, they won't connect to a wired in-flight system unless they come with a charging case that has a built-in Bluetooth transceiver like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds . You could also buy a separate transceiver, like the Twelve South's AirFly Pro 2 or other similar products you can find on Amazon .
What are the best travel headphones overall?
It's tough to pick just one model as the absolute best overall travel headphone, but the new Sony WH-1000XM6 is arguably it -- for the moment anyway. For full-size over-ear noise-canceling headphones , I also like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones , Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sonos Ace , as well as the relatively lightweight Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC and more affordable Sony CH-720N (lighter is better when it comes to travel headphones). All these models feature active noise canceling to block external noise and they're also good for making voice calls. Plenty of great noise-canceling earbud options are also available, including the highly rated Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) , Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and Sony's WF-1000XM5 .
What we updated:August 2025
We added the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 to the list. We also moved the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to the "Other top travel headpones we've tested" section, as Bose has released the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen).
Best travel headphones of 2025
Factors to consider when choosing travel headphones
Budget
Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on new travel headphones. The quality of value-priced noise-canceling headphones continues to improve, so you can find good affordable headphones for less than $100. The premium models, which offer better build quality and performance, tend to cost $200 or more -- sometimes much more.
Fit (comfort)
It's key that the travel headphones you buy fit your head well. They should offer a comfortable fit that's snug yet not too snug. Ideally, you want headphones you can wear over a day with minimal breaks.
Durability
You want travel headphones that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality.
Maximize performance and features for your budget
You want the best-sounding headphones with the best noise-canceling, call quality and features for whatever fits your budget.
Return policy
It's critical to buy your headphones at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case you have buyer's remorse. Some people who are having trouble deciding between two models sometimes buy both, try them out for a few days and then return one.
How we test travel headphones and earbuds
We test travel headphones and earbuds based on six key criteria. These criteria include design, sound quality, noise-canceling performance, voice-calling performance, features and value.
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Design: Evaluating design, we assess not only how comfortable the headphones and earbuds fit (their ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. When it comes to earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.
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Sound quality: We evaluate sound by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the earbuds to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
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Noise-canceling performance: We evaluate noise-canceling performance by wearing headphones in the same spot indoors near a noisy HVAC unit to see how well they do at muffling lower frequencies. Then we head out to the streets of New York to test the headphones in a real-world environment where we see how they do at muffling not only street noise but people's voices.
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Extra features: Some great-sounding noise-canceling headphones and earbuds aren't loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from quick-access awareness to transparency modes (your music pauses and the headphones open up to the outside world so you can have a conversation) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears. We also take a look at the companion app for the headphones if there is one and how user-friendly it is.
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Voice-calling: When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the headphones or earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear our voices.
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Value: We determine value after evaluating the strength of the headphones and earbuds against all these criteria and what they're able to deliver compared to other models in their price class.
Other travel headphones we tested
: Bose has released its improved QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) , which means you'll be able to find discounts on the original QC Ultra Earbuds. They feature excellent sound and previously best-in-class noise-canceling performance.
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 : Jabra billed these earbuds, which have unfortunately been discontinued, as the "world's toughest earbuds," and based on our tests (they survived several drops without a scratch), that may very well be true. While there are two new color options, the Gen 2 model doesn't look any different from the original, but it includes an LE Audio smart case which allows wireless streaming from any device with USB-C or 3.5mm port. I tested it with inflight entertainment and it worked well, with no audio lag. The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 also feature enhanced spatial sound powered by Dolby Audio "for a better music experience," enhanced Natural HearThrough for better awareness when outdoors and improved noise-canceling performance.
Beats Fit Pro : While the Beats Fit Pro technically aren't AirPods, they're built on the same tech platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike Beats' earlier and less expensive Studio Buds and new-for-2023 Studio Buds Plus , the Beats Fit Pro include Apple's H1 chip and have most of the AirPods Pro's features, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted. Learn more about the Beats Fit Pro with our hands-on review here.
JBL Live 670NC : The JBL Live 670NC is one of a relatively small number of on-ear headphones to offer active noise canceling. It's something of a value model -- no carrying case is included -- but it does have memory foam ear pads that get you a comfortable fit for an on-ear headphone. Deliver clear sound with punch bass, it has 32mm drivers and improves on its predecessor's battery life, offering up to an impressive 70 hours (or 44 hours with ANC on), and an extra three hours of battery with just five minutes of charge. This model includes the latest Bluetooth 5.3 (with LE Audio) and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. It also has JBL's Ambient Aware (transparency mode) and TalkThru features. It's available in black, white and blue and comes with a cord for wired listening.
Master & Dynamic MW75 : The MW75 are Master & Dynamic's best full-size headphones yet. Needless to say, they're pricey at $599; most people will be quite satisfied with the $400 Sony WH-1000XM5, which is lighter and more comfortable and delivers best-in-class voice calling and noise canceling. The MW75's build quality is hard to beat and they offer top-notch sound for a wireless model (I thought they sounded better than Apple's AirPods Max headphones), plus strong voice-calling and noise-canceling performance. With their support for aptX Adaptive, they have additional appeal for Android users, who can get a touch better sound with the right setup. I was also quite happy streaming music with my iPhone 13 Pro using the AAC codec.
Master & Dynamic MW09 : Master & Dynamic headphones and earbuds have always featured unique, eye-catching designs that include premium materials like aluminum, sapphire glass and Kevlar. Its latest MW09 flagship earbuds look pretty similar to its earlier MW08 buds, but have some upgrades on the inside that deliver better performance, particularly when it comes to battery life and noise canceling (it's now very close to what Bose and Sony offer, although not quite at their level for ANC).
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro : The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offers improved noise canceling along with very good sound and voice-calling performance, plus support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you're a Galaxy device owner with the right setup. Their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, which make them a better fit for more ears. Aside from their somewhat high price tag, their only drawback is that some of their key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices. To find out their compatibility, check out our Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review .
Beats Studio Buds Plus : Alas, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance. Read our full Beats Studio Buds Plus review for more information on the upgrade.
Google Pixel Buds Pro : The Pixel Buds Pro are Google's first earbuds to feature active noise canceling. While it's nice that they finally have a feature that most true-wireless earbuds have had for a while, what ultimately sets the Pixel Buds Pro apart and makes them worth considering -- particularly for Android users -- is their distinct design and winning fit. That helps enhance their performance on both the sound and noise-canceling fronts. While not quite elite for voice-calling, they also performed well as a headset for making calls. Read our Google Pixel Buds Pro review .
Travel headphones FAQ
Are noise-canceling headphones worth it?
A few years ago, you had to pay significantly more money for active noise-canceling headphones. The feature has become pretty common and while the best noise-canceling headphones (by that I mean the headphones that offer the best noise-canceling) tend to be fairly expensive, you can find cheaper models that offer decent noise cancellation. I do think that if noise canceling is important to you, it's better to spend more money on the best pair of noise-canceling headphones you can afford. It's worth noting that many of the premium models get discounted sporadically during the year so you can often save $50 or more on many top headphones if you time your purchase right.
What's the difference between 'Noise-Canceling' and 'Noise Cancelling?'
Either spelling is correct, as "canceling" is more common in American English while "cancelling" is more common in British English. CNET uses "noise canceling" since the company is based in the US, but the noise is canceled just the same, regardless of spelling. If you're looking to see what different noise-impacting technology is out there for headphones, check out our article on noise-canceling versus noise-isolating headphones , which highlights differences in function (and not just a difference in spelling).
Does noise cancellation block all noise?
Noise-canceling headphones have traditionally been good at blocking out lower frequency sounds such as the rumbling you hear while traveling on a plane. They haven't been so good at muffling higher frequencies (a baby screaming, for example) and even people talking around you. Companies like Bose, Sony and Apple have improved the technology in the last year or two so their noise canceling works across a wider range of frequencies. It still can't muffle all noise but top noise canceling is now doing a better job tamping down more noises that live in midrange and higher frequencies.
Does noise canceling drain the headphones' battery?
When noise canceling is engaged, it does tend to have an impact on battery life. This is more of a factor with earbuds, which tend to offer anywhere from five to eight hours of battery life with noise canceling on and seven to 12 hours with it off. Full-size headphones can offer 25 to 30 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and up to 40 to 50 hours with it off.
Does noise canceling impact sound quality?
Active noise canceling does hurt sound quality, especially if the noise canceling isn't all that good (noise canceling can create a faint background hiss). It can mess with the purity of the sound so it's tricky to create a noise-canceling headphone that sounds really good. As a result, often high-end noise-canceling headphones that tout fantastic sound don't have as powerful noise canceling (the noise canceling feels lighter).
