I’ve been to six continents and never visited any of them without a pair of travel headphones. After all, even though travel is almost always an exciting adventure, it has its challenging moments, and a good pair of headphones always helps, whether I’m dealing with a fellow flier’s crying baby on a long-haul flight, an hours-long bus ride in the Colombian countryside or a very loud club across the street from my city hotel room.
Travel headphones aren’t just for listening to music on travel days and catching up on movies on the plane. To me, they’re a lifeline, a break from the tourist bustle, an inspiring soundtrack while relaxing at the beach, even a sleep aid to catch some zzz’s despite the rough conditions of economy class.
When choosing headphones for flying and travel, portability, versatility and battery life are just as important as sound quality, comfort, noise cancellation and affordability. Since I’ve traveled with more than my share, let me help you find the ideal pair for your travel gear. Of the 12 travel headphones I’ve tested so far, these four are the best.
Sony WH-1000XM6 Over-Ear Headphones
Best travel headphones
