- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Best Headphones
- Best Mid-Range
- Best Budget
- All Reviews
- Discussions
The 7 Best Travel Headphones - Fall 2018
Reviews
- Store-bought headphones; no cherry-picked units
- Retest after major updates
- Easily comparable results
- No ads; unbiased reviews
Music can ease the pain of daily public transportation and make flights more enjoyable. The best travel headphones block or cancel the ambient noise of moderately loud environments, like being in a metro, train or bus. Travel-friendly headphones don’t leak much so other fellow commuters can’t hear what you are listening to. Since you can spend hours at a time wearing headphones, they should be comfortable and portable enough to not be cumbersome to use while traveling.
So far, we've reviewed 283 headsets and below are our recommendations for the best headphones for airplanes to buy in 2018. See also our recommendations for the best wireless over-ear headphones, the best noise cancelling earbuds and the best noise cancelling headphones.
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Best Headphones for Travel: Sony WH-1000XM3
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
7.8Commute/TravelWhat it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.Score components:- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
Score distribution:The best travel headphones we've tested are the Sony WH-1000XM3. They're a big improvement over the WH-1000XM2, with a more comfortable design, better noise canceling, and a better battery performance.
They have one of the best noise canceling feature for any ANC-enabled headset that we've tested so far. They isolate more than the previous model and outperform the Bose QuietComfort 35 II since you can optimize their noise-canceling depending on your environment. They also leak a lot less so you can play your music at higher volumes to mask even more noise without bothering the people around you.
They're a lot more customizable than the QC35 II and the Bowers and Wilkins PX and they do well in most categories that make a good travel headset. If you're often on public transit, commuting to work, or travel a lot by plane or train, then the WH-1000XM3 are a great choice that will not disappoint.
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More comfortable alternative: Bose QuietComfort 35 II
If comfort is your highest priority when getting a travel headset, then go for the Bose QuietComfort 35 II instead of the Sony WH-1000XM3. They do not have the customization options of the Sonys or the Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless, so you won't be able to EQ their sound profile to match what you are listening to. They also do not feel as premium for their price tag as the Sonys or the Bowers and Wilkins PX. But on the upside, they are the most comfortable closed-back over-ears that we've tested so far.
They also have a great battery life and an excellent noise cancellation performance that's more than suitable for most commutes. They're easier to use than most of the other headset they are compared to and they have a slightly better-balanced sound that still packs a good amount of bass without sounding boomy. Overall if you just want a headset that's ready to go with great battery life and noise canceling for you commutes, the Bose QC35II are a great choice
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Best Mid-Range Headphones for Travel: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
7.4Commute/TravelWhat it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.Score components:- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
Score distribution:If you want something a bit cheaper for commuting than the Bose QuietComfort 35 II or the Sony WH-1000XM3, the best travel headphones in the mid-range category are the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. They are not as comfortable as the Bose, and they do not have the noise isolation performance of the WH-1000XM3. However, they more than make up for it with a great value to performance ratio and an exciting, bass-rich sound.
The BackBeat Pro 2 also have an intuitive physical control scheme that makes them easy-to-use even with gloves on. They also have an excellent battery life with an auto-off feature and you can use them wired completely passively so you will rarely be without music even on long flights or extended road trips. They have an excellent wireless range and support multiple codecs so if you have the right dongle (that supports aptX LL) then you can use them to watch movies while you travel.
Unfortunately, they are little bulky and not the sleekest looking headphones but for their price, they are difficult to match and should satisfy most listeners looking for a wireless over-ear for commuting.
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More compact alternative: Jabra Elite Active 65t
If you want a more portable option for commuting than the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2, then get the Jabra Elite Active 65t. They're not noise-canceling like the other recommendations on this list and their build quality is also not as durable or as premium as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and B&W PX. However, the compact format of the truly wireless Elite Active 65t makes them really convenient for commuting and easy to carry around in your bag or pockets.
They have a decent sound that you can EQ thanks to their customizable app and they block more noise passively than the active noise cancelling Plantronics once you get the right fit with the provided earbud tips. The Jabra Elite Active 65t also have a longer battery life, better Bluetooth connectivity and are slightly easier to use than the similarly designed Samsung Gear IconX. If you want a compact travel headset, the Elite Active 65t are one of the best options you can purchase under $200.
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Best Budget Headphones for Travel: Jaybird Freedom
Usage Ratings - Version 1.2Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
7.5Commute/TravelWhat it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.Score components:- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
Score distribution:If you want a portable budget option for traveling and do not mind passive isolation for your commutes, then get the Jaybird Freedom. They do not isolate as well as the wireless active noise-canceling over-ears on this list and do not last as long on a single charge.
However, they have a decent sound quality that you can further customize thanks to the Jaybird MySound app. They have a decently comfortable in-ear fit that you can wear longer than typical in-ear designs.
Unfortunately, the proprietary charging clip is bulky and limited so if you lose it or do not have it on you, you won't be able to charge the headphones. But on the upside, the Jaybird deliver a solid performance and strong passive isolation for travel and commuting but you may prefer the slightly more comfortable fit of the Freedom 2 or the longer continuous battery life of the Jaybird X3.
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Cheaper alternative: Anker SoundBuds Curve
If you want a pair of portable headphones for travel and commuting and do not want to spend more than $50, then your best bet are the Anker SoundBuds Curve. They do not isolate as well as the Jaybird Freedom or most of the active noise canceling headphones on this list but provide a compact and decently comfortable wireless in-ear design that's easy to carry around on your person at all times.
They also have a long 12-hour battery life that should be enough for most trips and commutes. Unfortunately, they do not have the best build quality and do not have any additional customization options like the Samsung U Flex or Jaybird Freedom 2. On the upside, they are much cheaper and deliver the best performance to price ratio for any wireless in-ears within their price range.
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Comfortable and wired alternative: Bose SoundTrue Ultra In-Ear
If you don't want to worry about battery life at all when travelling, then consider the wired Bose SoundTrue Ultra In-Ear. As expected, the wired design won't be the most convenient for everyone, especially if your phone does not have a headphone jack. They're also OS specific so you have to get the version that works with your Android or iOS device.
However, on the upside, they have a comfortable earbud design that you can wear for extended listening sessions and not feel the fatigue or soreness of more typical in-ears. They also have a well-balanced sound that packs a lot of bass and their earbud fit isolates as well as some active noise canceling headphones. They're small, compact and will easily fit in your pockets, which make them a good option to have on you whenever you're traveling and commuting, however, they are a little pricey for their wired design which won't be the best value for everyone. In this case, consider the KZ AS-10 but they're not as comfortable.
Notable Mentions
- Bowers and Wilkins PX. A better-built and more premium-looking alternative to the Bose QC 35 II. They also leak a little less but have a tighter fit on the head which may be a deal breaker for some. See our review
- Samsung Gear Icon X. A decently versatile truly wireless in-ear and a good alternative to the Elite Active 65t. Less battery life and slightly less isolating. See our review
- Bose QuietControl 30. Good travel headphones; portable and comfortable earbud design. Good isolation and sound quality but slightly expensive. See our review
- Jabra Elite 65e. A well built and flexible around the neck design with decent isolation. A cheaper alternative to the QC30 but they have a slightly worse sound that's less consistent. See our review
- Beats BeatsX. A versatile and highly portable around-the-neck design with excellent range and battery life and a well-balanced sound. Slightly limited on Android. See our review
- Jaybird X3. Good audio quality and great passive isolation. A good alternative to the Samsung Gear IconX. See our review
- Beoplay E8. Great truly wireless design with a premium build quality and an above-average sound quality. However, they're slightly pricey. See our review
- Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless. Versatile, with many features and a good customizable sound. Average noise cancellation. See our review
- Sennheiser HD 4.50. An alternative to the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 with a stronger isolation but at a higher cost. See our review
- JBL Everest Elite 700. Nice headphones for traveling: good active features, strong isolation, and great companion app. Slightly uncomfortable and more expensive than the Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2. See our review
- Parrot Zik 3.0. Excellent build quality and versatile active features. Mediocre battery life and a bit tight on the head. See our review
- Beats Studio3 Wireless. A good travel-friendly headphone with a slick and comfortable design for most use cases including sports. Inconsistent adaptive noise cancellation and no passive playback like on the older model. See our review
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best headphones for airplanes and commutes to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (a cheaper headphone wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for headphones that are good for traveling. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference and listening habits will matter more in your selection, especially if you listen to audio at high enough volumes to drown the ambient noise of your commute.
