Whether you're a jet setter or just taking the subway to work every day, a good pair of travel headphones can be a total game-changer. Having something comfortable with great noise isolation makes your travels much easier to endure and more enjoyable.
When looking for travel headphones, you'll want something with long enough battery life to last for long flights or train rides. And while many prefer over-ear headphones due to their lack of a potentially uncomfortable in-ear fit, earbuds or in-ear headphones are popular for their portability. For either option, models with active noise cancelling (ANC) do the best job at reducing the deep rumbling noises of bus or plane engines, as headphones' passive isolation typically isn't enough to reduce noise in lower audible frequency ranges.
We've tested over 895 pairs of headphones, and below are our recommendations for the best headphones for airplane use, traveling, and commuting. Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best budget noise cancelling headphones.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best Travel Headphones
Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationNoise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosComfortSee all our test resultsBatteryThe Sony WH-1000XM6 are the best travel headphones we've tested. Their overall noise isolation filters out sound, including rumbling bus engines, plane cabin din, chatty passengers, and screeching trains. They also don't leak much audio into your space, so you won't disturb sleeping neighbors on a redeye flight. With ANC enabled, the battery lasts for close to 32 hours, so you're covered for intercontinental flights and long layovers. Plus, their wired connection support means you can plug them into in-flight entertainment systems that have an audio jack (most do).
The headphones also fold down into a smaller package, which you can store in the included hard-shell case if you need to stow the headphones in your carry-on or backpack. That said, they aren't the most comfortable pair to wear for long periods of time, due to their relatively shallow earpads. If comfort is king for you, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) say it all in the name; they're cozy and can accommodate a greater variety of head and ear shapes. The Bose's noise isolation performance doesn't quite reach the same levels as the Sony's, but they have a longer battery life.
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Best Mid-Range Travel Headphones
Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationNoise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosComfortSee all our test resultsBatteryFor something premium at a cheaper price, try the JBL Live 780NC. Despite their significantly lower price than our top pick, the JBL have a lot to like for travelers. For one, their noise isolation doesn't drop in effectiveness as much as you'd think; it only falls short compared to the Sony in the mid-range, so you'll hear a bit more ambient chatter, but not by much. That said, there are more apparent sacrifices elsewhere: the JBL don't come with a hard-shell case, just a pouch, making them harder to safely stow when not in use; they're not as comfortable, in part due to their clamping force; and they have a less robust build. Still, they have a longer 60.5-hour battery life, and support the same LDAC and LC3 codecs available to the Sony.
If you're concerned about comfort, Bose again offer a solution: the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless. They're two generations behind the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but like the newer iteration, put an emphasis on comfort. The QuietComfort Headphones Wireless have deeper and more spacious earcups and a lower clamping force, but worse noise isolation and a shorter 26.1-hour battery. Still, these trade-offs likely aren't deal breakers if comfort is your top priority.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Travel Headphones
Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationNoise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosComfortSee all our test resultsBatteryTravel is expensive enough without adding the cost of premium headphones. Fortunately, if you're looking for something more affordable, check out the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless, the best headphones for airplane trips we've tested at this price point. They have a shorter 27-hour battery life than the JBL Live 780NC's 60.5-hour one, and aren't quite as well-built. However, they have an adaptive ANC system that adjusts itself to the noise around you and can block out a remarkable amount of ambient sound, including rumbling engines. Their overall noise isolation performance is almost as good as the JBL's.
Out of the box, they have a V-shaped sound profile with extra emphasis on the bass and treble, which gives your audio intense rumble and punch, while instruments and vocals are bright and somewhat harsh. There's a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets if you prefer a different sound.
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Best Budget Travel Headphones
Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationNoise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosComfortSee all our test resultsBatteryIf you're on a tighter budget, the best budget travel headphones we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024. Like the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless, they outshine similarly priced headphones from other brands in noise cancellation. Their ANC system doesn't block out as much bass-range noise as the previous picks, including the Q45, but it still does a solid job of reducing engine noise. It also does a great job of reducing higher-pitched sounds like background conversations.
They have a V-shaped sound profile out of the box, with intense rumble and punch in the bass, bright and sparkly instruments, and lead vocals in the treble. The 2024 iteration adds sound customization features, like a graphic EQ and presets, as well as Bluetooth multi-device pairing and a much longer battery life. They have a similarly comfortable fit to the Q45 and a decently sturdy build quality, although they feel plasticky and only come with a cloth pouch instead of a rigid protective case like the Q45.
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Best Travel Earbuds
Audio Reproduction AccuracyNoise IsolationNoise Isolation - Full RangeNoise Isolation - Common ScenariosComfortSee all our test resultsBatteryOver-ears can be bulky and take up precious space in your bag or carry-on. If you're looking for something smaller and more portable, earbuds like the Technics EAH-AZ100 are worth checking out. They're comfortable and have a stable fit, so they'll stay in your ears while you're rushing around airports or train stations. The Technics can block out a significant amount of ambient noise, thanks to their outstanding ANC system. They easily tackle common commuter noises like rumbly buses and trains as well as ambient chatter. While their over-12-hour continuous battery life falls short compared to over-ear headphones, it's quite high compared to other ANC earbuds. Plus, their case holds an extra 1.5 charges to help tackle even the longest transcontinental flights.
The Technics also offer vast connectivity options, featuring three-way Bluetooth multi-point and wide codec support, including LDAC for Hi-Res audio and Bluetooth LE's LC3. That said, if you own an iOS device and want top-tier ANC, it's worth looking at the Apple AirPods Pro 3 instead. These sleek buds have a more comfortable fit, and their ANC system excels at cutting out external noises across the entire frequency range. Their nine-hour battery life falls short of the Technics, though.
If you're looking for more earbud options, check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling earbuds.
Notable Mentions
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Apple AirPods Max 2:
The Apple AirPods Max 2 are the next generation of the AirPods Max, equipped with top-tier ANC and an H2 chip for pairing with Apple devices. However, their ANC isn't quite on par with the Sony WH-1000XM6, and while they come with a carrying sleeve, it doesn't completely cover the headphones and won't protect them from significant damage.
See our review
Recent Updates
Jul 28, 2026:
We've replaced the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless with the JBL Live 780NC, which is more available and in stock. We've also removed the Anker Soundcore Life Q30, which has significant feature and price overlap with the Soundcore Life Q20 2024.
May 01, 2026:
We've made minor changes to this article, but have kept our picks the same. The Apple AirPods Max 2 have been added as a Notable Mention, though, as they offer an incremental upgrade over the original Apple AirPods Max.
Feb 03, 2026:
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are now our upper mid-range pick for their superb noise isolation performance at a more affordable price than the Sony WH-1000XM6. The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless are our new mid-range pick for their impressive all-around performance. We removed the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless from our Notable Mentions as they're getting hard to find.
Oct 31, 2025:
We've added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as a comparison to our top pick. We've also added the updated Anker Soundcore Life Q20 2024 as the cheap pick and added the AirPods Pro 3 as an alternative to the Technics EAH-AZ100.
Aug 04, 2025:
This article has been updated to change the top pick from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless to the Sony WH-1000XM6, with the Bose mentioned in the text. The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have been moved from the upper mid-range pick to the mid-range pick, replacing the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 (which still gets mentioned). The new upper mid-range pick is the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best noise cancelling headphones for travel for most people to buy. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones 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, ranked by their suitability for commuting and 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 out the ambient noise of your travels.