Battery Life: 60 hours | Drive Size: 40mm | Weight: 11.36 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Lightweight design
• Impressive 60-hour battery life
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones stand out as the best overall option for travel due to their exceptional combination of sound quality, comfort and features tailored for on-the-go use. With their advanced adaptive noise cancellation, these headphones effectively block out ambient noise, making them ideal for flights, trains or busy city streets. The Momentum 4’s long battery life of up to 60 hours ensures you can binge-watch movies on long-haul international flights without worrying about recharging mid-trip. Comfort is another key strength, thanks to the wide ear cups, plush cushions and lightweight design, allowing for hours of wear without discomfort. Perhaps most importantly, these headphones deliver a well-balanced audio experience (which is also adjustable through the app), ensuring your music, podcasts or calls sound great no matter where you are.

Battery Life: 38 hours | Drive Size: 42mm | Weight: 10.3 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Luxurious design
• Excellent sound clarity
• Durable construction

Cons:

• Expensive
• Leather makes them unsuitable for vegan travelers

Even if you’re seated in basic economy, Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay H95 will make the experience feel luxurious. These over-the-ear headphones offer five levels of superb active noise cancellation, making them ideal for blocking out the constant hum of airplanes or the crying baby one row up. The sound profile is refined, while the 38-hour battery life ensures uninterrupted playback for much of your trip. Intuitive ear cup controls make it easy to adjust the volume, pause and play music, and skip or replay tracks. The H95’s design is another standout, with premium materials like memory foam ear cushions, lambskin leather and anodized aluminum. The foldable design and high-quality hard-shell carrying case (which also holds a USB-C cable, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a 3.5mm audio cable and a flight adaptor) further enhance their portability. 

Battery Life: 70 hours | Drive Size: 32mm | Weight: 6.1 ounces | Storage: Does not come with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Foldable design
• Incredible battery life
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

• Not as durable as other options

While JBL’s Tune 670NC headphones are budget-friendly, they don’t look cheap, thanks to a sleek matte finish and subtle branding. And with JBL’s signature Pure Bass sound, these headphones deliver rich audio that punches above its weight. The 70-hour battery life is great for those with extended travel plans, and the lightweight design and plush ear cushion ensure that you can wear them until they need to be recharged (though, hopefully, your transit time is shorter than that). Despite not coming with a carrying case, the headphones’ foldable design makes them easy to pack. They also have an adaptive noise-canceling feature that helps block out noisy environments. 

Battery Life: 16 hours | Drive Size: 10mm | Weight: 0.21 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Touchscreen charging case
• Superior sound quality
• Water-resistant 

Cons:

What makes these earbuds so handy is the Bluetooth transmitter inside the carrying case, allowing you to pair them with in-flight entertainment systems. When you need to change the volume, pause the music or television show, or check the battery life on the go, you can do so on the charging case’s touchscreen. That screen also allows you to switch between noise-canceling and transparency modes without touching your phone (though the app helps customize and fine tune the audio). The headphones feature hybrid active noise cancellation, effectively blocking out ambient sounds (and tuning out your overly chatty neighbor), while the six microphones (three per earbud) triangulate your voice and the surrounding noise so you can be heard clearly when on a call. The fast charging function gets you up to an hour of use from a 15-minute charge. 

Battery Life: 6.5 hours for earbuds (plus an additional 13.5 hours from charging case) | Drive Size: 12mm | Weight: 0.25 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Stylish 
• Pairs with in-flight entertainment easily 
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

• Less battery life than other options

You may notice that the Pi8 is shaped differently from other in-ear headphones. That’s because Bowers & Wilkins engineers studied how human ears can vary depending on gender and ethnicity and worked to create an ergonomic fit that would produce the best possible passive noise cancelation for the most number of people. Not only do these headphones have superior sound quality, but they also work seamlessly with the in-flight entertainment systems by connecting with Bluetooth, allowing you to listen to movies, TV shows and music without cords. Plus, the adaptive noise-cancellation technology intelligently adjusts to block out cabin noise while preserving the clarity of your content. Their long battery life makes them perfect for long-haul flights. 

Battery Life: 76 hours | Drive Size: 40mm | Weight: 7.8  ounces | Storage: Does not come with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: No

Pros:

• Foldable design
• Incredible battery life
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

If you’re a road warrior who constantly uses headphones to make phone calls in crowded airport lounges or block out airplane noise while you finish a brief, you’ll want something with a long battery life. While 30 to 50 hours would be considered good battery life, the JBL Tune 720BT can go a staggering 76 hours between charges. When they need more juice, you can get three hours of listening after being plugged in for just five minutes. The lightweight design and plush ear cushion ensure you can wear them for a long time, and the multipoint connectivity allows you to easily switch between devices—a useful feature when juggling your phone and laptop. While it lacks some nice-to-have features like noise cancelation and a carrying case, the often sub-$75 price tag makes up for it.  

Battery Life: 6 hours for earbuds (plus an additional 24 with charging case) | Drive Size: 11mm | Weight: 0.4 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Compact and portable
• Water and sweat-resistant
• Solid battery life 

Cons:

• No multi-device audio streaming 
• Limited customization 

The AirPods Pro have some serious Goldilocks qualities that make them the best of Apple’s options for travel. Their lightweight, compact design makes them easy to slip into a pocket or bag, and the comfortable in-ear fit allows you to comfortably wear them during long journeys. The standout feature for travelers is the active noise cancellation, which uses advanced algorithms to block out background noise. When situational awareness is needed, the transparency mode can be quickly activated, letting in outside sound without removing the earbuds, which is particularly useful when navigating unfamiliar environments or making announcements clearer. Additionally, the long battery life, quick charging and seamless integration with Apple devices enhance their overall convenience.

Battery Life: 30 hours | Drive Size: 30mm | Weight: 8.82 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• Advanced features 
• Comfortable design

Cons:

• Doesn’t fold up as compactly as other options 

Sony’s WH-1000XM5 offers industry-leading noise-cancellation as well as adaptive sound control, making them versatile for various travel scenarios. Their ultra-comfortable memory foam earcups provide a secure yet cozy fit, which is crucial for long flights or extended wear. Battery life is another travel-friendly aspect, offering up to 30 hours on a single charge, and several hours of playtime with just a quick 10-minute charge. Plus, the WH-1000XM5’s intuitive touch controls and seamless connectivity, including multi-device pairing, mean you can effortlessly switch between your phone, tablet or laptop, streamlining your travel experience. 

Battery Life: 24 hours | Drive Size: 35mm | Weight: 9 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Great noise canceling
• Elevated design 
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

• Immersive audio mode kills battery life 

Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra, the brand’s most premium offering, include spatial audio and custom-tuned EQ settings that adjust to your listening environment, delivering rich, high-fidelity sound. Though the headphones block out a lot of sound without the noise canceling on, with it, you’ll hear nothing. That noise-stopping power, paired with large, comfortable ear cups, makes it easy to sleep through red-eye flights. And with up to 24 hours of battery life, you can make it through multiple legs of air travel without scrambling for a charger (though if you’re in a pinch, a 15-minute top-up gets you 3 more hours). They’re also surprisingly lightweight, and thanks to a dual-hinge design, they can fold flat, making it easier to stick in a carry-on bag. 

Battery Life: 30 hours | Drive Size: 40mm | Weight: 11.3 ounces | Storage: Comes with carrying case | Noise Cancelling: Yes

Pros:

• Fantastic sound
• Stylish appearance 
• Robust ear cups 

Cons:

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 offer plush memory foam ear cushions that mold to the shape of your ears, ensuring a snug yet gentle fit even during long journeys. The headband is luxuriously padded and distributes weight evenly, preventing pressure points often associated with extended periods of wear that can cause discomfort. The Px8 also excels in performance, with adaptive noise cancellation that effectively blocks out ambient noise, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in your favorite music or podcasts without distraction. The headphones pair easily with your devices via Bluetooth and have a stylish finish that makes them look more expensive than they are. Combined with a battery life that lasts up to 30 hours, the Px8 offers the perfect blend of luxury, comfort and functionality.