The best travel headphones 2024: more portable noise-blocking options (2024)

When looking for the best travel headphones, we're slightly adjusting our priorities compared to looking for more general headphones. We're looking for portability, battery life and, of course, active noise cancellation (ANC) more than we might otherwise. For those looking for something to use on a plane, the option of a wired connection becomes more important too.

This list of the best travel headphones contains many of the options in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones because for travel, we suggest you use ANC headphones rather than ones that just use padding to silence the world around you. We also consider battery life, their usability (if they're lightweight or fold up for storing in your bag) and whether they have a 3.5mm jack for connecting to a plane's entertainment system.

Over-ear headphones are better at ANC than wireless earbuds, and wireless buds don't have wired connections, but earbuds have a huge portability advantage. So we've also picked out some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds for different budgets, including one model that can, in fact, connect to wired audio sources.

Our reviewers have tested all of these earbuds, and part of our testing of noise-canceling earbuds is to take the on the exact kinds of transport we're talking about when recommending the best travel headphones, from planes and trains to cars and buses.

The quick list

Want a simple way to find the travel headphones with the features and price range you want? Use our quick list below – you can click to see a longer write-up of each product for more in-depth information.

The best travel headphones 2024

Best for most people

The Sony WH-1000 range has gone from strength to noise-cancelling strength with each iteration. While the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are now available, the 2020 XM4s still offer an incredible combination of brilliant ANC and enjoyably balanced audio quality from a lightweight set of cans. You could shell out the extra for the latest model but these are a significantly better buy for being slightly older.

For travel especially, the noise cancelling here is exceptional. You’ll only realize just how loud that plane engine hum actually is when you take these off. This is thanks to Sony’s proprietary QNe1 Processor, which is constantly sampling the world around you and adjusting the noise cancellation accordingly. And not only will intrusive noises disappear but the pleather cups are cosy and comfortable even for long haul journeys, making the Sony WH-1000XM4s our top pick for the very best travel headphones, even though the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 is available – that model lacks the folding design, and is more expensive without being a big leap better.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review

Best budget option

Sony's more affordable counterpart to its flagship 'XM' model can be found for under $150/£100, but delivers very impressive audio quality regardless, especially when it comes to detail and overall balance. Instruments are crisp, treble and bass both get to shine in their own way, and the mid-range is warm and full.

The noise cancellation really helps clamp down on the volume of outside sounds so that you can hear dialog in a movie on a plane, in our experience, though it does leak in noticeably more sound overall than the higher-end options here (both in terms of over-ear headphones and earbuds). But it's as good as anything else available for the price from the likes of JBL.

They're very lightweight and are generally comfortable to use for long periods, which means we can forgive them for not folding. They don't feel as premium as other options here, but again, that's fine. The wired option is very welcome for plane use, and the quoted 35-hour battery life is essentially on the money in our experience.

Read our full Sony WH-CH720N review

Best premium option with huge battery life

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless cans were TechRadar’s favorite headphones of 2022 – they're seriously impressive headphones that deliver on every level.

You see, before we even get onto the excellent audio and brilliant ANC, let’s just take a moment to celebrate the 60-hour battery life. Yes, 60 hours, even with ANC and normal volume levels. That’s enough for five transatlantic flights without even having to think about going anywhere near a USB-C port. Oh, and if you do somehow run out of juice, there’s a 3.5mm jack for just that or plugging into a plane entertainment system.

While that battery life would be enough for us, Sennheiser has also managed to cram in wonderfully dynamic audio. No matter the music genre, the Momentum 4 Wireless deliver an ultra detailed and crisp aural performance. There’s a real depth here that is rare even in over-ear cans. Add in excellent ANC (with genius adaptive features you can customize through the app) and you’ll very quickly forgive the slightly basic looks and mildly chunkier weight of these travel cans.

Read our full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review

Best noise cancellation in earbuds

While some earbuds come with a selection of silicone tips to make sure you can personalize the fit of your buds, the new Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II go one better and customize audio specifically for your ear canals. Thanks to what Bose calls CustomTune, both ANC and audio in these buds are personalized to best suit your ears. And going by the clear and extra-detailed sound here, we can say it’s doing something right. Combined with Bose’s best-in-class noise cancellation, these buds sing with a vibrant soundstage even over the whirr of jet engines.

The design has been overhauled from the previous generation, with a significantly more comfortable fit that’s ideal for long listening sessions. They aren’t the smallest buds, but they are lighter than the original Bose QC Earbuds, and the lozenges don’t look nearly as bulky in your ears. The only downside here is that there’s no hi-res audio support and this price tag is pretty steep without this as an added bonus.

And while the active noise cancellation is the best you can get for earbuds, the high-end over-ear stuff is even more effective. But then, they don't slip in your pocket wherever you go, like these do.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review

The best mid-priced earbuds for ANC

It's not many products that leads us to say "Sony just ripped our notions on what is achievable at this level to smithereens" in a review, but these did. If you want to spend less than $100/£100 on a pair of earbuds while getting the best possible sound and noise cancellation from them, read no further. Nothing beats these.

It's not just the energetic, accurate, detailed audio quality, but that the effective (and customizable) ANC makes it easy to hear. Yes, the Bose earbuds or over-ear headphones do it better, but you pay a ton more to get there.

Throw in support for Sony's 360 Reality Audio tech for positional sound, plus generally great app support, a super light and secure fit, and long battery life from the buds, and you've got a winning package. That you only get one addition charge from the case is a bit of an issue for travelling, but not a dealbreaker. And little features such as on-ear volume control and auto-pausing when you remove them have been dropped to keep the price down. Again, we're not concerned. We love them.

Read our full Sony WF-C700N review

Best ANC earbuds for iPhone and iPad

The AirPods Pro 2 were huge leap forward for the AirPods line, delivering not just a super-convenient experience for Apple users, but now audio quality and noise cancellation that's up there with the best in the class. There’s an expansive soundscape that we’ve just not heard on previous AirPods, with incredibly layered audio. Vocals, bass, and even individual instruments all get their chance to shine.

Add in excellent ANC that's only a hair behind Bose, plus a lighter weight and smaller case than almost all similar rivals, and Apple's Find My functionality in case you leave them somewhere, and the AirPods Pro 2 are the perfect travel companions.

The final cherry on the icing is Spatial Audio, however. Use them with an iPhone or iPad to watch movies and they recreate the feeling of being in a movie theater surrounded by speakers, rather then feeling the sound is pumping right in your ears. It's nice to feel less confined when travelling, and you get a bit of that – and generally a more immersive experience – from these.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Best super-cheap earbuds with good ANC

We called these "the best cheap noise-cancelling earbuds you can get" in our review, and that's the long and short of it. Do they block noise as well as the Bose, or the Sony earbuds also in this list? No – but they're less expensive (and often discounted further), and they do it better than anything else at the same kind of price.

And when you then factor in the fantastic battery life, and that they're future-proofed with features such as Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio support, they're even more of a bargain. The sound is good for the price, with no obvious weaknesses, even it isn't as rich as more elite models – it's still fun and compelling to listen to.

The design is not very svelte, but we don't mind too much considering what's been packed in there. These are such good all-rounders, and the quality of the sound for the cost makes them our cheapest pick.

Read our full Earfun Air Pro 3 review

Best folding wireless cans for audiophiles

The only entry here without active noise cancellation makes it way into this list because there's nothing else quite like it. If you're not looking for something that can drown the noise of a plane, but rather something that folds small to pack, but offers simply unmatched audio fidelity onceyou get to your destination, you can't do better.

Using planar magnetic drivers (rather than the standard dynamic drivers used by all other headphones here) means that the Edifiers are capable of levels of dynamic response and delicate detail that the other headphones here can only aspire to – we said that the sound is "as good as headphones double and even triple the price", but these are in a similar price range to the Sennheisers. Premium, definitely, but not ridiculous.

But as we said, they lack active noise cancellation, and while there is an app to tweak their settings, it's pretty basic. So if the focus is hearing your music well during your commute, they're not so good; but for audiophiles who want something incredible-sounding-but-sanely-priced for when you get to your destination, they're wonderful.

Read our full Edifier Stax Spirit S3 review

Best true wireless earbuds for in-flight movie systems

When it comes to sound quality, few earbuds can match these. We said "you're in for a sonic masterclass" in our review, and raved that dynamic elements are delivered with "more zeal and energy than we've heard from any set of true wireless earbuds to date". When it comes to audio quality, they're second to none.

That's sadly not true when it comes to the quality of the noise cancellation (which let's through far more low-frequency rumble than we expect from something so premium), and the battery life, which is the lowest of anything in this list.

But they have an ace up their sleeve. Unlike basically all other true wireless earbuds, these can be used wired. The case comes with a couple of cables (one USB-C to USB-C, one 3.5mm jack to USB-C), so that you can connect the case to an audio source such as an in-flight entertainment system. The sound is beamed from the case to the earbuds over aptX high-quality streaming.

All of the over-ear headphones we've featured in this list have a wired options, but none of the earbuds do. That's the nature of going true wireless. You get the best of both worlds here. Well, most of the best – if only the noise cancellation was better. They're also very large – those with small ears should give them a test before committing.

Read our full

How to choose the best travel headphones for you

When it comes to choosing the best travel headphones, all of the important decisions are fully subjective. This is about finding the best travel headphones foryouand not anybody else, so there are a few things to consider.

The first one is an easy choice. Do you prefer over-ear cans or earbuds? We all have very different preferences, and there’s no right or wrong answer. Some people find in-ear buds invasive or worry about finding exactly the right fit. Thankfully if you’re fretting about the latter, most earbuds now come with a collection of silicone tips to ensure that the buds are snug enough for you not to worry about them tumbling out. Active noise cancelling depends on a good seal, so most ANC pairs have a good selection. Earbuds are also handy for travelling thanks to their compact cases that can slide into an inside pocket.

But if you’re happy to carry something a little bigger and want some added audio oomph, there are plenty of over-ear options explicitly designed to press the mute button on airports and crowded train carriages. Brands like Sony and Bose have long reigned over the travel crowd, purely for their ultra-comfortable over-ear fit, excellent noise cancelling and satisfying audio chops.

They also fit snugly even when you’re cosied into your neck pillow on the plane, which is incredibly satisfying as you drift off. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for over-ears that come with a 3.5mm cable in the case so you can plug into the plane entertainment system without having to resort to the free foamy monstrosities so you can watch a movie.

True wireless earbuds won't have a cable option (mostly), so if you're taking them on a flight, make sure you've filled your tablet or phone with entertainment.

Once you’ve decided on a fit, it’s time to think about your budget. If you fly regularly or want to silence a noisy metro train daily, you might want to invest in a high-end pair of ANC cans. If you’re just heading onto one short flight and don’t want to spend as much as the ticket on a pair of headphones, plenty of ANC options are available that won’t break the bank. You’ll sacrifice some bells and whistles, but audio quality doesn’t always have to suffer.

Speaking of ANC, you'll want to consider just how much you want to block out the world around you. As we said above, the more you pay the better the ANC tends to be. But that isn't always the case, so be sure to read our first-hand reviews. All of the options in this guide have some level of ANC – we consider it essential for a pair of the best travel headphones – but we also have a guide dedicated to the best noise cancelling headphones and best noise cancelling earbuds specifically if wrapping yourself up in an immersive cocoon of sound is your number one priority.

How we test the best travel headphones

When we review headphones with active noise cancellation, we always test them for travel as much as possible anyway. We listen to them in cities among traffic, on public transport including trains and buses, and we've tested most of these options on airplanes.

For audio fidelity, we test headphones from a range of sources, but mainly the best music streaming services. Our tests range from very high-quality tracks on Tidal to the very basic quality of Spotify's app, plus we'll test podcasts, YouTube, movie streams and other common ways to listen.

We always test out the apps that most modern headphones have, to see how they can affect the experience (for better or worse). And we'll test the battery claims with actual use – and we'll use them for a long time to test the comfort, while we're at it.

Latest updates to the best travel headphones

December 6, 2023
Checked rankings against recent product launches and added in a new lead image.

June 25, 2023
This guide launches for the first time! All entries were chosen by our team, based on our own reviews and opinions of the products.