In today’s fast-paced world, traveling by airplane has become a common means of transportation. Whether you are a frequent flyer or someone who takes occasional trips, the constant noise inside an airplane cabin can be quite bothersome.
However, with the advancements in technology, noise-cancelling earbuds have emerged as a savior for travelers seeking a peaceful and immersive audio experience. In this article, we will explore the top seven best noise-cancelling earbuds specifically designed for airplane travel.
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Top 7 Best Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane Travel
Now, let’s explore the top seven noise-cancelling earbuds specifically designed for airplane travel. These earbuds offer a combination of excellent sound quality, effective noise cancellation, comfort, and durability.
List of the top 7 best noise-cancelling earbuds for Airplane travel below;
- Beats Fit Pro Buds
- Sony WF-C700N Buds
- Sennheiser CX Plus Buds
- Sony WF-1000XM4 Buds
- Google Pixel Buds Pro Buds
- Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Airplane cabins are known for their constant engine noise, chattering passengers, and ambient sounds that can disrupt your focus, relaxation, or entertainment during flights. This is where noise-cancelling earbuds come into play. These innovative devices are designed to actively reduce external noise and provide you with a tranquil audio experience while traveling by plane.
1. Beats Fit Pro Buds Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
Beats Fit Pro is designed for those with active lifestyles and ranks top in our best sports earbuds for their secure fit even when carrying out demanding activities.
They have great noise canceling performance thanks to the use of Apple’s H1 chipset, and integrate plenty of iOS features like automatic switching, audio sharing, and FindMy support to locate misplaced buds.
Adding wingtips is a huge plus for exercisers, ensuring the buds remain locked on the ears when moving around. AirPods Pro features like active noise cancellation and Spatial Audio for 3D-like sound are on board and perform at high levels.
See this: Sleep Soundly with The Top 7 Best Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Sleeping!
Android users end up losing out on several iOS-exclusive features like “Hey Siri” voice activation and head-tracking. The Eartip Fit Test also isn’t as accurate as the AirPods Pro’s version, granted the wingtips and bundled ear tips in different sizes should accommodate all ear shapes.
Beats Fit Pro Buds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Hands-free Siri
- Decent battery life
- Fun extras (head-tracking)
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Great, balanced sound quality
- Spatial audio on Apple Music
- Shares many of the AirPods Pro’s features
- Good noise cancellation and transparency mode
Cons:
- No wireless charging
- The case is bulkier than AirPods
- More expensive than Studio Buds
- Volume controls require sacrifice
- Merely average water-resistance rating
- Most H1 features exclusive to Apple devices
2. Sony WF-C700N Buds Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane
The Sony WF-C700N may be an entry-level set of ANC wireless earbuds, but they have many similar features and a brand experience as you get with the company’s flagship WF-1000XM4. Despite the budget price tag, the adaptive ANC technology works particularly well.
It learns your behavior and tweaks noise neutralization to your environment, while the 20 levels of ambient listening are a boon for everyone who needs to maintain a level of awareness while wearing earbuds. These are IPX4 water resistant, too, which gives them the same level of protection as Apple’s AirPods Pro 2.
When it comes to sound balance with music, you’re in good hands. During our tests, Sony’s punchy low-end handled complex bass-filled tracks with ease, while the Headphones Connect app provided plenty of sound customization via EQ and DSEE to boost fidelity on lo-fi recordings. Upgrades to battery life and overall performance make these buds a sweet pickup for brand enthusiasts.
Sony WF-C700N Buds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent, comfortable in-ear fit
- Balanced sound that’s decent for the price
- Reliable performance and many software features
Cons:
- Average noise cancellation at best
- The case only holds one additional charge
- Multipoint is not available until summer
3. Sennheiser CX Plus Buds
The Sennheiser CX Plus improved on the noise cancellation capabilities of its predecessors, and blissfully blocks out loud noises produced by landscaping tools (e.g., hedge trimmer, lawnmower) when working in the backyard.
Other distractions like airplanes flying over the house, birds chirping, and even the sound from a portable speaker didn’t affect my workflow either. Indoors was just as rewarding, keeping chatter around the kitchen table silent and my toddler’s incessant crying outside of the play area to a minimum.
Read this: 7 Best Earbuds Are Most Comfortable for Sleeping – Because They’re Noise-Free!
Audiophiles and music lovers will swoon over the CX Plus’ sound quality. Clarity and depth are fantastic, and the frequency range is handled superbly to feed your ears a well-balanced dose of deep lows, rich mids, and detailed highs. At $180, the Sennheiser CX Plus face stiff competition, but they can regularly be found discounted for less.
Sennheiser CX Plus Buds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent comfort and fit
- IPX4 rating
- SBC, AAC, and aptX
- Fine control app
- Accurate audio performance with rich bass and excellent clarity
Cons:
- ANC isn’t the most convincing
- So-so noise-cancelling
4. Sony WF-1000XM4 Buds Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane Travel
The Sony WF-1000XM4 have been around since June 2021, and although we’ve seen rumors circulating that the WF-1000XM5 could be with us soon, these wireless earbuds continue to provide stronger ANC even than the newer Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Sony’s WF-1000XM3 wireless earbud predecessor was a longtime member of our best noise-canceling earbuds club, and Sony has managed to make each upgrade sound even better. With the aid of Sony’s V1 chip.
The noise cancellation on these buds is worthy of the high MSRP tag, while the highly engaging sound helps you ignore distractions even more. It’s important to add, though, that the XM4s can also be found regularly discounted via online retailers, possibly also indicating that a replacement model is on the horizon.
The Sony’s sound profile is dynamic and well-defined and stereo imaging is phenomenal, too, with instruments accurately placed within the soundstage to give one of the strongest listening experiences. Battery life runs to 7 or 8 hours with ANC on, making playback time greater than the AirPods Pro 2. The case is wireless rechargeable and holds up to 36 hours.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Buds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Adjustable EQ
- Amazing battery life
- Simple, reliable touch controls
- 360 and high-res audio support
- Comfortable for long periods of wear
- Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC support
- Small case with wireless charging capability
- Best noise cancellation in true wireless earbuds
Cons:
- No Bluetooth multipoint
- No support for Qualcomm aptX
- May not fit small ears
- New ear tips can be awkward
- Speak-to-chat is handy but imperfect
- No viable solution for volume control
5. Google Pixel Buds Pro Buds
The Google Pixel Buds Pro is a great pair of noise-canceling earbuds built for Android users with multiple devices and those looking for the very best Google Assistant experience. They have powerful sound with a usefully wide frequency range, and listening with ANC enabled doesn’t affect the quality or the level of enjoyment.
Google has increased battery life on the Pixel Buds Pro, offering up to 7 hours with ANC on and 11 hours with ANC off. Realistically, these playtimes drop by 1 to 1.5 hours when factoring in listening at high volumes and using Google features.
See this: 5 Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane Travel – Keep You Calm and Distracted!
Our only grumbles concern the potential of a loose and unsecure fit for some ears, and there’s no third-party digital assistant support. Despite this, their versatile functionality makes them a very exciting earbud option with a full Google experience like no other.
Google Pixel Buds Pro Buds Pro Pros & Cons
Pros:
- All-day comfort
- Tremendous bass
- Excellent ANC
- Reliable touch controls
- Wireless charging
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- No more frequent audio dropouts
- Lengthy battery life
- Supports hands-free and translation features on Android
Cons:
- Not a great value for the price
- Mediocre call quality
- Pairing could be quicker
- Still no iOS Pixel Buds app
- No AptX support
6. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane
Samsung’s ANC holds its own against the category best and blocks out close to 90% of ambient noise. The updated design also provides improved comfort and noise isolation.
Each earbud houses three mics to block out external sounds at the highest level and soften wind presence, which the mic array does extremely well in combination with the windshield.
It’s disappointing to see Samsung’s noise-canceling models provide short ANC playtime. Sound alone makes the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro worth the investment, though, giving you a high-quality audio experience and compelling 3D sound with precise head tracking. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is a stellar option to consider and has excellent mic quality for calls too.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent connectivity
- Fully waterproof (IPX7)
- Solid ANC
- Vastly improved hi-res sound quality
- Assortment of extra features for Galaxy device owners, including 360 Audio virtual surround sound and hands-free Bixby voice assistant
- Can record videos with 360-degree audio
Cons:
- High price
- Battery life is only average
- In-app EQ isn’t customizable
- Bixby needs some work
- No true multipoint Bluetooth pairing
- Most coveted features are exclusive to Galaxy devices
7. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Released in September 2022, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 went straight to the top of our buying guide for their outstanding noise-cancelling capabilities. They perform even better than the original Earbuds that are still available.
These are remarkable follow-up that delivers better sound, great call quality, and unrivaled ANC. Proprietary technologies like ActiveSense and CustomTune balanced sound and noise neutralization extremely well.
Read more: The Best Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Sleeping – Definitely Consider!
Bose’s redesign also makes these buds less of an eyesore compared to the original, and only the high price and mediocre battery life count against them. CustomTune automatically calibrates ANC and the sound frequency profile to the unique properties of your ear and the optimal performance that’s right for you.
Lastly, a recent firmware update brings aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless support to Bose’s flagship earbuds, making them compatible with high-performance audio codecs increasingly supported by the best Android phones.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Lightweight
- App-supported updates
- Auto-EQ feature
Cons:
- Price
- Difficult fit
- No way to disable ANC
- Questionable frequency response
Benefits of Noise-Cancelling Earbuds for Airplane Travel
When it comes to airplane travel, noise-cancelling earbuds offer several benefits that make them a worthwhile investment:
- Immersive Sound: Noise-cancelling technology allows you to enjoy your favorite music, podcasts, or movies without any distractions from the surrounding noise. It creates a private and immersive audio environment.
- Reduced Fatigue: Constant exposure to loud airplane noise can lead to fatigue and increased stress levels. By minimizing background noise, noise-cancelling earbuds help reduce these effects, allowing you to feel more relaxed during your journey.
- Enhanced Sleep: Sleeping during a flight can be challenging due to the noise and disturbances. Noise-cancelling earbuds can provide a more peaceful environment, helping you get the rest you need, especially on long-haul flights.
- Protection for Your Ears: Noise-cancelling earbuds also act as ear protectors by reducing the exposure to loud aircraft noise. This can prevent potential damage to your hearing and contribute to your overall ear health.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
Before investing in noise-cancelling earbuds for airplane travel, it’s essential to consider the following factors:
- Audio Quality: Look for earbuds that offer high-quality sound performance, balanced bass, and clear treble. Optimal audio quality enhances your overall listening experience.
- Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Check if the earbuds have effective ANC technology that can actively reduce airplane noise. The better the ANC, the more immersive your audio experience will be.
- Comfort and Fit: Consider earbuds that come with multiple ear tip sizes to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. This is particularly important for long flights to prevent discomfort or ear fatigue.
- Battery Life: Evaluate the battery life of the earbuds, ensuring they can last for the duration of your flight. Longer battery life allows you to enjoy uninterrupted audio entertainment.
- Wireless Connectivity: Wireless earbuds provide convenience and freedom of movement during your flight. Look for earbuds that offer stable Bluetooth connectivity and compatibility with various devices.
- Additional Features: Explore any additional features, such as touch controls, voice assistant support, or water resistance, based on your personal preferences and requirements.
Conclusion:
Investing in noise-cancelling earbuds for airplane travel can significantly enhance your overall flying experience. By reducing unwanted noise and providing immersive sound, these earbuds allow you to enjoy your journey in peace and comfort. Make sure to consider the factors mentioned above and explore the top seven best noise-cancelling earbuds listed in this article to find the perfect fit for your needs.
FAQs
Can noise-cancelling earbuds completely eliminate all airplane noise?
Noise-cancelling earbuds can significantly reduce airplane noise, but they may not eliminate it entirely. They are designed to suppress low-frequency sounds such as engine noise, making your travel experience more peaceful.
Are noise-cancelling earbuds comfortable to wear for long flights?
Yes, noise-cancelling earbuds are designed with comfort in mind. Look for earbuds that come with various ear tip sizes and ergonomic designs to ensure a comfortable fit even during extended periods of use.
How long does the battery of noise-cancelling earbuds last?
The battery life of noise-cancelling earbuds varies depending on the model and usage. It’s important to choose earbuds with a battery life that can cover the duration of your flights.
Do noise-cancelling earbuds work without playing any audio?
Yes, noise-cancelling earbuds can still provide passive noise isolation even without playing audio. They act as earplugs, reducing ambient noise and providing a quieter environment.