Do you need a good pair of headphones to listen to your favorite tunes while you travel? If so, you have come to the right place, because right now we are going to help you find the best travel headphones of 2022.
While technology keeps changing, what you want in the best travel headphones doesn’t change. Here is what to consider before buying travel headphones:
- Hours of battery life
- Whether you want wireless headphones
- Level of noise
- Price range
- Noise cancellation capability
- Weight
- Are they portable
- How large / small are the headphones
Best Travel Headphones Reviews
COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
These headphones from Cowin are a moderately priced pair of active noise cancellation headphones. They go over-the-ear and should drown out all noise around you. At the same time, they’ll provide you with very good sound quality and other benefits.
First off, these COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are wireless, or Bluetooth.
What is quite impressive is that the battery life on the headphones is a full 30 hours on a single charge, which should be more than long enough for any journey.
This 30-hour runtime also applies for talking with the microphone. The total charge time for these headphones is just 4 hours. What is also impressive about these headphones is that for the relatively low price, they have some pretty decent audio quality and volume.
No, they are not the best sounding headphones, but they feature some pretty deep bass, clear vocals, and crisp audio overall.
The 40 mm drivers are quite good. The COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones feature swiveling ear cups; the ear pieces are padded very well, and the size of the headphones is adjustable too. They are definitely made for comfort.
There’s also the fact that they are noise-canceling, so you can drown out all ambient noise. These headphones feature onboard volume controls, tuning controls, plus the ability to answer calls.
- Great sound quality for the price
- Low price
- Onboard controls
- Microphone/answer calls
- Noise-canceling
- Comfortable and adjustable
- Good battery life
- Battery is not removable
Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones
Here we have some super affordable wired headphones that come in at around half the price of the others just reviewed. They may not be the highest quality headphones around, but they do make for good travel headphones, and considering their low price, there’s not too much to complain about.
In terms of comfort, these headphones feature an adjustable and flexible headband so you can get the right fit. Moreover, they feature very large and well-padded ear cups to keep your ears and head as comfy as can be.
Now, they may be a bit heavy, but not too bad. The Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones are made of durable materials.
Keep in mind that the Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones are wired headphones which use a 3.5mm jack to make a connection.
The good part about using wired headphones as opposed to Bluetooth headphones is that you never have to worry about running out of battery life in the middle of listening to your favorite music during your long haul flight. However, there is a pesky wire in the way.
The Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones are advertised as studio-quality headphones, which is somewhat true. These do have decent bass, clear vocals, and an overall crisp audio sound, but they won’t compare to much higher quality headphones. However, for basic travel and for the low price, they are more than good enough.
The good thing about super affordable headphones like this is that if you lose them during your travels, at least you won’t have wasted too much money.
- Very comfortable and well-padded
- No need to worry about battery life
- Decent sound for the low price
- Not active noise cancellation
- Very low price
- Fairly durable all things considered
- A bit heavy
- Sound quality could be better
- They are not wireless headphones
Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
These stereo headphones from Koss are the most affordable headphones we have looked at so far. Keep in mind that while these are technically over-the-ear headphones, they do not have a full headband, just the earpieces themselves. These are very small and lightweight headphones which you can use for travel or while doing exercise.
First off, as mentioned above, these are very small and lightweight over-the-ear headphones which come with little ear hooks to keep them in place. They are so lightweight that you will barely feel them at all.
The ear plates themselves pivot so you can get a good fit, and there is a bit of padding covering each ear piece for some added comfort. That being said, they don’t totally cover the ear and they are not tight fighting, so they are not noise-canceling in the least.
Moreover, the sound quality on the Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones is decent considering their low price.
They feature titanium-coated drivers for good sound reproduction with minimal distortion, combined with neodymium iron boron magnets for good frequency response and a decent bass sound.
Due to these headphones not being noise-canceling, the sound quality is not the best in the world.
The Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones are wired so there is never any issue with connectivity, plus you never have to worry about battery life.
For the low price which they come at, there’s not much to complain about, but that said, the Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones are definitely not built for longevity.
- Very comfortable
- Lightweight
- Super portable
- Very low price
- Decent sound considering the price
- No need to worry about batteries
- Not noise canceling
Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones
Here we are changing gears a bit, as these are much more expensive and much higher quality headphones than anything we have looked at so far.
That being said, keep in mind that you have to choose whether you want the pair for Apple or for Samsung and Android devices.
Something that stands out about these headphones is how they fold down into a really compact package, plus they come with a nifty travel case.
There is also the fact that they are extremely lightweight.
All of these things make the Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones more than ideal for travel.
The carrying case helps protect the headphones when not in use.
Moreover, being lightweight is also synonymous with comfort when it comes to headphones. The headphones feature really well-padded ear pieces; the headband also has padding, and it is adjustable for size.
Thanks to the special design of these headphones, while they are not 100% noise-canceling, they are very good at reducing noise, such as engine noise from an airplane.
Now, the Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones are wired headphones, so you never have to worry about running out of battery life. Moreover, the wire comes with call and volume control buttons for your convenience.
In terms of sound quality, these are by far the best travel headphones on the list so far.
- Comfortable with good padding
- Adjustable neckband
- Lightweight and portable
- Protective carry case included
- Quite durable
- Very good sound quality
- Never worry about battery life
- Noise-reducing
- Not 100% noise-canceling
- Device-specific (Apple/Android/Samsung)
Paww WaveSound 3 Headphones
These over-the-ear headphones from Paww are Bluetooth headphones with really good sound quality.
They come in at around $100, and for this price, these headphones are surprisingly high quality; usually, headphones of this quality would cost way more.
The Paww WaveSound 3 Headphones feature excellent noise-canceling technology.
When it comes to the best noise-canceling capabilities, these headphones are No. 1 on the list; you won’t be able to hear anything around you when wearing them.
Let’s not forget that the Paww WaveSound 3 Headphones use some excellent drivers and circuitry to provide you with great sound quality.
Bass, vocals, highs, lows, and everything in between all sounds great with this particular option.
These headphones are Bluetooth, so there’s no pesky wire in the way, and moreover, they feature a great connection range.
In terms of battery life, these headphones will last for well over 24 hours on a single charge, and the charging time isn’t too bad.
These headphones are also quite convenient for travel, as they are very lightweight, not to mention that they fold down into a compact package for easy transportation.
On that same note, being lightweight means that they are comfortable too.
They also come with well-padded ear pieces which swivel, plus they are adjustable for a good fit.
- Good battery life
- Compact and lightweight
- Comfortable and adjustable
- Excellent sound quality
- Noise-canceling
- Ideal for travel
- A bit bulky
- Durability is slightly limited
Best Travel Headphones FAQs
What is Noise Cancellation?
Headphones with noise cancellation technology use electronics to block out external noises. You won’t be distracted by what’s around you and can focus on your music, podcast, movie, white noise, or whatever you want to listen to.
How to Choose the Best Noise Cancellation Headphones?
Comfort is key. You’ll also need to consider whether you want to have a wire or wireless. Will you have access to a jack if you choose one with a wire? How long will the batteries last on a wireless?
Consider if you want a pair of headphones specifically for traveling or if you will use them at home too. You’ll want to consider if you want active noise cancellation or if you are okay with hearing some sounds around you with passive noise cancellation.
How Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Make Airplane Travel Better?
On an airplane, you’re in close quarters with others, especially if you are flying coach and not first class. Having noise cancelling headphones can make a world of difference in your comfort. You can use them to “zone out” and enjoy the flight versus being distracted by others.
They are especially helpful if you will use them for listening to podcasts, a TV or movie, work trainings, or anything you don’t want to miss due to outside noises.
When on international flights, you’ll find them invaluable to block out background noises when you want to sleep.
Having a pair of noise cancelling headphones are also convenient for trains, bus rides, taxis, and other public transportation.
Best Travel Headphones
Whether you have an international flight or a quick one, there are plenty of headphones that are ideal for long-distance traveling. Noise cancelling headphones will help distract you and help you feel less stress.
Whether you want to block out unwanted noise or use them for white noise, you’ll be comfortable even after long listening sessions.
It really all comes down to the style of headphones you like the most. You’ll find it’s the perfect travel companion. Consider also wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation as well.