Best Travel Headphones 2025: Perfect Picks for Long Journeys

Explore top travel headphones of 2025 that combine comfort, noise cancellation, and great sound for your long trips.

Traveling without a reliable pair of headphones? That’s a rookie move. Whether you're on a bustling street or thousands of feet above the clouds, great headphones can make or break your journey. Comfort is king, but blocking out all that distracting noise? That’s the real game-changer.

After countless hours of testing headphones across diverse environments, we’ve rounded up the best travel headphones you can snag right now. From budget-friendly gems to premium noise-canceling beasts, this list has something for every traveler craving sonic bliss. Ready to upgrade your travel soundtrack?

Top 3 Travel Headphones You Can't Miss

• Best Overall Travel Headphones — Sony WH-1000XM6. The jack-of-all-trades for travelers, these headphones excel in every situation on the road.
• Best Noise-Canceling Travel Headphones — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. When you need to utterly escape the world around you, Bose’s ANC tech reigns supreme.
• Best Budget Travel Earbuds — Nothing Ear (2). Affordable, feature-packed, and downright fantastic sounding — proof that great things don’t always have to cost a fortune.

Deep Dive Into the Best Travel Headphones

1. Sony WH-1000XM6 — The Ultimate Travel Companion

Specs:

• Type: Over-ear
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and wired
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 250 grams

Pros:

• Industry-leading noise cancellation and sound quality
• Adaptable cabin pressure adjustment
• Exceptionally comfortable fit

Cons:

• On the pricier side

Sony WH-1000XM6 updates the beloved XM5 with a folding design (finally!) and a near-perfect case, making it a travel-friendly powerhouse. The adaptive noise cancellation is a smart feature here — the headphones learn your favorite spots and tweak sound suppression accordingly. It’s like having a personal sound engineer in your ears.

Though not cheap, the sound is “superb,” “confident,” and “balanced,” with battery life that keeps pace with your longest flights or road trips. For anyone serious about travel headphones, this is the gold standard.

“These headphones deliver ‘superb’, ‘confident’, and ‘balanced’ sound alongside excellent battery life.”

2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Noise-Canceling Royalty

Specs:

• Type: Over-ear
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and wired
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 250 grams

Pros:

• Unmatched active noise cancellation
• Stunning sound with immersive 3D audio
• Solid 18-hour battery life

Cons:

• Not foldable, so less compact for travel
• Sound preference varies — some prefer Sony’s tonality

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are built for travelers who want to vanish into their own audio world. The ANC tech here lives up to the hype, pairing with immersive spatial sound that transforms your music or podcasts.

While they don’t fold up like some competitors, the included carrying case keeps them protected on the go. If noise cancellation is your #1 priority for travel, Bose’s offering is like a sonic sanctuary. As one reviewer put it, “Long live the king of noise cancellation!”

3. Nothing Ear (2) — Budget-Friendly Travel Earbuds That Impress

Specs:

• Type: In-ear earbuds
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 5 grams per earbud

Pros:

• Excellent battery life
• Crisp microphone quality
• Outstanding value for the price

Cons:

• Slightly heavy bass that might not please everyone
• Bold, quirky design won’t be for all tastes

The second-gen Nothing Ear (2) earbuds made quite a splash with their “all you need, nothing you don’t” vibe. These earbuds are perfect for travelers who want solid noise cancellation and sound without selling a kidney. Their compact size makes them an ideal carry-on companion.

Sure, the design is a bit out there, but if you can look past that, you’ll be treated to audio quality that punches well above its weight. And a fun fact: you can even use ChatGPT through your phone with these earbuds — talk about futuristic travel gear!

4. Sonos Ace — Travel in Supreme Comfort

Specs:

• Type: Over-ear
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and wired
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 312 grams

Pros:

• Top-tier comfort with memory foam material
• Powerful sound with spatial audio features
• Fun personal cinema features

Cons:

• Could improve build quality
• No full Sonos ecosystem integration

If you’re logging serious miles, comfort is non-negotiable. Sonos Ace delivers with high-grade memory foam padding that feels like a gentle hug for your ears. These are probably the most comfortable headphones you’ll ever wear on a flight.

Though they’re Sonos’s first headphone release and lack full Wi-Fi integration with Sonos speakers, the sound quality is fantastic, and the listening experience is immersive. Plus, the battery life lets you binge movies or music for hours on end.

5. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 — Premium In-Ear Noise Canceling

Specs:

• Type: In-ear earbuds
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 6 grams per earbud

Pros:

• Top-tier sound quality
• Incredible comfort in a small form factor
• Best-in-class noise cancellation

Cons:

• Larger casing than some competitors
• Premium price tag

If ANC and compactness are your travel must-haves, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 are near flawless. They’re a bit on the pricey side, but the noise cancellation practically creates a bubble of silence around you wherever you go.

The accompanying app adds polish with customizable settings, and the build quality is solid enough to withstand travel wear and tear. These earbuds impress across the board, making them a great pick if you want peace and quiet in your pocket.

“If you want some of the highest quality headphones, these are truly one of a kind.”

6. Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 — Luxury Travel Sound

Specs:

• Type: Over-ear
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and wired
• Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Weight: 307 grams

Pros:

• Confident, detailed Hi-Fi level sound
• Effective active noise cancellation
• Gorgeous build and finish

Cons:

• Expensive

Looking for luxury and top-tier sound in your travel headphones? The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 delivers with a refined audio experience that audiophiles will appreciate. These aren’t cheap, but the quality matches the price tag.

The headphones feature superb dynamics and pristine detail, wrapped in a premium design with tactile controls. Add 30 hours of battery life, and you’ve got a travel companion that’s as stylish as it is functional.

Traveling can be chaotic enough without battling poor sound or uncomfortable gear. These headphones prove that with the right tech, you can create your own peaceful oasis anywhere in the world. Which pair will you take on your next adventure?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which headphones offer the best noise cancellation for travel?
  Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 lead the pack with top-tier active noise cancellation.
• Are there good budget options for travel headphones?
  Absolutely! Nothing Ear (2) earbuds provide great sound, solid noise cancellation, and comfort without breaking the bank.
• What makes Sony WH-1000XM6 ideal for travel?
  They combine premium noise cancellation, adaptable sound settings, folding design, and long battery life, perfect for all travel scenarios.
• Do in-ear earbuds provide enough comfort for long trips?
  Many do, especially models like Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 and Nothing Ear (2), which are designed for extended wear.
• Are luxury headphones worth it for travel?
  If you value exquisite sound quality and build, models like Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 offer a high-end experience with great features.

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