The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Travel

Traveling can be a noisy and stressful experience, especially if you want to enjoy some music, podcasts, or audiobooks on the go. That’s why noise-canceling headphones are a must-have accessory for any traveler who values sound quality and comfort. But with so many options on the market, how do you choose the best pair for your needs?

We’ve done the research and testing for you, and here are our top picks for the best noise-canceling headphones for travel in 2023. We’ve considered factors such as ease of use, functionality, sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and price. Whether you prefer over-ear or earbud style, wireless or wired, budget or splurge, we have a recommendation for you.

Best Overall: Bose 700 Noise Cancelling Headphones

The Bose 700 Noise Cancelling Headphones are our top choice for the best overall noise-canceling headphones for travel. These wireless over-ear headphones offer exceptional noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Bose 700 has a sleek and adjustable design that fits snugly on your head and ears. The ear cups slide up and down for a better fit, and the headband is expandable for different head sizes. The headphones are also lightweight and come with a sturdy carrying case that protects them from damage.

The noise cancellation on these headphones is outstanding. You can choose from 11 levels of noise cancellation, from full isolation to ambient awareness. The headphones can block out any background noise, from airplane engines to passenger chatter. You can also use the Conversation Mode feature to pause your audio and let in external sound with a touch of a button.

The sound quality of these headphones is also impressive. The headphones deliver clear and balanced audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Bose Music app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these headphones is also top-notch. The headphones have intuitive touch controls on the right ear cup that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The headphones also have eight microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these headphones is decent but not exceptional. The headphones can last up to 20 hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about 2.5 hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable.

The price of these headphones is on the higher end of the spectrum, but we think they’re worth it for their excellent performance and features. You can get them for around $379 on Amazon.

Best Budget: Anker Soundcore Life P3

If you’re looking for a more affordable option for noise-canceling headphones for travel, the Anker Soundcore Life P3 is a great choice. These wireless earbuds offer decent noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality at a fraction of the cost of other models.

The Anker Soundcore Life P3 has a compact and ergonomic design that fits securely in your ears. The earbuds come with six pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes to ensure a snug fit. The earbuds are also IPX5-rated for water resistance, which means they can withstand sweat and rain.

The noise cancellation on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds have three modes of noise cancellation: Indoor, Outdoor, and Transport. The Transport mode is the most effective at reducing low-frequency noises like airplane engines or traffic. However, the earbuds struggle to block out higher-frequency noises like voices or sirens.

The sound quality on these earbuds is decent but not amazing. The earbuds have 11mm dynamic drivers that deliver punchy bass and crisp highs. However, the mids can sound muddy or recessed at times. You can also tweak your sound preferences using the Soundcore app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these earbuds is also decent but not amazing. The earbuds have touch controls on each earbud that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. However, the touch controls can be finicky or unresponsive at times. The earbuds also have six microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds can last up to seven hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about two hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these earbuds is very reasonable for their performance and features. You can get them for around $79 on Amazon.

Best Sound Quality (Earbuds): Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

If you’re looking for the best sound quality in a pair of noise-canceling earbuds for travel, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is a great option. These wireless earbuds offer excellent sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and functionality.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro has a sleek and comfortable design that fits snugly in your ears. The earbuds come with three pairs of silicone ear tips and wing tips of different sizes to ensure a secure fit. The earbuds are also IPX7-rated for water resistance, which means they can withstand submersion in water up to one meter deep.

The noise cancellation on these earbuds is excellent. The earbuds have two modes of noise cancellation: High and Low. The High mode can block out up to 99% of background noise, while the Low mode can reduce up to 85% of background noise. You can also use the Ambient Sound mode to let in external sound with a tap of an earbud.

The sound quality of these earbuds is outstanding. The earbuds have dual drivers that deliver balanced and detailed audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Galaxy Wearable app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these earbuds is also outstanding. The earbuds have touch controls on each earbud that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The earbuds also have eight microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds can last up to five hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about an hour to fully charge using a USB-C cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these earbuds is on the higher end of the spectrum, but we think they’re worth it for their excellent performance and features. You can get them for around $199 on Amazon.

Best Sound Quality (Over-Ear): JBL Tour One M2 Adaptive Noise Cancelling Headphones

If you’re looking for the best sound quality in a pair of noise-canceling over-ear headphones for travel, the JBL Tour One M2 Adaptive Noise Cancelling Headphones are a great option. These wireless over-ear headphones offer excellent sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and functionality.

The JBL Tour One M2 has a stylish and comfortable design that fits well on your head and ears. The headphones have a foldable headband and swiveling ear cups that adjust to your head shape and size. The headphones are also lightweight and come with a hard carrying case that protects them from damage.

The noise cancellation on these headphones is excellent. The headphones have four modes of noise cancellation: Silent Now, Adaptive ANC, Ambient Aware, and TalkThru. The Silent Now mode blocks out all background noise, while the Adaptive ANC mode adjusts the level of noise cancellation according to your environment. The Ambient Aware mode lets in external sound with a touch of a button, while the TalkThru mode lowers the volume of your audio and amplifies voices around you.

The sound quality of these headphones is outstanding. The headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver powerful and clear audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the My JBL Headphones app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these headphones is also outstanding. The headphones have physical buttons on each ear cup that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The headphones also have six microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these headphones is good but not great. The headphones can last up to 25 hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about two hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable.

The price of these headphones is on the higher end of the spectrum, but we think they’re worth it for their excellent performance and features. You can get them for around $299 on JBL.com.

Most Comfortable (Over-Ear): Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones

If you’re looking for the most comfortable pair of noise-canceling over-ear headphones for travel, the Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones are a great option. These wireless over-ear headphones offer great noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 has a sleek and comfortable design that fits well on your head and ears. The headphones have a foldable headband and swiveling ear cups that adjust to your head shape and size. The headphones are also lightweight and come with a hard carrying case that protects them from damage.

The noise cancellation on these headphones is great. The headphones have two modes of noise cancellation: Ambient Sound Control and Quick Attention Mode. The Ambient Sound Control mode adjusts the level of noise cancellation according to your environment. The Quick Attention Mode lowers the volume of your audio and lets in external sound with a touch of the right ear cup.

The sound quality of these headphones is great. The headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver balanced and detailed audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Sony Headphones Connect app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these headphones is also great. The headphones have touch controls on the right ear cup that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The headphones also have five microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these headphones is good but not great. The headphones can last up to 30 hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about three hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable.

The price of these headphones is on the higher end of the spectrum, but we think they’re worth it for their excellent performance and features. You can get them for around $349 on Amazon.

Most Comfortable (Earbuds): Jabra Elite 85t Earbuds

If you’re looking for the most comfortable pair of noise-canceling earbuds for travel, the Jabra Elite 85t Earbuds are a great option. These wireless earbuds offer great noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Jabra Elite 85t has a compact and ergonomic design that fits securely in your ears. The earbuds come with three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes to ensure a snug fit. The earbuds are also IPX4-rated for water resistance, which means they can withstand splashes and sweat.

The noise cancellation on these earbuds is great. The earbuds have four modes of noise cancellation: Off, HearThrough, ANC Low, and ANC High. The Off mode lets in all external sound, while the HearThrough mode lets in some external sound with a tap of an earbud. The ANC Low mode reduces low-frequency noises like airplane engines or traffic, while the ANC High mode reduces high-frequency noises like voices or sirens.

The sound quality of these earbuds is great. The earbuds have 12mm dynamic drivers that deliver rich and clear audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Jabra Sound+ app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these earbuds is also great. The earbuds have physical buttons on each earbud that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The earbuds also have six microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds can last up to seven hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about two hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these earbuds is reasonable for their performance and features. You can get them for around $179 on Amazon.

Best Splurge: Apple AirPods Max

If you’re willing to splurge on a pair of noise-canceling headphones for travel, the Apple AirPods Max is a great option. These wireless over-ear headphones offer superb noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Apple AirPods Max has a premium and elegant design that fits well on your head and ears. The headphones have a stainless steel headband and aluminum ear cups that adjust to your head shape and size. The headphones are also cushioned with memory foam and covered with breathable mesh fabric for comfort.

The noise cancellation on these headphones is superb. The headphones have two modes of noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency Mode. The ANC mode blocks out all background noise, while the Transparency Mode lets in external sound with a press of a button.

The sound quality of these headphones is superb. The headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver spacious and immersive audio across different genres and formats. You can also enjoy spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for a more realistic sound experience.

The functionality of these headphones is also superb. The headphones have physical controls on the right ear cup that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The headphones also have nine microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these headphones is decent but not exceptional. The headphones can last up to 20 hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about two hours to fully charge using a Lightning cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these headphones is very high for their performance and features. You can get them for around $549 on Amazon.

Best Battery Life: Jabra Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

If you’re looking for the best battery life in a pair of noise-canceling headphones for travel, the Jabra Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones are a great option. These wireless over-ear headphones offer good noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Jabra Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones have a simple and comfortable design that fits well on your head and ears. The headphones have a foldable headband and swiveling ear cups that adjust to your head shape and size. The headphones are also lightweight and come with a soft carrying pouch that protects them from damage.

The noise cancellation on these headphones is good but not great. The headphones have two modes of noise cancellation: On and Off. The On mode reduces low-frequency noises like airplane engines or traffic, while the Off mode lets in all external sound.

The sound quality on these headphones is good but not great. The headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver balanced and clear audio across different genres and formats. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Jabra Sound+ app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these headphones is also good but not great. The headphones have physical buttons on each ear cup that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The headphones also have two microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these headphones is excellent. The headphones can last up to 50 hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about three hours to fully charge using a USB-C cable.

The price of these headphones is reasonable for their performance and features. You can get them for around $199 on Amazon.

Best for Apple Users: Apple AirPods Pro

If you’re looking for the best pair of noise-canceling earbuds for travel that is compatible with Apple devices, the Apple AirPods Pro is a great option. These wireless earbuds offer great noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Apple AirPods Pro has a sleek and comfortable design that fits securely in your ears. The earbuds come with three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes to ensure a snug fit. The earbuds are also IPX4-rated for water resistance, which means they can withstand splashes and sweat.

The noise cancellation on these earbuds is great. The earbuds have two modes of noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency Mode. The ANC mode blocks out all background noise, while the Transparency Mode lets in external sound with a squeeze of an earbud.

The sound quality of these earbuds is great. The earbuds have custom high-excursion drivers that deliver balanced and detailed audio across different genres and formats. You can also enjoy spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for a more realistic sound experience.

The functionality of these earbuds is also great. The earbuds have force sensors on each earbud that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. The earbuds also have three microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these earbuds is decent but not exceptional. The earbuds can last up to five hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about an hour to fully charge using a Lightning cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these earbuds is high for their performance and features. You can get them for around $249 on Amazon.

Best Multi-Use: Beats Fit Pro Noise Canceling Earbuds

If you’re looking for a pair of noise-canceling earbuds for travel that can also be used for other activities like working out or gaming, the Beats Fit Pro Noise Canceling Earbuds are a great option. These wireless earbuds offer good noise cancellation, sound quality, comfort, and functionality.

The Beats Fit Pro has a sporty and comfortable design that fits securely in your ears. The earbuds come with four pairs of silicone ear tips and wing tips of different sizes to ensure a stable fit. The earbuds are also IPX4-rated for water resistance, which means they can withstand splashes and sweat.

The noise cancellation on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds have two modes of noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Transparency Mode. The ANC mode reduces low-frequency noises like airplane engines or traffic, while the Transparency Mode lets in external sound with a press of an earbud.

The sound quality on these earbuds is good but not great. The earbuds have 12mm dynamic drivers that deliver powerful bass and crisp highs. However, the mids can sound hollow or harsh at times. You can also customize your sound preferences using the Beats app’s EQ settings and presets.

The functionality of these earbuds is also good but not great. The earbuds have touch controls on each earbud that let you adjust the volume, play/pause/skip tracks, answer/end/reject calls, and access your voice assistant. However, the touch controls can be sensitive or unresponsive at times. The earbuds also have two microphones that ensure clear voice quality on calls and voice commands.

The battery life on these earbuds is decent but not exceptional. The earbuds can last up to six hours of continuous playback with noise cancellation on. However, they take about an hour and a half to fully charge using a USB-C cable or a wireless charger.

The price of these earbuds is reasonable for their performance and features. You can get them for around $199 on Amazon.

Conclusion

These are our top picks for the best noise-canceling headphones for travel in 2023. We hope this article has helped you find the perfect pair for your needs and preferences. Whether you want to splurge or save, enjoy over-ear or earbud style, or prioritize sound quality or comfort, there’s a pair of noise-canceling headphones for you.

Happy travels and happy listening! ?