Noise-canceling headphones have become as essential to modern-day travel as your passport or smartphone. There are many choices out there (for a good price): over-ear, on-ear, earbuds, active noise-cancelation, adaptive noise-cancelation…the list goes on. So, how do you know which is right for you?
We love traveling in peace, sleeping, or focusing on reading when flying, not on the engine and other people’s noise. That is why in this article, we are focused explicitly on earbuds. They are conveniently small and easy to pack, making them ideal for when you’re on the move.
At LocalsInsider we’ve compared the best models in the shops for things like noise-canceling performance, sound quality, battery life, and special features that can make a traveler’s life easier. The perfect combination of these factors will ensure you can block out the outside world and travel peacefully, whether working, concentrating, or trying to sleep.
Six of the Best Quality & Affordable Noise-Canceling Earbuds for Travel
Discover immersive listening with the best noise-canceling earbuds for travel with LocalInsider.com.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Price from $249.00
Grab a set: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
The Bose QuietComfort Ultras are earbuds for audiophiles. They have a fantastic, immersive sound quality and the best noise-canceling performance we could find. At $249.00, they are pricey, but you can tell where every cent goes.
These earbuds excel in noise-canceling performance. They utilize advanced ANC (active noise canceling) technology to effectively mute all external sounds, making them ideal in noisy environments like airplanes or bustling city streets.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds provide up to six hours of playback with ANC activated, and the included charging case extends this to 18 hours, ensuring you’re covered for long journeys.
The battery is superior to many of the other models we looked at, with as many as 8.5 hours of life from a single charge. Plus, you get 2.5 charges from the charging case for 31.5 hours—again, perfect for those long-haul trips.
Bowers & Wilkins
Price from $259.00
Grab a set: Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2
The Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 is another pricey but powerful set of earbuds that produces a top-notch sound. Crisp and clear, it is great for voice tracks and taking calls.
The case has a built-in retransmitter, a super handy feature that makes these B&W buds shine. This lets you connect to the inflight entertainment system onboard flights and listen in peace with the full ANC experience.
Battery life is up to five hours for the buds with ANC off, plus 16 hours from the charging case. The quick charge will give you two hours of playback off a 15-minute charge, which is fantastic for getting those little top-ups.
In addition to the standard USB-C charging cable, the box includes an 80cm USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable—a nice and helpful addition.
Beats Studio Buds+
Price from $169.99
Grab a set: Beats Studio Buds+
Compared to the previous two, these Beats earbuds, at $169.99, seem quite reasonably priced for a luxury brand. They’re a step up from the previous model, with up to 1.6 times more ANC power (according to the manufacturer), and they do the job quite nicely.
Combined with what the case offers, you’ll get around 36 hours, rivaling the Bose’s longevity. The Fast Fuel quick charge will give you 60 minutes of playing time from a five-minute charge. From what we can tell, the Beats buds have some of the best batteries on the market.
A standout feature is the transparency mode, which blends your audio with your surroundings. You can mix ambient sounds with your music when you need to be aware of your surroundings and ensure you don’t miss the call for the next leg of your journey.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
Price from $109.99
Grab a set: Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
The only mid-range set on our list, the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro earbuds deserve their place among the big brands. The 3D sound and multi-mode transparency are fantastic, but the ANC could be better compared with the Bose, for example. But at nearly 2.5 times the price, you expect that quality from the luxury model.
The Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro buds have an exceptional quick charge feature, offering 3 hours of listening from a quick 15-minute charge. ANC and transparency mode reduce the listening time from 8 to 6 hours in the buds, but the charging case brings the total up to 32 hours.
For the price, the Soundcore buds are great quality and offer fantastic value for money.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2
Price from $199.99
Grab a set: Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2
We’ve experienced some issues with Jabra products in the past, but with the Elite 10 Gen 2, the manufacturer has outdone itself.
Like the Bowers & Wilkins model, the Jabar Elite has an audio smart case that connects to the inflight entertainment system or your TV for spatial sound. It also has a USB-C cable adapter that turns it into a 3.5mm audio jack, making it easy to connect to most devices.
The battery across the earbuds and case will give you 27 hours with the ANC active, and a five-minute quick charge will give you an additional hour of listening time.
Sony WF-1000XM5
Price from $229.99
Grab a set: Sony WF-1000XM5
While not the most creatively named, the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds go above and beyond in performance. As a brand, Sony really does think of everything, and with the WF-1000XM5, it’s all about control.
The feature that stands out most is using head gestures to control your earbuds. This is handy when your hands are full; for example, you can shake your head to answer or decline an incoming phone call without skipping a beat. You can also access OK Google and Alexa with voice control for even more hands-free options.
The earbuds themselves hold eight hours of charge, with 16 more in the case. This is less time than others, but it is decent enough to get you from A to B. A three-minute quick charge will give you an additional 60 minutes of listening.
Enjoy Tranquil Travel with Noise-Canceling Headphones
The LocalsInsider.com team found that the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds stood out against the rest, delivering the best standards across our range of criteria.
The Sony set because of the pure convenience of using them when you’re on the move. Once you’ve popped them in your ears, you can forget about them and get on with your day.
The Bose is the best choice because of its superior audio quality and the most effective active noise cancelation, which is necessary when you need to work on the hop.
We preferred these models despite the hefty price tags because, with some things, you get what you pay for, and if you factor in the cost-per-use, you’ll soon find they owe you nothing.
