We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The Best Headphones For Solo Travelers

Bring along your favorite tunes and movies while keeping the rest of the noise out.

Headphones can be an oasis of peace in the frantic environments of traveling, whether you're listening to a podcast, playing some music to tune out the people next to you, or taking a call while waiting for your flight. Here are five headphones perfect for when you're heading out on your own.

Advertisement
Treblab Z2 Headphones
Power is a huge factor for long flights and hours spent away from a charger, so look for devices that offer the most juice. | Treblab

Battery life should be a top priority. Travel headsets have plenty of room for big batteries, so you should find a headset with at least 25 hours or more of playback time on a charge, although features like noise cancelling will reduce that time.

Tribit 32dB Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you travel with just a backpack or weekend carryon, choose a set that will fit snuggly among your other accessories. | Tribit

Another advantage of headphones is the closed cups make room for more oomph in the speakers. Look for large drivers with a wide dynamic range that better reproduce sound.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
Enjoy your music or streaming with absolutely no distraction from annoying airplane passengers or fellow resort guests. | Bose

Noise cancelling is practically a standard feature on high-end headphones at this point. Check to see where the microphones that pick up noise are located, ideally front and back, and if you can adjust the level of noise cancellation, even better.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones
Traveling for work? Take your calls at poolside, in between streaming episodes of your favorite shows. | Sony

Charging is another factor to consider on the road. Get headphones with a USB port that match the cables you'll already be bringing with you, and quick charge features that give you a few hours of playback for a few minutes of charging will make a big difference.

Advertisement
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
When you have to wear them for hours at a time, you'll need to make sure they're comfortable on your head. | Soundcore

If your laptop, phone, or tablet happens to have a headphone jack, don't forget that many of these Bluetooth headsets can be wired with an included cord. Check to see if that's an option, and whether the headset needs to be charged to use the wired function.

Recommended