I review earbuds for a living and travel fairly often for work, so naturally, I have some strong opinions on the best sets to take on the road. And while I’ve tested just about every major brand out there — both on land and in the air — there’s a reason I always come back to my AirPods Pro 2 for any big trip.
Everything that makes the AirPods Pro 2 our best Apple earbuds pick lends itself naturally to travel, from the buds’ blissfully suppressive active noise cancellation to their lightweight fit and solid battery life. And while the AirPods Pro have always been a favorite of mine on planes, some of the tweaks Apple made for the latest model make them especially great for a stress-free flight.
Despite new players entering the market, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are my go-to earbuds when I travel. Thanks to their long-lasting battery life, active noise cancellation and pocket-size case, they're a travel favorite for a reason.
Why I love the AirPods Pro 2 for travel
I called the AirPods Pro 2 the new gold standard for Apple earbuds in my initial review last year, and I still stand by that today. These buds still sound better than almost anything I’ve tested since, work seamlessly with my iPhone and MacBook and, most crucially for traveling, have superb active noise cancellation (ANC) that’s even better than that of the last-gen model.
I went on two cross-country trips to California over the past two months, and my AirPods Pro 2 made all four of those five- to six-hour flights a breeze to get through. The overwhelmingly loud chatter that surrounded me at JFK and LAX was reduced to a manageable murmur with ANC on, and during each flight, I rarely heard anything other than my own podcasts and playlists full of emo and indie-rock jams.
Apple says the latest AirPods Pro have twice the noise-canceling capabilities of the previous model, and having tested both sets extensively, that claim isn’t very far off. Having also flown with the AirPods Max, I can say that Apple’s expensive over-ear cans are even more suppressive, making plane trips a near-silent experience, but I personally find earbuds more comfortable and convenient. And when I needed to let noise in — whether I was waiting for a gate announcement or placing my usual ginger ale order with a flight attendant — the AirPods Pro 2’s superb Transparency mode let me hear my surroundings as if I had nothing in my ears at all. And Apple’s earbuds are about to get even better, as this fall’s iOS 17 will introduce an Adaptive Audio feature that can switch between ANC and Transparency on the fly based on what’s happening around you. Sounds perfect for wading through a busy airport.
These features would all be useless if the AirPods Pro 2 couldn’t hold a charge, but fortunately, they pack enough battery life to consistently get me from coast to coast without running out of juice. Apple’s latest buds are rated for six hours of nonstop endurance and 30 total hours with the charging case, which is just enough for a typical cross-country flight. They’re not quite the longest-lasting buds we’ve tested — the new Beats Studio Buds Plus have a higher nine-hour rating, and the much cheaper EarFun Air Pro 3 can go as long as 45 hours with the case. But the AirPods Pro have consistently been good enough to get me through long trips, and I can live with its comparatively lower run times considering everything else Apple’s buds do well.
Small tweaks make a big difference
Most of what I love about the AirPods Pro 2 for travel — great sound, suppressive noise cancellation, good battery life — is true of many earbuds I’ve taken to the skies with me. But it’s the little things that have made Apple’s latest earbuds that much better than the rest for getting through a long trek.
The AirPods Pro 2’s new touch controls, which let you adjust the volume up or down by simply sliding your finger on the stems, have been one of my favorite things about the buds since I got my hands on them. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized how great they are for long plane or train rides. Being able to quickly adjust my music volume with a quick slide of my finger was especially convenient whenever I was trying to close my eyes and doze off for a bit, as I didn’t have to pull out my phone — and inevitably get distracted — to do it. Plenty of other earbuds offer on-ear volume controls, but the Pro 2 make it more seamless than anything else I’ve tested.
Apple’s latest AirPods have two more killer new features that are specifically aimed at travelers (or just folks who are really clumsy). The most notable is the lanyard loop on the side of the case, which makes them easy to connect to a lanyard to keep them attached to your backpack, wrist or wherever else you like to hang your belongings. I personally prefer to keep my AirPods case in my pocket, but this is a nice bonus for those always on the road, and not something you’ll find on many competing earbud cases. And should you lose the case in a faraway city — as I have once — the new AirPods Pro offer Find My tracking support for both the buds and the case. This makes it easier to pinpoint your case’s location should it go missing during your travels, even if it’s just to confirm that, yes, you did leave your AirPods at a hotel halfway across the country.
Bottom line
I’m constantly testing the latest earbuds, and despite being impressed by recent rivals like the JBL Tour Pro 2, I’ve yet to find any set I like traveling with more than the AirPods Pro 2. They sound excellent, do a great job blocking out the chaos of an airport, are comfy enough to wear for a cross-country flight and have the battery life to match. As an iPhone user, I find that they just kind of work in a way that third-party buds often don’t. And while the AirPods Pro 2 aren’t cheap, they’re almost always on sale for $200 these days, which is a good value for a set of buds that can do this much.
That said, there are plenty of great alternatives out there if you’re on a tighter budget or just aren’t locked into the Apple universe. The recent Beats Studio Buds Plus offer many of the Pro’s key features for a lower price — and work well with Android — while the EarFun Air Pro 3 hold up surprisingly well to Apple’s buds for less than $80. But if you’re willing to invest in a pair of Apple earbuds that will fill your travels with great sound while blocking out the stuff you don’t want to hear, go ahead and grab the AirPods Pro 2. Your ears will thank you.
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