Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Flights in 2026: 3 Picks Compared

About two hours into a long-haul flight, the engine drone stops being background noise and starts being the whole trip. Good noise-cancelling headphones do not just make music sound better — they lower the volume of the entire cabin, which means you arrive less tired, sleep more easily, and stop turning the volume up to unsafe levels just to hear a film. The three below cover the real choice most travellers face: the two flagship names, and one budget pick that is far better than its price suggests.

Quick comparison

1. Sony WH-1000XM5 — the all-round flagship

The XM5 is the headphone other headphones get compared to, and on a plane that is deserved: its noise cancelling takes the engine drone down to a distant hum, calls sound clear even in a noisy cabin, and the battery comfortably outlasts even a long-haul flight with a layover. It folds flat rather than folding in, so the case is a little larger than older folding designs — a small annoyance in an already full carry-on backpack.

Pros:

• Class-leading noise cancelling — engine drone drops to a faint hum
• Battery life that covers the longest flights with charge to spare
• Clear microphone quality for calls in a noisy cabin

Cons:

• Premium price, and it rarely stays discounted for long
• Folds flat rather than folding in, so the case takes up more bag space

Good for: frequent long-haul flyers who want the best cancelling available and will use them weekly. Think twice if: you fly once a year — the budget pick below gets you most of the benefit for much less.

2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra — the comfort king

Bose has always won on comfort, and the QuietComfort Ultra continues that: soft ear cushions, light clamping force, and a fit you can genuinely wear for eight hours without thinking about it. The noise cancelling is a touch behind Sony on low engine drone but superb on voices and cabin chatter, and its immersive audio mode makes films feel bigger. If your main problem on flights is discomfort rather than noise, this is the one.

Pros:

• The most comfortable flagship to wear for a full long-haul flight
• Excellent cancelling of voices and cabin chatter
• Immersive audio mode that makes films and music feel wider

Cons:

• Premium price, similar to Sony
• Engine-drone cancelling is a shade behind the XM5 on some aircraft

Good for: travellers who wear headphones for hours at a stretch and value comfort above all. Think twice if: absolute maximum drone cancelling is your only priority — Sony edges it there.

3. Soundcore Space Q45 — the budget surprise

Anker's Soundcore Q45 is the pick that makes the other two hard to justify for occasional flyers. The noise cancelling is genuinely good — not flagship level, but enough to transform a flight — the battery lasts longer than both flagships, and the price is often less than a third of theirs. Sound quality is solid rather than spectacular, and the build feels it: more plastic, less premium. For one or two trips a year, that trade is easy to accept.

Pros:

• Remarkable value — most of the flight benefit for a fraction of the flagship price
• Very long battery life, longer than both flagships
• Good, solid sound that suits films, podcasts and music on a plane

Cons:

• Noise cancelling is good, not flagship — the deepest drone still gets through
• Plasticky build that feels a step below the premium pair

Good for: occasional flyers, families buying more than one pair, and anyone who wants flight comfort without flagship spend. Think twice if: you fly weekly and want the quietest cabin possible — the flagships earn their price there.

Which headphones should you buy?

Best cancelling overall: Sony XM5. Most comfortable for very long flights: Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Best value by a wide margin: Soundcore Q45. Any of the three pairs with the rest of our travel gear essentials — and if you are packing for a long-haul trip, our packing checklist covers what else belongs in the cabin bag. Before you check out, run the trip through the Trip Budget Calculator so the headphones do not quietly eat the tour budget.

Prices change constantly, so this guide links to live listings instead of printing prices. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you — see our Affiliate Disclosure.