Travel can be stressful, but with the right pair of headphones it can become a relaxing journey. Anti-noise (ANC) headphones allow you to block out ambient noise and immerse yourself in audio content – helping make every journey an experience worth remembering!

The top noise-canceling headphones for travel offer comfort, refined sound quality and effective active noise cancellation that effectively blocks out engine rumble or chatter from nearby commuters.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony’s WH-1000XM4 Wireless noise-canceling headphones for travel are considered one of the top picks overall, even though they do not feature the most neutral sound right out of the box and their battery life falls slightly short of other options. Yet these impressively comfortable headphones still boast impressively powerful companion apps offering numerous customization and advanced audio processing options such as DSEE Extreme for recovering details lost from lower quality music files.

The Sonys can connect to two devices simultaneously, with an easy switch between passive and active noise cancellation. They come equipped with a 3.5mm cable for listening to non-Bluetooth content or connecting with seatback entertainment systems that don’t support Bluetooth. Gaming fans may prefer SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless headphones for their dedicated ANC functionality and superior audio quality compared to Sonys that do not support low latency codec.

2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless

Bose’s QC Ultra headphones feature superior noise cancellation technology. Extremely comfortable and fold down into a compact case, they make for the ideal option when traveling long distances by plane or road trip. Furthermore, these Bluetooth codecs include high-performance aptX Adaptive (coming soon) as well as Qualcomm’s new LC3 audio format (coming soon).

These headphones feature 10 mics: four around each exterior ear cup and three internal feed-forward microphones to capture voice. In addition, these earbuds support Google Fast Pair and multipoint pairing as well as come equipped with an optional audio cable for wired listening.

Bose headphones with immersive 3D audio technology offer you an expansive and captivating audio-video experience, perfect for music and videos alike. Their sound quality is top-tier; providing balanced, warm tones that are pleasingly enjoyable over long listening sessions.

3. Bowers & Wilkins ATH-ANC500

Noise cancelling headphones are an invaluable asset when traveling long distances. Block out airport and train noise while keeping in touch with music and audiobooks at the same time!

If you’re traveling frequently and in search of quality headphones that offer effective noise cancellation, look no further than Bowers & Wilkins’ ATH-ANC500 over-ear headphones. Not only are they stylish yet comfortable; they’re also packed with features.

These headphones feature a 3.5mm audio cable and transparency mode to help ensure you hear important aircraft announcements.

If you’re on a tight budget and searching for quality headphones that provide effective noise cancellation and superb audio performance at a much more competitive price point than Bowers & Wilkins’ headphones, Sennheiser 2024-issue Accentums or Momentum 4 Wireless could be worth considering. Both offer excellent noise-cancellation technology as well as premium sound quality at much more reasonable costs.

4. Sony WH-CH720N

Sony offers premium audio quality and noise cancellation at an accessible price in their WH-CH720N over-ear headphones, without compromising premium features such as comfort or battery life. While noise cancelling doesn’t block out as much lower frequency ambient noise as more costly models do, transparency mode enables more natural hearing of surroundings.

At 192g, these overhead wireless headphones with active noise cancellation are among the lightest we have tested. While their exterior may feel less premium than that of either 1000XM4 or WH-XB910N models, they remain comfortable to wear for long periods of time and physical buttons rather than touch controls make it easier to avoid accidentally raising volume or skipping tracks accidentally. Unfortunately they lack Adaptive Sound Control support.

5. Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless

Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are an affordable solution for travelers in search of good noise cancelling over-ear headphones, offering decent audio quality and features without breaking the bank. While not quite up to par with more expensive options in terms of audio quality and features, they’re comfortable enough for prolonged wear while coming equipped with an essential carrying pouch that protects them when packed into luggage.

Low-frequency noise cancellers do an effective job at filtering out engine noise, making them popular on airplanes. Unfortunately, they don’t do as well at rejecting wind noise or incidental sounds such as chatty seatmates.

Controls on these headphones are fairly intuitive, with a play/pause button flanked by two volume adjustment buttons and double tapping triggering bass boost mode (which I find rather irritating), holding down on this same play button summonsing your phone’s virtual assistant, or having wired headphones with an Anker TRS cable for wired listening and offering up to 40 hours of playback per charge; although this estimate can decrease depending on your use of active noise cancellation features like active noise cancellation.

6. Sony WH-1000XM5

Audiophiles will love these headphones. The WH-1000XM5s offer superior noise cancellation technology, a more flexible build and an upgraded microphone compared to their predecessors – perfect for blocking out ambient sounds such as bus engines rumbling by or passenger chatter! Wearable for extended periods without feeling restricted in your hearing capabilities.

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones boast an excellent battery life, providing up to 30 hours of music playback. Lightweight and fold flat for convenient storage in any bag or carry-on luggage, these Sony headphones make music listening convenient!

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones feature not only long battery lives, but also an accelerometer to automatically pause playback when you remove them from your head and resume when put back on, helping prevent accidental interruptions during travels. Their ergonomic ear cups fit comfortably around ears even with thick hair or glasses – an added feature which provides peace of mind during long travel journeys.