Can You Bring Headphones on a Plane?

The Quick Answer

Headphones are allowed on planes, full stop. Wired headphones, Bluetooth earbuds, noise-canceling over-ears, gaming headsets — TSA doesn't restrict any of them. You can pack them in your carry-on or checked bag, and you can use them during the flight.

The only thing you need to know is when you can use them (there are restrictions during takeoff and landing) and how to handle them at the security checkpoint. Let's break it all down.

TSA Security Screening Rules

TSA's official stance is simple: headphones are permitted in both carry-on and checked luggage. But what happens when you go through the security checkpoint?

Do You Have to Remove Headphones From Your Bag?

TSA doesn't have a blanket rule requiring you to remove headphones from your carry-on bag during screening. Unlike laptops (which must come out of your bag in standard screening lines), headphones can generally stay packed.

However, there are exceptions:

• Large over-ear headphones in a bulky case may obscure other items on the X-ray. A TSA officer might ask you to pull them out for a separate scan.
• TSA PreCheck lanes — you don't need to remove anything from your bag, including electronics and headphones.
• Standard screening lanes — some airports or individual officers may ask you to remove large electronics. Headphones in a hard case could fall into this category.

The practical advice: if your headphones are in a case that's roughly the size of a book or larger, consider pulling them out and placing them in a bin alongside your bag. It'll speed things up if the X-ray operator would've flagged them anyway.

Do You Have to Take Off Headphones You're Wearing?

There's no official TSA policy requiring you to remove headphones from your ears during screening. But here's the reality: if a TSA officer gives you instructions and you can't hear them because your AirPods are cranking music, you're going to have a bad time.

Best practice is to remove your headphones or pause your audio before you reach the ID check and body scanner. You need to hear and follow instructions from TSA officers. Keeping headphones on signals that you're not paying attention, and officers may pull you aside or ask you to remove them.

Some airports now use facial recognition technology at security checkpoints, and bulky over-ear headphones can interfere with camera alignment. Another reason to take them off as you approach the screening area.

Using Headphones During the Flight

This is where the rules get more specific, and they come from the FAA and your airline — not TSA.

Before Takeoff and During Taxi

Once the cabin door closes, flight attendants will make safety announcements. During this time:

• You must be able to hear crew instructions
• Most airlines require headphones to be removed or paused during the safety briefing
• Some airlines allow one earbud in, some want both out
• Over-ear noise-canceling headphones should come off — you can't hear emergency instructions through active noise cancellation

Takeoff and Landing

FAA regulations and airline policies generally prohibit wearing headphones during takeoff and landing. This applies to all types — wired, wireless, over-ear, earbuds. The reason is straightforward: in an emergency, you need to hear crew commands instantly. Those first 90 seconds after a problem are critical, and headphones create a dangerous delay.

Some airlines are stricter than others. Budget carriers tend to enforce this firmly. International carriers vary. When in doubt, take them off when the seatbelt sign comes on for takeoff or landing.

At Cruising Altitude

Once the plane reaches roughly 10,000 feet and the captain turns off the seatbelt sign (or announces that portable electronics can be used), you're free to use headphones for the rest of the flight. This includes:

• Bluetooth earbuds (AirPods, Galaxy Buds, etc.)
• Bluetooth over-ear headphones (Sony WH-1000XM series, Bose QuietComfort, etc.)
• Wired headphones connected to your phone, tablet, or laptop
• Wired headphones plugged into the seatback entertainment system
• Noise-canceling headphones of any type

Bluetooth Headphones and Airplane Mode

This confuses a lot of people. If your phone needs to be in airplane mode, how can you use Bluetooth headphones?

The answer: airplane mode and Bluetooth are independent settings. You can turn on airplane mode (which disables cellular service) and then re-enable Bluetooth separately. Every major airline allows Bluetooth use during flight. You just can't use cellular data or make phone calls.

Here's how to set it up:

• iPhone: Turn on Airplane Mode in Settings or Control Center, then toggle Bluetooth back on
• Android: Turn on Airplane Mode, then re-enable Bluetooth from Quick Settings
• Laptop: Same concept — enable flight mode, then turn Bluetooth back on

Your Bluetooth headphones will reconnect to your device within seconds. You'll have full audio for movies, music, podcasts, and anything else on your device.

Noise-Canceling Headphones: A Travel Essential

If there's one item that transforms the flying experience, it's a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. They're not just allowed — they're practically recommended for anyone who flies regularly.

What they help with:

• Engine noise — active noise cancellation dramatically reduces the constant drone of jet engines, making long flights much less fatiguing
• Crying babies — won't eliminate it completely, but takes the edge off significantly
• Chatty neighbors — the universal signal for "I'm not available for conversation"
• Sleep — noise cancellation without music playing creates a quiet environment for sleeping on red-eyes
• Pressure changes — some travelers report that the slight pressure of ANC helps with ear discomfort during altitude changes, though this varies

Wired vs. Wireless: Which Is Better for Flying?

Both work fine, but each has trade-offs:

Wireless Headphones

• Pros: No tangles, freedom of movement, most modern seatback entertainment systems now support Bluetooth
• Cons: Battery can die mid-flight (bring a charging cable), older seatback systems don't have Bluetooth

Wired Headphones

• Pros: Never run out of battery, work with every seatback system, no pairing issues
• Cons: Cables can be annoying in tight spaces, limited by cable length

Pro tip: if you use wireless headphones, bring a Bluetooth transmitter adapter for seatback screens that don't have Bluetooth. These small dongles plug into the headphone jack on the seatback and transmit audio to your wireless headphones. They cost $15-30 and are a game-changer for long flights.

Headphones With Lithium Batteries

Most wireless headphones contain small lithium-ion batteries. The FAA has rules about lithium batteries on planes, but headphone batteries are so small they're not a concern:

• Headphone batteries are typically under 1 watt-hour — well under the FAA's 100 Wh limit for carry-on
• No special packing or declaration is needed
• You can charge them during the flight using a USB port or portable charger

That said, the FAA recommends carrying lithium-battery devices in carry-on luggage rather than checked bags. If a battery malfunctions in the cabin, the crew can address it. In the cargo hold, a battery issue could go undetected. So keep your expensive noise-canceling headphones in your carry-on anyway — it's both safer and smarter.

Connecting to In-Flight Entertainment

Seatback entertainment systems typically use one of two connector types:

• Standard 3.5mm jack — works with any wired headphones. If your phone doesn't have a headphone jack, your phone's adapter won't help here — you need headphones with a 3.5mm plug.
• Dual-prong airline adapter — older systems use a two-pronged connector. Many noise-canceling headphones come with an airline adapter in the box. If yours doesn't, you can buy one for a few dollars. They're small enough to keep permanently in your headphone case.

Newer aircraft (especially on airlines like Delta, JetBlue, and Emirates) increasingly support Bluetooth connections to seatback screens. But don't count on it — bring a wired backup or Bluetooth transmitter adapter just in case.

Tips for Flying With Headphones

• Charge before you fly. Top off your wireless headphones the night before. A dead battery at hour three of a six-hour flight is rough.
• Bring a case. Over-ear headphones get damaged in carry-on bags. A hard case protects them and keeps the headband from getting bent.
• Pack a backup pair. Cheap wired earbuds weigh nothing and save you if your wireless pair dies or malfunctions.
• Keep volume reasonable. Cabin noise tends to make people crank the volume dangerously high. Noise-canceling headphones help because they reduce background noise so you don't need to turn up the volume as much.
• Remove them for service. Take at least one earbud out when the flight attendant approaches for drink/meal service. It's courteous and practical.