Top 6 Must-have Travel Gadgets for Long Flights

Traveling can be a fun experience — until you realize you have to fly for hours together to get to your destination. And if you forgot to check in early and have been allotted a middle seat — good luck stretching your arms! Thankfully, you can make your journey a little less boring by getting some must-have travel gadgets for long flights.

From phone holders for watching content hands-free to noise-canceling headphones that cut out the noise of babies crying, we’ve compiled a list of must-have travel gadgets you can buy. Apart from entertainment, we’ve also included a bonus product that can provide extra peace of mind when traveling. But before we get to the products –

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1. Perilogics Universal Flight Phone Holder

Holding your phone constantly for hours together isn’t ideal at all when flying. The best solution to the issue is getting the Perilogics universal flight phone holder. The advantage of a phone holder like this one is that it doesn’t take up any space on the tray table. So, you can continue watching content even when you’re eating.

Additionally, the mount has a rotating head so you can place your phone vertically if you prefer watching short-form content. As per thousands of reviews, the Perilogics flight phone holder is sturdy and stable even during turbulence which makes it a good accessory to buy. It’s affordable and works as intended.

2. Twelve South AirFly SE Bluetooth Audio Adapter

Simply plug the AirFly Bluetooth headphone adapter for flights into the plane’s audio jack and you’ve added Bluetooth connectivity to the flight’s screen. Then, all you have to do is connect your headphones to the adapter and the flight’s audio will be routed to your headphones wirelessly. How cool is that!

If you’re planning to pick up the Sony ANC headphones from this list or you already own a pair of noise-canceling headphones, the AirFly SE is a no-brainer. Several users have said the product is reliable but it’s worth noting that the initial pairing process can be a bit confusing. But once you get it to pair with your headphones, the experience is smooth.

3. UGREEN 25,000mAh 145W Power Bank

Thanks to the high power output, the UGREEN power bank can even charge a MacBook Pro. So, if you’re wrapping up your presentation 35,000ft in the sky and suddenly run out of battery, simply connect the UGREEN high-capacity power bank and you’ll be good to go. The capacity is also high enough to charge a laptop once or your smartphone and other smaller gadgets multiple times.

At the same time, the capacity is also within the permissible limit for air travel. There are two USB-C ports and a USB-A port onboard that can be used simultaneously to charge multiple devices.

What’s also impressive is that the power bank itself charges rather quickly so if you’re in a hurry, plugging it in for a couple of hours will give you enough power to charge your devices on the fly — quite literally! It is slightly on the heavier side but that’s understandable given the capacity of the cells inside.

4. Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Sony’s WH-1000 series of headphones — as boring as the name sounds — has been a benchmark of ANC headphones over the years. The XM5 is no different despite the new design. It sounds great and cancels out pretty much all types of external noise. This gives you a silent and pleasant experience when flying.

As a downside of the new design, you can no longer fold the headphones which is a bummer. It takes up more space in your backpack which isn’t ideal when traveling. If you have space constraints, we would suggest picking up something smaller like the AirPods Pro or the Sony WF-1000XM5. While they won’t cut out as much noise as the larger headphones, they still do a great job of giving you a silent experience.

5. XREAL Air 2 AR Glasses

These AR glasses from XREAL project a huge 200-inch screen in front of your eyes when worn. You can play your favorite videos, shows, or movies from your phone or laptop and enjoy them on a huge screen instead of squinting at your phone’s display.

Moreover, it’s not just limited to watching content. The XREAL Air 2 can even give you a virtual triple-monitor setup when connected to your Mac as mentioned in our XREAL Air 2 review. This increases your productivity by multiple folds — especially on an airplane.

So, whether you want to watch movies, play games, or work, consider getting the XREAL Air 2 for an immersive experience mid-air. However, do note that some users mention facing discomfort when using the glasses continuously for long hours.

6. Steam Deck OLED

Of course, the primary use case of the Steam Deck OLED is to play games when you’re flying. However, it’s much more than that. The console runs Windows so it’s essentially a mini PC in your backpack. Whether you want to browse the web or run native Windows apps, you can do so without pulling out your laptop.

Additionally, the new OLED display makes the Steam Deck an excellent media consumption device. The screen is larger than your smartphone so you can enjoy a more immersive experience. If you don’t want to spend the extra premium, the standard Steam Deck is still a good purchase even in 2024. You can even consider the ROG Ally if you’re on team Asus or if you find a good deal. Just keep an eye on the battery life and use a power bank for the Steam Deck to prolong your session.

Bonus: Track Your Checked Bags With Apple AirTags

If you have a layover and you’re waiting to board your next flight, an AirTag can help you determine whether or not your bags have made it to your location. Furthermore, when you board your next flight, you can see how far or near your bags are to you and then decipher if they have been loaded onto the new flight or not.

Even after landing at your final destination, you can quickly open the Find My app to see the current location of your bags. On the off chance that your bags haven’t made it to your destination, you can use the AirTag to check the real-time location of your bag and report it to the airline authorities so they can get your bag as soon as possible. It’s a tiny little gadget but can be immensely useful to locate your bags. If you have multiple bags, we suggest picking up a pack of four.

Safe and Fun Travels!

All the must-have travel gadgets mentioned above will make your flying experience better. Depending on how you want to enjoy your entertainment, you can choose the right gadgets for your travel.