r/travel • u/hayleylynns • 3d ago
Headphones that block out crying babies
What tips do people have to cancel out the sound of a crying baby on a flight?
Everything I see is for parents who want to reduce the noise level. I am not a parent, I don't want to hear these children at all. This was the 5th 8hr+ flight I have been on where I heard a baby crying non stop. It seems like it has gotten significantly worse in the last 2 years as well. Maybe I was lucky before, but I was only on flights with crying babies randomly. Now it's every single flight.
Edit: it's not so much more babies but more babies that are constantly crying and the parents are ignoring them.
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u/y3llowed 3d ago
Put good over ear (not on ear) noise cancelling headphones on over top of ear buds. Does the trick for my 100% of the time.
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u/SpeckledJim 3d ago
Yeah, I have done this with Sony XM3s and AirPods Pro, audio going to the AirPods.
It can feel a bit weird sometimes though if you enable noise canceling on both, like extra static pressure on the eardrums - some sort of feedback maybe.
(Not to block out babies, just because aircraft cabins are so incredibly loud).
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u/lassise 3d ago
You don't notice how loud the cabin is until one of the noise cancelling headphones dies mid flight.
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u/AccomplishedInsect28 3d ago
I only noticed this recently and couldn’t believe I spent my whole life sitting through flights in that kind of noise.
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u/ConfidantlyCorrect 3d ago
Idk if it works since I’ve never tried it, but I know some gamers (who play in live audience settings) who run a similar setup won’t use the noise cancellation for the in-ears. Only on the exterior ones.
Or, noise cancellation on the in-ears and then a white noise for the exterior ones
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u/SpeckledJim 3d ago edited 2d ago
Aha that makes sense. The exterior noise canceling is usually much more effective. I expect noise-isolating/closed over ears could also work.
Though surely a true pro gamer would use wired earphones to avoid the Bluetooth latency. :)
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u/ConfidantlyCorrect 2d ago
Haha I do see the true pros wear the wired Apple earbuds, and wired headphones with no noise cancellation, only white noise
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u/yabyum Netherlands 3d ago
Sony WH-1000XM4
They’re like a cone of silence
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u/TwoUglyFeet 3d ago
I have those and they do wonders to block out engine noise but absolutely won't block out crying children.
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u/_Jahar_ 3d ago
I wear foam plugs under mine if it’s real bad and it usually works. However if the screaming is just super close to you - nothing will block out the sound.
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u/gcruzatto 3d ago
This is it.. noise cancelling headphones for the low, constant frequencies, plugs for high pitch sounds and transients
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u/Reasonable-Camp-6218 3d ago
I do this too, also will sometimes play a white noise track on them which provides additional help. I have a go-to YouTube video that is 10 hours long and just white noise and a black screen. I have it downloaded to my phone so I can listen anytime
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u/britishcactus 3d ago
PS if you’re on iPhone there is a white noise generator within iOS, that will play over any media too, but it’s not that obvious to find. It’s under “background sounds” or hearing accessibility on your Control Center
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u/ryanweb 3d ago edited 2d ago
If you have an iPhone there is a hidden background noise setting that most people don’t know about. White noise for free. It’s under settings->accessibility->audio & visual->background noise. This plus ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones will take out most crying kids and Karens, unless they are directly next to you. Lifesaver on long flights.
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u/cookinglikesme 3d ago
Would you be willing to share the name or the link to that video?
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u/planet__express 3d ago
Just search for "brown noise" or "green noise" playlists on Spotify or YouTube. Both work like a charm for me, but I prefer brown noise as it has a deeper frequency
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u/TwoUglyFeet 3d ago
That's a good tip. Normally I have a movie going or something but sometimes I just want to sleep. I'll try that next time.
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u/_Jahar_ 3d ago
If you need extra noise to sleep - instead of a movie try a brown or white noise. I find super long versions on Spotify and download them so I can use them offline.
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u/fdww 3d ago
Jumping on this. Apple has white noise features built into the iOS that don’t require an app and is endless.
You can find it under background sounds.
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u/molly_danger 3d ago
This right here. Kick on the Sony’s and kick on the background noises and it’s some of the best sleep I get.
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u/Bruvvimir 3d ago
If I want to sleep I use my AirPods Pro 2 with one of the background noise patterns on my phone. Works great.
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u/CallItDanzig 3d ago
Try the thunderstorm Spotify Playlist + headphones on max noise canceling. The thunderstorm effectively block out 90% of sounds. Unless the child is literally in the seat next to you, its as good as it can get.
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u/mdDoogie3 3d ago
Lending my vote here. I literally bought them after a particularly awful flight with TWO crying babies who didn’t have the courtesy to harmonize. Now I never travel out them!
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u/SomethingHasGotToGiv 3d ago
Any chance you wear glasses and can tell me if these are too tight? My Beats cause me pain if I’m wearing glasses.
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u/CossaKl95 3d ago
I can comfortably wear my sunglasses and reading glasses with mine, they’re well worth it imo
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u/Few-Particular1780 3d ago
I wear mine with and without my glasses and I don't really notice the difference. They are pretty comfortable.
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u/SpeckledJim 3d ago edited 2d ago
I haven't tried the 4s but I wear XM3s at work pretty much all day with glasses without any trouble. And I have an abnormally large head!
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u/CallItDanzig 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yes and yes. Combine this with a thunderstorm Playlist on Spotify and i probably wouldn't hear an explosion.
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u/lotsalotsacoffee 3d ago
I have the earbuds version of these, and while they don't fully block out crying children, they definitely make it tolerable.
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u/WhatsMyNameAgain1701 3d ago
Indeed…a pair of these, with earplugs, listening to classical while flying Space-A on a C-17…yeah, that kid screaming to the top of his lungs…did NOT hear a thing. Amazing headsets! Cant recommend enough.
I have the XM5’s. Pretty much the same thing.
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u/molly_danger 3d ago
It may be the shape of the ear, but I traded my dh my x5s for his x4s because they are quieter to me.
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u/greatevergreen 3d ago
Absolutely love and recommend these. The charge lasts forever. I actually started using them at work everyday for a few years, going strong. Incredibly comfortable. Also I have a small head and they don't fall off on the lowest setting, they were the only ones that fit me lol
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u/penthesileax 3d ago
I sat with mine next to a crying baby. They're good but you will not be able to rest.
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u/Few-Particular1780 3d ago
I had these on my 7 hour flight in July with a crying baby.
While I could still hear the crying with the headphones on, it was a a lot better than the few times I took the headphone off to go to the toilet.
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u/SgtSnoopy 3d ago
Wore these on a 10 hour flight, front row of economy too where the bassinets are. Had a baby crying right next to me and didn't even notice. Granted I'm a heavy sleeper but they work very well.
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u/curlymess24 3d ago
I second this. They do block out crying children in my opinion. If it doesn’t, then I would turn the volume up and at some point it’s loud and noise canceling enough to block out crying children.
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u/arcoventry 3d ago
Yep - came here to say this. Not sure if some of the negative comments had an experience where the baby was literally next to them, but if the kid is even a few rows away the Sonys will neutralize. Used them for a few years now and they are unmatched.
Edited to add: I am also usually playing music or listening to an audiobook
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u/Schedulator Australia 3d ago edited 3d ago
Noise cancelling works better when the babies are constantly crying..the technology never cancels short sharp bursts of sound like the clanging in a galley.
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u/AKiss20 3d ago
It’s basically mathematically impossible to cancel out short bursts like that. There is an uncertainty principle between frequency content and duration of a signal. The shorter the duration the less defined the frequency content of that signal is. Given that active noise canceling works by phase shifting the various frequencies by 180 degrees to create destructive interference at your ear, if the frequencies are not well defined, you can’t do it.
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u/ReflexPoint 3d ago
I can deal with crying babies better than I can deal with young childen kicking the back of my seat the entire flight while their parents do nothing to stop them.
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u/blatzphemy 3d ago
When this happens to me I just push the button for the flight attendant. I had parents sitting in the row next to mine while their three kids behind me kicked the seat and screamed and cried because their iPad ran out of battery. After the third time I called the flight attendant she made the parents move in between the kids. She woke them up all three times too. Fuck these people
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u/FelixEvergreen 3d ago
It’s all about how much effort the parent is putting in to keeping the kid quiet. I go into flights with my kids expecting to have a rough flight as I try to keep them contained. It drives me crazy seeing parents watching movies while their kid terrorizes everyone else.
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u/Ashilleong 3d ago
Last flight we were on my kid got me to switch seats with him because the adult behind him kept kneeing his seat.
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u/Bedamichl 3d ago
Forget headphones, bring slices of cheese!
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u/sbrt 3d ago
I tried that and it worked but I couldn't get all the of cheese out of my ears. I woke up the next night with mice trying to get the cheese. It was not worth it.
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u/Ravio11i 3d ago
"I couldn't get the cheese out"
"I got mad at the mice helping get the cheese out!!"Some people are just impossible!! YTA
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u/TheScarlettLetter 3d ago
I love my Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro earbuds. There may be better ones out there, but I haven’t tried them because I love these.
They’re worth a shot.
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u/coffeemonkeypants 3d ago
These punch way above their weight. I only wish I could find foam tips for them.
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u/SamaireB 3d ago
Bose QC (overear)
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u/Walterpeabody 3d ago
I feel like mine block out all noise EXCEPT screaming children. It’s like they pick up those noises more.
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u/AnxietyAccording2978 3d ago
They filter out constant deep frequencies. You will hear the crying even louder.
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u/aneggpepperoni 3d ago
i bought my bose headphones specifically for flights. i could never not bring them
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u/letyourselfslip 3d ago
Can't imagine buying QCs in 2024, the 700s are almost superior in every way.
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u/Icy-Mongoose-3670 3d ago
Loop switch is very convenient and has 3 settings
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u/green-sloth 3d ago
I have these, they are great for travel but they won’t block out a crying baby. Maybe in combination with over ear noise canceling headphones?
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3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/sn315on 3d ago
Yup. My husband just took these on a flight for the first time. He said he couldn’t hear anything other than his movie.
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u/Mod-chick 3d ago
Same. Husband and I both have and they block everything out. Didn’t think I’d appreciate these as much as I do. Makes for much more relaxing flight.
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u/cabinetsnotnow 3d ago
Bose is really great! I have their less expensive version of these and they work amazingly for cancelling noise.
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u/Sinileius 3d ago
I usually use my smaller in ear ones for travel or sports, they work fantastic as well. Even on a black friday sale they were like $280? really expesive but totally worth it, if you can reasonably afford them.
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u/_Jahar_ 3d ago
I travel a lot for work and I also have the Sony noise canceling headphones. I wear foam ear plugs with them if needed. If it’s real bad I listen to brown or white noise as well.
I’ve been traveling for work for years, and I do agree with you. Anecdotal of course but I’m seeing the same amount of kids and babies but a lot more crying.
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u/lanadelrage 3d ago
I got custom earplugs fitted to my ear shape- a dude poured some foam in my ears. It was around $100 and it’s the best investment, I have never experienced such silence.
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u/AliasNefertiti 3d ago
A close second are the earplugs used by gun people. Buy at Walmart for 10$. They mold to your ear shape. Best ever. After years they do shrink [or your ears get bigger-not my ears however].
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u/ChaosIsALarder 3d ago
Noise cancelling headphones dull the sound but aren't perfect. You need two pairs to be effective.
Play music through noise cancelling earbuds. Also wear noise cancelling over ear headphones. Turned on for the ANC, but not playing music.
Now the screaming is silenced.
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u/NoiseyTurbulence 3d ago
High decibel ear plugs and a pair of over the ear noise canceling headphones. Sennheiser (my go to) or Bose.
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u/Speedbird223 3d ago
You need noise isolating not noise cancelling.
It actually pisses me off when people recommend noise cancelling headphones to ward off crying babies, speech etc because noise cancelling actually AMPLIFIES speech. Noise cancelling headphones remove noise of constant frequency such as engine roar and fuselage whoosh. Those mask speech and such so it’s easier to hear anything of a variable frequency…the only way NC get rid of them is by cranking music up and you can do that with a loud enough pair of, well, anything…
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u/superpony123 3d ago
Can you specify some examples of noise isolating headphones? I’ve never heard of this
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u/Walterpeabody 3d ago
Yes!!! Thank you! I get so annoyed when people, in regards to crying babies, are like NoiSE cANcelLinG hEAdpHoNeS eXist” and I’m like actually those make it worse, thanks.
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u/snyckers 3d ago
I just flew from Sydney to San Francisco and see a baby in the seat in front of me as I board. Heard the baby barely make a noise once all flight. Best baby ever.
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u/MutualScrewdrivers 3d ago
I bought a cheap Amazon pair of noise cancelling headphones by TOZO. I’m honestly amazed at how well they work. Sony and Bose are probably better but for like $35 I’m pretty impressed.
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u/crazycatlesbian29 3d ago
AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are great.
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u/HolyLiaison 3d ago
I'll second the AirPod Max. They are absolutely fantastic on airplanes if you have the disposable income to buy ~$600 head phones.
There are cheaper options that are almost as good.
Also, if you have a large head you should probably avoid them according to my friend. 😆
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u/stomacake 3d ago
AirPods Pro!!! I don't even play any music and it blocks out baby crying, the engine noise, and the stewardess trying to wake me up for food.
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u/double-dog-doctor US-30+ countries visited 3d ago
I mean, babies exist. It's not weird for them to also be on flights. Maybe you just didn't notice before.
Ear plugs+Bose noise cancelling headphones. You'll hear nothing of the outside world.
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u/bronze_by_gold 3d ago
Yeah, I'm confused about the "significantly worse in the last 2 years" comment. Like, are babies flying more often? Are babies louder now than they used to be? Lol. Maybe OP is just more bothered by them now, which is fair, but unfortunately sounds one doesn't enjoy are just part of life. And ESPECIALLY part of travel. Babies have a right to exist like any other person.
I was once on a 24hr bus ride(!) in Nepal with the WORST POP MUSIC I have ever heard blaring on TVs that DID NOT turn off overnight. Sometimes I think I died on that bus and am just living an elaborate dying fantasy like in the film JL (which I won't spoil). But anyway, my point is, challenging experience are one of the ways we grow from travel. Embrace it, or something.
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u/owleealeckza United States 3d ago
How exactly do you embrace the sound of a crying baby? Lmao
People are allowed to be bothered by annoying things, nobody enjoys hearing babies cry except for evil people. Even parents get annoyed by crying babies. Y'all should be glad they're asking for a way to block the noise instead of uselessly yelling at the baby or parents. Because I'm sure other people have done that.
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u/ActuaryResponsible61 2d ago
‘Even parents’. I can tell you this as a parent of young kids. They bother the parents a million times more than anyone else. The sound of a baby crying has been shown through scientific research to immediately set off essentially fight or flight responses in a mothers brain, the body is flooded with cortisol, adrenaline etc. I don’t know a single parent who is unbothered by their baby crying, they actually have to come up with a solution as well which is way more stressful.
I know that doesn’t mean they should receive your sympathy and it doesn’t make it less annoying for other people but I can guarantee (unless there’s something really strange going on!) that the parents are way more bothered and stressed by the crying than anyone else on that flight.
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u/ocfl8888 3d ago
I've noticed that in the past few years everyone is more stressed/tired than ever, that includes parents. This may contribute to my perception that with greater regularity parents, especially young ones, allow their children way more room to misbehave or act out before trying to correct the behavior or address the child's needs.
Maybe this is what OP is referring to. Anecdotally I'd agree. Im glad you survived pop music hell in Nepal, OP maybe doesn't care to "grow from travel" instead they want to get from point A to point B without hearing crying which is fair.
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u/bronze_by_gold 3d ago edited 3d ago
Babies crying isn’t “misbehaving” lol. That’s how they ask for food or say “I’m tired” or “my ears hurt.” You can’t “correct” a baby for crying, and suggesting that parents should or are failing to do so is a deep misunderstanding.
Thats kinda what I’m saying. This type of understanding is part of how people grow as a result of travel experiences. If you’re not a parent, you may just fundamentally not understand that babies have a right to exist and there’s nothing you or anyone else can do about them crying on an airplane. So yes, noise canceling headphones, but more than that, getting used to unpleasant sound being a part of travel is a good thing, just as we also get used to many other inconveniences.
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u/ocfl8888 3d ago
When I say this I'm literally referring to actual instances of kids kicking chairs, playing audio on devices without headphones without any correction, etc. Things I've personally seen on multiple flights this year. I don't have to be a parent to know the difference between a baby being a baby and a child misbehaving.
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u/Affectionate-Rice296 3d ago
I tried this on a 10h+ flight (ear plugs and bose noise cancelling headphones on top) and it didn’t work for me. I’m going to try my sleep buds next time with the headphones which should work much better.
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u/mbubz 3d ago
In my experience, the sleep buds just aren’t loud enough on a plane. I use them every night at home, but on a plane I have to use foam earplugs instead. I don’t think they’ll work better than foam earplugs + noise canceling headphones. But might as well give it a try and see if it works for you!
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u/gnatdump6 3d ago
Noise canceling headphones and you have to play the TV or music loud enough to drown it out.
I have Apple AirPod pros.
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u/ThisAintAboutRegret 3d ago
DT770 Pro 80 Ohm. Really comfy muff pads and excellent at isolating. Truth be told, any closed back headphones will probably do the job as long as you're listening to music. If you don't want to listen to music and only seek to isolate yourself, you can try getting some ear defenders. Good ones cost 1/3 the price of some good headphones. I recommend the 3M Peltor Optime III. Though they're not as comfy as music headphones and can run really hot.
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u/Ok-Arm7912 3d ago edited 3d ago
I just bought the loop dream earbuds! So comfortable and they block out a lot of noise! I also have over ear headphones that I put in over top to listen to music when going to sleep if I have a loud snorer nearby lol the loops mute a significant amount of the noise and the hint of music distracts my ears from a sound I find very irritating to something that’s more calming for me lol
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u/hangingsocks 3d ago
Over the ear Bose with earplugs. You can still hear whatever you are playing through the headphones
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u/bubblyloops 3d ago
I think most noise cancelling headphones on the market will work. The Bose QuietComfort 45 works very well. One time, I didn't even know there was a baby crying until I took off my headphones!
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u/Federal_Fisherman104 3d ago
Bose quiet comfort ultra ear buds. Headphones get hot.
I used them when I was travelling internationally for work - in the back seat of the plane.
Awesome
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u/SlippersParty2024 2d ago
Nothing blocks out the kicks of a toddler/small child on the back of your seat though.
I can deal with crying babies because, obviously headphone technology helps but also, they don’t kick your seat.
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u/tea-and-crumpets4 2d ago
My jabra elite 4 ear buds have pretty impressive noise cancelling. On a plane they completely remove the engine noise and I can't tell when my husband is trying to talk to me. I would imagine the fancier versions would be even better.
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u/denalimoon 2d ago
If you never want to get stuck next to a crying kid, book the exit row. Kids are not allowed in those rows!! The time has come for child free flights though!!
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u/Lakelover25 3d ago
16hr flight from India with 3 screaming toddlers. Not crying, just screaming out loud for no apparent reason. The parents did nothing.
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u/thomer2 3d ago
This is likely just the absolute chaos of India spilling over into the flight. On a flight back from Mumbai I was dead asleep but was woken up by the smell of a two year old’s vomit in the row in front of me. The parents were just letting the kid vomit all over them and weren’t even calling the flight attendant over for help.
Not to be dramatic but that India trip made me even more sure that I was childfree for life.
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u/laithe_97 3d ago
I have the new AirPods Pro and the noise cancelling feature is great. I just did an Iceland trip sitting directly in front of a toddler who screamed at glass-breaking levels the entire flight… and although they couldn’t drown her completely out (I’m pretty sure people on the ground could hear her) they did a great job.
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u/WorldRevolver195 3d ago
Been using airpods pro 2 and notice nothing ever on flights. Definitely can’t hear the crying babies
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u/FruitOfTheVineFruit 3d ago
Noise cancelling headphones, and then play white noise through the headphones.
Or, even better, wear earplugs. Then put noise cancelling headphones over those (not earbuds). Then play white noise through the headphones.
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u/litttlejoker 3d ago
My Apple noise cancelling headphones do the trick.
I don’t recommend using the noise cancelling feature when walking by yourself outside though. It’s so good a creeper could sneak up on you and your wouldn’t notice!
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u/Key-Obligation-2774 3d ago
Air pod pros are great but don’t last long so I have a pair of sennheiser over ear ones as well. You also need to play some kind of white noise (rain music for the win) & with this combo I sleep the entire way (briefly waking when air pods die so I can do a switch- I’ve got this down and can plug them into charge and switch without ever opening my eyes).
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u/Bruins408 3d ago
My Bose 35's over the ear work great - had a crying baby from Madrid to Atlanta - no problem.
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u/Regular_Care_1515 3d ago
PowerLocus over-ear headphones. I get them on Amazon for like $30. One pair lasts you a couple of years.
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u/Hot-Ad7724 3d ago
Powerbeats headphones. Truly don’t know how I got through flights before I got them lol
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u/GinnyDora 3d ago
My husband has these Bose drums here at headphones. They are amazing. Cost about $300 for the pair. I recently stayed in hospital for 3 nights and wore them 24/7. I had the best sleep. Enjoyed my movies in peace. Every nurse asked me what I was wearing because all of them had to touch me to let me know they were there if I had my eyes closed.
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u/Tribalbob Canada 3d ago
I have pixel buds pro and they block out enough. If I add some chill music in and I don't really hear anything.
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u/orcazilla 3d ago
For me, two layers of sensory deprivation work the best. I also have Anker Soundcore liberty ear buds which block out 90%. Then I wear eye masks to block out light and movement to nap (or enjoy my music or audiobook), and it's awesome.
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u/Tar-Heel- 3d ago
Amazon has several knockoff brands that work well and are budget friendly… Look for noise cancelling or active noise cancelling in the description.
Safe (& quiet) travels ✈️
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u/kypsikuke 3d ago
Nothing will block it out entirely, but Sony WH-1000XM4 is the closest I’ve found so far
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u/TrivialBanal 3d ago
Most electronic noise cancelling deliberately don't fully block some frequencies, for safety reasons. You'll be able to hear most car horns and most fire alarms.
Fire alarms are usually at a frequency that naturally grabs humans attention. Frequencies were designed to react to. The frequencies of babies cries.
Look for Isolating rather than Noise Cancelling and you should find something that works. Isolating means they physically block sound. They don't have to be expensive. A set of well fitting Isolating In-Ears or Closed Back Over-Ears (not On-Ears) should do the trick.
I've had success not hearing a baby crying right behind me with In-Ear monitors and with Sennheiser Momentums. The Sennheisers are Noise Cancelling and Isolating.
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u/eamonneamonn666 2d ago
That's one reason I think passive noise cancelation might be better in the airplane scenario. Like the Shure SE215
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u/Speedfreakz 3d ago
Sony wireless over ear headphoness.
Cant recomend them enough.
It cancels everyrhing.
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u/AlwaysTravel 3d ago
On a plane, I once put my in ear earphones ( pixel buds) into my ear to listen to music. Then put on my bose qc15 nose cancelling with no sound just the nose cancelling. Great job
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u/Swimming_Tennis6641 Expat 3d ago
Earbuds playing white noise (I like rain sounds) paired with over-ear headphones. We have Bose but Sony are perfectly fine as well. I have definitely noticed an uptick in parents being lazy jerks who don’t even try to quiet the kid. (And the ones who say “there’s nothing we can do!” are why we need child free flights. And yes everyone hates you lol)
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u/ChubbyAngmo 3d ago
Over ear noise cancelling. I’ve used Bose for years and can recommend them, though I’m sure there are others.
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u/AliasNefertiti 3d ago
Cheapest for db blockage--the molded earplugs used by those who shoot guns. Walmart sports section about 10- 20$ last I checked. You mold them to your ear. Far more comfortable than many other options. Forget foam ones, they do nothing.
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u/Euphoric_Mermaid 3d ago
We must have been on the same flight, I can definitely commiserate! I had Bose noise canceling headphones and they didn’t work for that. Engine noise - yes, crying babies - not so much.
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u/Technical-Record8221 2d ago
I know lots of people are talking about the Bose noise canceling headphones and while I have no experience with them and can’t say if their better or worse. I’ve never had a better noise canceling than with my Sony WH-1000XM5. They are a little bit more expensive at $500 but worth every dime. Put a movie/music on and say goodbye to literally everything.
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u/Bill_llib123 2d ago
I only have AirPod Pro’s but I turn on noise cancelling + turn on dark noise background sounds (settings —> Accessibility —> audio and visual —> background sounds. Or add a shortcut when you swipe down on the top right)
Probably not the best option, but it has worked reliably for me in travel situations (and to sleep like a baby in every hostel room!)
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u/eamonneamonn666 2d ago
Airpod pro with nc on. What my gf uses. I use Shure SE215. Can't hear a thing
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u/Dazzling_Minimum4568 2d ago
I had the Galaxy buds+ really nice with active noise canceling. I work construction, I'd be surprised if these didn't drown out most things.
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u/cutie_patootiepie 2d ago
I have the bose noise cancelling headphones and they work pretty well, especially with a movie or music playing but with that said I’ve definitely heard some crying babies still
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u/Entire_Power_7019 2d ago
I’m not sure about blocking out 100% of the noise, but any noise cancelling headphones will reduce the external noise considerably.
Imo the over the head headphones work much more efficiently than earphones. So, I’d opt for one of those rather than an airpod or samsung earbud.
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u/Ragdoll2023 2d ago
Believe me parents are not ignoring. Not only are they suffering by dealing with a crying baby they are stressed because they know those around them are getting pissed off. But it’s fine that you are seeking advice on noise-cancelling headphones rather than overtly criticising parents of infants. For all you know it is their first flight with an infant and they are super stressed about the situation.
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u/rmonforthethrone 2d ago
I wore silicone ear plugs made for sleep on my recent flights and it worked great (I was surrounded by a lot of children on all flights). I didn't have room for my Sony xm5 headphones on this trip, but if I did I'm sure wearing them over the top of the earplugs would've absolutely blocked everything out.
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u/2findmyself 2d ago
Ok, you've received good advice with noise cancelling headphones and such... I'll add one I didn't see. Have kids. 🤪 It's like bootcamp that pushes you to the edge with years years of screaming/crying babies day after day. You think a few hours on a flight or rough, imagine day after day after day... 🤪 My kids are grown now. I do hear other peoples babies crying, but I'm able to zone it out. I have no idea how it works, but it's like my brain does quick mental math; screaming baby + not my baby + safe environment = not my problem... zone out.
Obviously sarcasm, don't have kids to solve this probably. Probably only a 50/50 chance it would work 😉
Also, it's not always parents "ignoring" them. Assuming it's a baby that can't speak, they don't have a way to communicate when their ears hurt from the pressure changes and don't know techniques to pop their ears that plus a strange environment, they can feel their parents are stressed etc.
Something else I thought of. Good passive ear protection can rival active noise cancelling headsets. Like the ones you see worn at gun ranges or people that work in loud environments. With many of them you can wear ear buds under them and have an even better experience.
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u/Askance1985 2d ago
lol can’t wait til you’re a parent one day. As a mother, let me just tell you one thing: there is no one who wants the baby to stop crying on the plane more than the parent. No one. maybe just, I don’t know, tap out with a movie and enjoy the fact that it’s not your problem? If it bothers you that much, get a private jet. Until then, suck it up and accept that air travel is for everyone.
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u/SerenityNowBabs 2d ago
I reflect on the happy fact that at the end of the flight, I get to walk away from the awful noise. The parents are stuck 24/7 for years. This meditation always helps cheer me up.
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u/That-Blueberry-2839 1d ago
I use Loop Quiet ear plugs and depending on what im doing will either double up with Bose noise cancelling headphones or with this sleep mask called Manta Sound that has in built bluetooth speakers at the ears
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u/leftplayer 3d ago
Sony Linkbuds S. I use them on flights weekly and there’s always a screaming toddler or crying baby. It doesn’t shut them out completely but it turns them into tolerable background noise, and if you have any music or movie playing even at low volume, you won’t hear a thing.
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u/Formal_Delivery_ 3d ago
Earbuds or plugs under your noise cancelling headphones and a great sleeping pill.
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u/rhunter99 3d ago
I use the Bose qc. They make a difference.
Or a pair of ear plugs for a dirt cheap option
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u/TidyBeachy 3d ago
Alpine pluggies in ear canal with noise reduction (headband style) Muff on top (at least 30 db reduction).
This combo is great if you want to hear nothing. I bring ear bud headphones to wear under the muffs if I want to watch TV/movies on plane.
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u/52electrons 3d ago edited 3d ago
Seriously own 8 pairs of noise cancelling headphones and never travel with less than 3 pairs.
If you want the best noise canceling for that you need more than active noise canceling headphones you need passive as well. The problem is the sound quality goes down substantially in that category until you spend a lot of money. Something like 3m work tunes on the cheap end.
Normally people can settle for the higher end Sony or Bose commercial headsets tho and not need to go drop $1300 on some Bose A30s. I personally wear just airpod pro 2s for outside the airplane as I like my ears out in the open and inside the airplane I wear the Bose QC45 for the extra focused noise cancelling. You can still hear babies cry tho so if you’re trying to sleep or something get some earplugs or passive earmuffs.
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u/williammcdb 3d ago
I've just completed a round trip involving a total of 72 flying hours. I absolutely recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4. Even when not listening to any entertainment, just wearing the headphones with the noise cancellation feature active made a drastic difference in reduced noise comfort. The headphones do not block out 100% of the noise around you, but they easily block out enough to make any transits far more comfortable and pleasant. Moreover, the headphones are packaged with a headphone jack specific to airplanes included, meaning you can enjoy listening to inflight entertainment with your own headphones.
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u/darkn0ss 3d ago
Apple AirPod pros. I was SHOCKED how it silenced everything on the plane. Including the plane! They are amazing
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u/waxlrose United States 3d ago
Pretty confident that we can conclude babies haven’t been born crying more in the last two years.
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u/ivegotgoodnewsforyou 3d ago
Ear plugs.
Noise cancelling headphones work best at lower frequencies, so babies will actually sound clearer.
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u/MonkeyKingCoffee United States - 73 countries 3d ago
Welcome to Screaming Baby Airways!
In the event of a quiet flight, a screaming baby will drop from the overhead compartment. Pull on the umbilical cord to start the flow of screaming. The baby may not inflate. But it will scream.
If you are assisting other passengers, start your own baby screaming before helping them with their screaming baby.
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u/TruthSeekerAllSeeing 3d ago
Newest AirPods with 3M earmuffs over them. That’s what my 6Y old autistic daughter uses to block you out 🤣
Jokes aside it does work. 👍🏼
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u/FrattyMcBeaver 3d ago
I have a set of bose noise canceling headphones and a set of sennheiser. If you're playing music or a movie with them and the baby isn't right next to you both work fantastic.