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Travel season is in full swing and there are a few essentials you’ll need if you’re heading onto an airplane. Aside from things like a good travel pillow and a portable charger, one of the new must-haves for air travel is a wireless audio transmitter, like this one from Twelve South.
More than 10,000 people have bought this Bluetooth transmitter over the last month alone on Amazon, and for good reason. The palm-sized device lets you use your wireless headphones or earbuds with the in-flight entertainment system. Few airlines provide earbuds these days (at least not for free); the Twelve South AirFly lets you pair your own headset to the the seat-back entertainment console, so you can enjoy all the on-board movies, TV shows and music with ease.
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Twelve South AirFly SE Bluetooth Transmitter
The AirFly is no bigger than a pack of gum and super easy to use: start by plugging the device into your seat’s audio jack (typically located under the TV screen in front of you, or in the armrest). Next, turn the AirFly on to automatically pair the unit with your wireless headphones or earbuds. The AirFly uses the updated Bluetooth 5.2 standard for quick and easy pairing, without disconnecting. You’re now able to watch content or listen to music on your aircraft’s entertainment system using your own headset.
The wireless audio transmitter is great for a couple of reasons: in addition to saving you money (since you won’t have to purchase earbuds anymore), it also lets you use your own headphones or buds, so you don’t have to sacrifice audio quality for the flimsy sets they have on-board. Want to use a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to filter out the din around you? Now you can. The AirFly pairs easily with AirPods too, though it’s compatible with almost every audio brand on the market.
A single charge gets you up to 20 hours of battery life — enough for even long-distance flights. Volume controls let you adjust settings without having to touch the seat-back screen. Charge the unit via the included USB-C charging cable.
The Twelve South AirFly isn’t just great for traveling either — it also lets you connect to gym treadmills, gaming consoles, TVs and other devices with a 3.5 audio jack.
One of the best-reviewed travel accessories online, the AirFly SE has a 4.4-star rating (out of five) from 13,000 reviewers online. Get it on sale right now for just $34 on Amazon.com.
Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter
Amazon also sells the AirFly Pro Wireless Transmitter, which lets you easily share audio between two pairs of earbuds or headphones in-flight. With a Bluetooth range of 33 feet, you can watch the same movie or listen to the same playlist as your partner or friend even if they’re sitting in another row. The AirFly Pro also has a battery life of 25 hours — more than enough time for even a long-haul, international flight.
This set comes with an USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder and quick start guide. You can find the AirFly Pro on Amazon and on Target.com.