TechAirFly review: the best Bluetooth headphone adapter for frequent flyersLove flying? Hate headphone wires? Twelve South’s AirFly SE is an neat and easy solutionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price pointReasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in whiteWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechAirFly review: the best Bluetooth headphone adapter for frequent flyersLove flying? Hate headphone wires? Twelve South’s AirFly SE is an neat and easy solutionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price pointReasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in whiteWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Love flying? Hate headphone wires? Twelve South’s AirFly SE is an neat and easy solution
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price pointReasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in white
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
T3 VerdictThe Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price pointReasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in white
T3 VerdictThe Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.
T3 Verdict
The Twelve South AirFly represents an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. This latest AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.
Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price pointReasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in white
Reasons to buy+Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems+Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included+Decent battery life (20 hours)+Great price point
Easily connect Bluetooth headphones to in-flight systems
Unobtrusive size, soft carry pouch included
Decent battery life (20 hours)
Great price point
Reasons to avoid-Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems-Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying-Probably too easy to lose-Only available in white
Single 3.5mm jack won’t suit all in-flight systems
Rare sync issues can sometimes require rectifying
Probably too easy to lose
Only available in white
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
If, like me, you love flying but hate having to fiddle around with wired headphone connections for in-flight entertainment systems to function then Twelve South has the ultimate small-scale and low-priced solution: the AirFly.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve got out of my seat on a flight only for the headphones' wire to deliver a silent uppercut due to my failure to unplug it. Or, in some specific seating arrangements, having to perform finger gymnastics to partially insert the headphones jack to get any kind of usable sound (yes, American Airlines, you know the seats).
Twelve South isn’t new to the wireless Bluetooth dongle game for flyers either. You can already buy the AirFly Duo (you guessed it: two connections at once) or AirFly Pro (adds ability to stream from your phone to an AUX in - potentially useful for stereo systems). But, having used the new Airfly (it’s the ‘SE’ model on some sites), I’d definitely opt for this cheaper, simpler solution.
Having tried out the latest AirFly on my recent long-haul flights from London to Cape Town I already know it’ll be in my flight kit from here on in. Here’s why the Twelve South AirFly is a frequent flyer’s essential in-flight accessory.
AirFly: Price & Availability
As I’ve pointed out above, you’ll see ‘AirFly SE’ as the name for this ‘lite’ version of the AirFly on many sites. This is the cheapest model in the range, too, priced at £34.99/$34.99 and available onAmazonand elsewhere. I think that’s a really strong price point to make it a no-brainer purchase.
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE deals$29.99View$34.99$29.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE deals$29.99View$34.99$29.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE deals
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
AirFly review: What’s in the box?
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
The AirFly comes in a small white box and in addition to the Bluetooth dongle device itself you also get a soft beige carry pouch with drawstring ties. There’s a card Quick Start guide and a paper manual included, plus a short-distance USB-C cable for recharging (but no wall plug).
Charging takes place via USB-C, with an open port on the product’s base. You’ll easily be able to satisfy that need to recharge via any spare port or wired plug. But with a 20 hour battery life per charge, chances are you won’t need to do so often. I did 22 hours of flying and even in that time the device didn’t surrender.
Airfly review: How does it work?
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
I’m yet to try the AirFly on any further flights, but I’m confident some systems will pose irks and difficulties: a lot of older American Airlines (and other carriers) use a tri-connector, for example, for which you’ll need an adaptor (or a lot of patience in getting the stereo ‘band’ to sit across the right section to achieve mono output to both ears).
I like how the AirFly has a short wire, a couple of centimetres long, to give it some distance between the 3.5mm jack/port position. I’ve used other products which have the jack (sometimes multiple jacks) coming directly out of the product’s body, which can pose some physical connection issues in some situations. No such problem here.
Twelve South AirFly review: Verdict
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
I’ve used a number of Bluetooth headphone adapters designed for in-flight systems before, but the sheer simplicity of Twelve South’s latest AirFly product has impressed me while up in the air.
It’s an easy way to cut the wire while using your favourite in-flight headphones, assuming the single 3.5mm jack will work with the planes on which you intend to fly. AirFly is definitely going to be a mainstay in my travel bag that I won’t leave home without ahead of a long-haul flight.
Also consider
Want a little more from your Bluetooth headphone adapter? The AirFly Pro is pricier, but its ability to stream audio from a phone to another system, such as in and older car or wired to a headphone jack on a stereo system, could be a feature you’d want to pay the extra for. Otherwise, despite lots of cheaper in-flight products on the market, I’d stick with the AirFly for its small-scale, neat design and overall ease of use.
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE, Twelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter and Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter dealsTwelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter$39.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE, Twelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter and Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter dealsTwelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter$39.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Twelve South AirFly SE, Twelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter and Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter dealsTwelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter$39.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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Twelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter$39.99ViewSee all pricesTwelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all prices
Twelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all prices
Twelve South Airfly SE$29.99ViewSee all prices
Twelve South Airfly SE
Twelve South Airfly SE
$29.99View
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Twelve South AirFly Wireless Transmitter$39.99ViewSee all prices
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Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all prices
Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth$54.99ViewSee all prices
Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth
Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth
$54.99View
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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