Can You Use Bluetooth Headphones on a Plane?
Yes, on most flights you can use Bluetooth headphones with your own phone, tablet or laptop. The harder part is the seat-back screen, because most of them don't have Bluetooth. Here's how both work.
Is Bluetooth allowed on planes?
On most airlines, yes. In the US, the FAA has let airlines allow short-range Bluetooth devices, like headphones and keyboards, since 2013. Many other countries have similar rules.
But each airline sets its own policy, and the crew has the final say. Some ask you to put everything away during takeoff and landing, or to take headphones off for the safety briefing. If a flight attendant asks you to turn something off, do it.
The safe habit on any flight:
- Put your phone in airplane mode. This turns off the cell signal.
- Then turn Bluetooth back on. Most phones let you do this while staying in airplane mode, and many remember it for next time.
- Pair your headphones before you board, so you aren't fumbling with settings in a dark cabin.
Why your headphones won't connect to the seat-back screen
Most seat-back screens send sound through a headphone jack, not Bluetooth. A few newer planes let you pair Bluetooth headphones right to the screen, but you can't count on it, even on the same airline. The plane type often changes from one flight to the next.
So if you want to watch the in-flight movies, plan for a wired connection. You have three options.
Option 1: Use the 3.5 mm cable
Many over-ear Bluetooth headphones come with a 3.5 mm headphone cable. That's the same round plug as old wired headphones, and it fits most seat-back jacks.
Plug one end into the headphones and the other into the jack, usually on the armrest or under the screen. That's it.
Two things to check before your trip:
- Does noise cancelling work on the cable? Some headphones switch noise cancelling off when you plug in the cable, so you hear the engines again. Others keep it on as long as the headphones are powered on. Look in the manual.
- Do they work with the battery dead? Some wired headphones still play sound without power, just without noise cancelling. That's a handy backup.
Our top pick, the Sony WH-1000XM6, comes with a headphone cable and keeps noise cancelling on while plugged in.
Option 2: Bring a two-prong airplane adapter
Some older planes have a jack with two round holes side by side. A normal plug fits in one hole but may sound thin, or only play in one ear.
A two-prong airplane adapter fixes this. It's small, light and cheap, and it turns the two holes into one normal 3.5 mm socket. Many headphones don't include one anymore, so it's worth keeping one in your bag.
Option 3: Use a Bluetooth transmitter
Earbuds like AirPods and most sleep earbuds have no cable input at all. For these, you need a Bluetooth transmitter: a small device that plugs into the seat's jack and sends the sound to your earbuds over Bluetooth.
Before you buy one, check:
- Battery life. It needs to last as long as your flight, or you'll want to charge it on the plane.
- Two-headphone support. Some can connect two pairs at once, which is nice if you travel with someone.
- The plug. A 3.5 mm plug, plus a two-prong adapter for older seats.
Some flyers notice a small delay between the picture and the sound with a transmitter. If that bothers you, a cable is the simplest fix.
Do you even need the seat-back screen?
Not always. Many flyers download shows to their phone or tablet before the flight. Then you can use Bluetooth headphones the whole way, with no cable or adapter. It also helps when the seat-back screen is broken, or the plane doesn't have one.
Quick checklist before you fly
- Charge your headphones the night before.
- Pair them with your phone at home.
- Pack the 3.5 mm cable, and a two-prong adapter if you have one.
- Bring a Bluetooth transmitter if you only have earbuds.
- Download a few shows as a backup.
The bottom line: yes, in airplane mode with Bluetooth on
You can use Bluetooth headphones on most planes with your own devices, in airplane mode with Bluetooth turned on. To hear the seat-back screen, use a 3.5 mm cable, a two-prong adapter on older seats, or a Bluetooth transmitter for earbuds. For headphones that do all of this well, see our best noise cancelling headphones for flying.