Best Buy headphones: 6 that are perfect for summer travel

Woman sitting on an airplane wearing Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones in beige colorway
(Image credit: Sony)

With summer now in full swing, for many of us, travel is on the agenda. Whether you're getting to your destination by plane, train, bus, or car, the right headphones can make your commute more pleasant.

The best travel headphones should have great sound, noise-cancellation options, reliability, and portability. This means you can peacefully listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks while traveling from point A to B. 

Best Buy is one of the best stores to find the best headphones for travel. They're known to offer a range of headphone models and styles from top-rated brands like Bose, Marshall, and Sony

One of the best travel headphones we recommend is the Marshall Major IV for $99 ($50 off) at Best Buy. For just under $100, these retro-style headphones provide best-in-class battery life and near-professional studio sound. 

As you'll see in our Marshall Major IV review, we praised their studio-quality sound, nostalgic design, and 80-hour battery life. We gave them a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars and co-signed it with our Editor's Choice Awards. To quote our reviewer, "The Marshall Major IV delivers terrific sound and battery life in a retro package."

That's just one of the headphones we recommend as a travel companion. Browse more options below. 

Best Buy headphones for summer travel

Marshall Major IV Headphones: $149 $99 @ Best Buy

Marshall Major IV Headphones: $149 $99 @ Best Buy
Save $50 on the Marshall Major IV, our favorite on-ear headphones for travel. For just under $100, you're getting best-in-class battery life and near-professional studio sound. In our Marshall Major IV review, we rated them a solid 4 out of 5 stars for their studio-quality sound, retro design, and 80-hour battery life. As our reviewer says, "The Marshall Major IV delivers terrific sound and battery life in a retro package."

Features: 40mm drivers, rugged, lightweight, foldable, vintage design, Bluetooth 5.0, 80-hour battery life (rated)

Marshall Major V Headphones: $149 @ Best Buy

Marshall Major V Headphones: $149 @ Best Buy
For just under $150, Marshall Major V headphones deliver signature sound and more than 100 hours of battery life. Although we didn't test this exact model, we reviewed and rated the previous-gen Marshall Major IV 4 out of 5 stars. They won our Editor's Choice Award for studio-quality sound, nostalgic design, and 80-hour battery life. Just like the Major IV, the Major V is built rugged for everyday commutes to long flights, these foldable headphones can be easily tucked away when not in use. If thunderous bass, smooth mids, and crisp treble are your bag, Marshall Major V headphones make a great travel companion. 

Features: 40mm drivers, rugged, lightweight, foldable, vintage design, Bluetooth 5.3, 100+ hour battery life (rated)

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: $299 @ Best Buy

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: $299 @ Best Buy
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are fashionable, functional, and deliver audiophile-worthy sound. Featuring an open-ear, flex-arms design, they stay in your ears and let you enjoy music without totally drowning out your surroundings.
In our Bose Ultra Open review, we gave them 4 out of 5 stars. Featuring high-quality sound, good battery life and a luxurious design, the Bose's Ultra Open are the Editor's choice earbuds. 

Features: Open-ear design, Bluetooth connectivity, built-in mic, on-ear controls, water resistance, up to 7.5 hours of battery life (rated)

Sony ULT WEAR Headphones: $199 @ Best Buy

Sony ULT WEAR Headphones: $199 @ Best Buy
If you prioritize boomin' bass, crystal clear sound, and noise-cancellation, Sony ULT WEAR headphones are worth considering. In our hands-on Sony ULT WEAR review, they sounded amazing and delivered impressive noise-cancellation that rivals pricier competitors. 

Features:  Sony Integrated Processor V1, noise cancellation, 360 Reality Audio, Bluetooth 5.2

Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones: $349 @ Best Buy

Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones: $349 @ Best Buy
Succeeded by the WH-1000XM5, Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are still one of the best ear cans you can get. In our Sony WH-1000XM4 review, we found their excellent sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and light, comfortable frame impressive. We rated the Sony WH-1000XM4s 4.5 out of 5 stars and cosigned them with our coveted Editor's Choice award. 

Features: 40mm drivers, active noise-cancellation, up to 30-hours of battery life (rated)

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: $429 @ Best Buy

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: $429 @ Best Buy
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is one of the best premium wireless headphones money can buy. Spatial audio gives you an immersive experience that makes music feel more real. Meanwhile, Custom Tune technology lets you personalize sound to your liking. Our sister site, Tom's Guide called the Bose QuietComfort Ultra the brand's best flagship headphone yet. It earned an Editor's Choice Award co-sign for immersive sound, best-in-class ANC, and intuitive controls.

Features: 35mm drivers, spatial audio, quiet and full noise-cancellation modes, aware mode, Bluetooth 5.3, fast charging, up to 24-hour battery (rated)

Hilda Scott

Hilda Scott uses her combined passion for gadgets from laptops to TVs and her bargain-shopping savvy to bring you the best prices on all things tech. She has a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from Hunter College and over a decade of experience in tech journalism. Her work has been featured on Tom’s Guide, iTechPost, Examiner.com, Parlemag, Enstars, and Latin Times. When she's not scouting for the best deals, Hilda’s catching up on her favorite TV series and combat sports.