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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a simple wired headset you can hand out on a plane and not worry about losing, choose EXMAX HWE-05; if you need a wireless headband you can sleep in, wear under a hat, and recharge for long-haul listening, choose Perytong 2.
• EXMAX HWE-05 — biggest strength: A wired 3.5mm over-ear design that works with almost any seatback screen, tablet or MP3 player with zero pairing, plus it's sold as a 5-pack so you can keep spares in a carry-on.
• EXMAX HWE-05 — biggest trade-off: It's built as a disposable/short-term headphone, and EXMAX itself notes it's not meant for long-term use, so durability over years isn't the point.
• Perytong 2 — biggest strength: A Bluetooth 5.4 fabric headband with ultra-thin speakers, up to 12 hours of playtime, machine-washable material and a 2-pack, so you get wireless freedom and a sleep-friendly fit.
• Perytong 2 — biggest trade-off: It's wireless only — no 3.5mm jack — so on a plane you're relying on your own device's Bluetooth rather than plugging into the seatback system.
• Who each pick is for: EXMAX HWE-05 for travelers who want cheap, plug-and-play wired audio and don't mind replacing them; Perytong 2 for travelers who want a soft, cordless headband for sleeping, meditation and in-flight streaming from their phone.
The HWE-05 is a classic over-ear wired headphone with a slim, adjustable headband and plush padded earpads that sit around the ear. At 50 g it's genuinely light, and the 3.5mm plug fits tablets, laptops, desktops, MP3 players, CD players and fitness equipment — basically anything with a standard jack. The cord runs about 120–150 cm depending on how you measure, which is long enough to reach a seatback screen or a bag on the floor without tugging.
EXMAX describes the earpads as providing a seal against ambient sound and frames the design as passive noise reduction rather than true isolation. The spec sheet also lists active noise cancellation and a 100-ohm impedance, which is worth noting: 100 ohms is on the higher side for a simple plug-in headphone, so very weak headphone outputs may drive it more quietly than a low-impedance pair. Frequency range is the standard 20 Hz – 20 kHz.
This is a headphone built for short-term, shared and disposable use — schools, hotels, gyms, tour groups, testing rooms. The 5-pack format tells you the intent: keep one in your bag, one in the car, one for a kid. If you fly a few times a year and mainly want to plug into the airline's entertainment system without fussing with Bluetooth pairing, this is a sensible, low-drama choice. If you want one headphone to last you years, or you care about rich bass and premium build, skip it — EXMAX is upfront that these aren't designed for long-term use.
The Perytong 2 is a different animal entirely. It's a Bluetooth headband — the speakers are ultra-thin and sit inside a stretchy fabric band made of 80% nylon and 20% spandex, so there's no earcup pressing on your ear and nothing to fall out. That's the whole appeal for air travel: you can lean your head against a window or a neck pillow without a plastic headband digging in, and you can pull the band down over your eyes for a nap.
Sound is handled by a dynamic driver with a 20 Hz – 20 kHz range, and connectivity is Bluetooth 5.4, so it pairs with phones, tablets and computers. There's no 3.5mm jack at all. Battery life is listed at up to 12 hours of continuous playtime from a 1–2 hour charge, and Perytong rates the battery for roughly 2–3 years of use, with a 2-year warranty on the product.
Two practical touches stand out. First, it's machine washable — you remove the control pod and wash the band, which matters for something you wear against your skin and hair. Second, it's sold as a 2-pack in gift-ready packaging, so you can keep one and give one away. Touch controls handle playback, and the fit is stretchy enough to suit most head sizes. The trade-off is real, though: no wired option means you can't use it with an airplane seatback screen unless your seat's system offers Bluetooth, and it's an on-ear fabric design, so it isolates sound through fit rather than active cancellation.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for plugging into a seatback screen → EXMAX HWE-05. Standard 3.5mm jack, no pairing, no charging.
• Best for sleeping and napping on a flight → Perytong 2. Soft fabric band, ultra-thin speakers, nothing pressing into your ear.
• Best for battery life → Perytong 2. Up to 12 hours per charge, versus the HWE-05 which needs no battery at all because it's wired.
• Best for sharing or keeping spares → EXMAX HWE-05. It ships as a 5-pack; the Perytong 2 ships as a 2-pack.
• Best for low-maintenance, zero-setup audio → EXMAX HWE-05. Plug in and go; no charging, no pairing.
• Best for workouts, yoga and meditation → Perytong 2. Sweat-absorbent, stretchy, washable and designed for movement.
• Best for a headphone that survives years of use → Perytong 2. The 2-year warranty and 2–3 year battery estimate point to longer service than a disposable design.
In my opinion, if I were buying for a flight and had to pick one, I'd take the Perytong 2. The headband format is simply better suited to air travel — you can sleep in it, it won't clamp your ears for six hours, and 12 hours of wireless playtime covers most long-haul routes. I'd choose the EXMAX HWE-05 instead if my priority is plugging into the plane's own entertainment system or handing out headsets to a group, because that 3.5mm jack removes every charging and pairing variable. Worth checking the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since the 5-pack versus 2-pack math changes the value picture depending on how many you actually need.
what headphones for airplane
For a plane, the practical split is wired versus wireless. Wired over-ear headphones like the EXMAX HWE-05 plug straight into a seatback 3.5mm jack with no charging or pairing. Wireless options like the Perytong 2 Bluetooth headband work with your own phone, tablet or laptop instead, and are easier to sleep in.
what is the best headphones for airplanes
There's no single answer — it depends on what you value. In my opinion the Perytong 2 suits sleepers and wireless listeners thanks to its fabric band, Bluetooth 5.4 and up to 12 hours of playtime, while the EXMAX HWE-05 suits anyone who wants a simple 3.5mm plug for the airline's own screen and doesn't mind a disposable design.
what earphones for airplane
If you specifically want something ear-mounted, the Perytong 2 uses ultra-thin speakers set into a fabric headband rather than in-ear tips, so nothing goes inside your ear canal and nothing falls out while you sleep. The EXMAX HWE-05 is the opposite approach — an over-ear wired set with padded cushions and a 3.5mm plug.
what kind of headphones for airplane
Two kinds work well. Passive, wired over-ear headphones with a 3.5mm jack, like the HWE-05, are the simplest for seatback systems. Bluetooth headband headphones like the Perytong 2 are the better fit if you want cordless listening, a washable band and a design you can wear while resting your head.
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