We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to turn any airplane seat-back screen into a wireless listening session with your own earbuds, choose Twelve South AirFly Pro; if you need an affordable pair of fun, light-up Bluetooth headphones for a kid, a student, or casual gaming, choose SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear.
• Twelve South AirFly Pro — biggest strength: It transmits audio from any 3.5mm jack (in-flight entertainment, gym machines, hotel TVs) straight to your Bluetooth headphones, with 25+ hours of battery life and aptX Low Latency support.
• Twelve South AirFly Pro — biggest trade-off: It is not a pair of headphones. It is a small adapter, so it only helps if you already own wireless earbuds or headphones you like.
• SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear — biggest strength: It is a complete, foldable Bluetooth headphone with RGB cat ears, a built-in mic, and a wired 3.5mm fallback — a full listening solution in one box.
• SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear — biggest trade-off: The RGB lights and the microphone only work in Bluetooth mode, not wired, and it uses Bluetooth 5 rather than the newer 5.0 standard found in the AirFly Pro.
• Who each pick is for: Frequent flyers who want to use their own AirPods or headphones on the plane → Twelve South AirFly Pro. Kids, teens, or casual users who want a cute, budget-friendly pair of headphones → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear.
The AirFly Pro is a Bluetooth audio transmitter, and that distinction matters. It does not sit on your head. It plugs into a 3.5mm AUX output and pushes that audio wirelessly to the headphones you already own. On a plane, that means the seat-back entertainment system becomes a Bluetooth source, and your AirPods or wireless headphones become the receiver. No dangling airline cord, no awkward adapter dongle you have to hold in place. You press the power button for about four seconds, the light blinks amber and white, and it pairs. After that first setup, it remembers your headphones and reconnects on its own.
The battery is the headline spec for travelers: 25+ hours on a charge, and it can run while charging through the included USB-C cable, so a long-haul itinerary is not a problem. It also supports pairing two sets of headphones at once, which is genuinely useful if you are traveling with a partner and both want to watch the same movie. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX Low Latency, aptX, and SBC codecs keeps audio in sync with video, which is the whole point on a flight where lip-sync drift is maddening.
There's a second mode most people don't expect. A TX/RX switch on the side flips it between transmitting and receiving. In RX mode, it takes Bluetooth audio from your phone and plays it through a wired speaker or AUX input — a car stereo, a boat speaker, an older sound system. So it's not a one-trip gadget.
Buy it if you fly often, already love your wireless headphones, and want to use them with in-flight screens, gym treadmills, or hotel TVs. Skip it if you don't own Bluetooth headphones yet, or if you want a single device that both plays and looks like headphones. The AirFly Pro is an accessory, not a headset, and it only makes sense as an add-on to gear you already have.
The SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear is a self-contained pair of on-ear Bluetooth headphones with a playful design. The cat ears and the logo on the ear cups light up with RGB rainbow backlighting, and you can switch the lights off with a button on the ear cup if you want to keep things subtle. The important catch: the RGB lights only work in Bluetooth mode. Plug in the included 3.5mm cable and the lights go dark. The built-in noise-reducing microphone has the same limitation — it works in Bluetooth mode only.
Comfort is where this one earns its place. The ear pads are memory foam, the headband is adjustable, and both ear cups fold inward for storage, which makes it easy to toss in a backpack. The 50mm dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range, and SIMGAL describes the output as Hi-Fi surround sound — a big-driver setup that's aimed at everyday listening rather than critical audio work. Bluetooth range is listed at 10 meters, and it's Bluetooth 5, with a 3.5mm jack as the wired alternative.
The audience here is clear: kids, teens, students doing online classes, and casual gamers who want something cute and portable. It plugs into phones, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles via the wired cable, and pairs wirelessly with anything Bluetooth-enabled. The 1-year warranty and the adult/teen/child age range tell you this is designed as a friendly, forgiving everyday headphone.
Buy it if you want an affordable, foldable, personality-forward headphone for a younger user or for casual listening and gaming at home. Skip it if you're a frequent flyer hoping to connect to a plane's seat-back screen — this is a receiver, not a transmitter, so it can't pull audio out of an in-flight system. And if RGB lighting or the mic is the main draw, remember both stop working the moment you switch to wired mode.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for using your existing AirPods or headphones → Twelve South AirFly Pro. It upgrades the gear you already own instead of replacing it.
• Best for battery life on long trips → Twelve South AirFly Pro. 25+ hours, and it can be used while charging.
• Best for watching together → Twelve South AirFly Pro. It can pair two sets of headphones at the same time.
• Best for a complete, ready-to-wear headphone → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. It's a finished product — no second device required.
• Best for kids, teens, and school use → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. Foldable, memory-foam padded, adjustable, and clearly aimed at younger users.
• Best for a wired fallback → SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear. The 3.5mm cable works with consoles and older devices, though lights and mic are Bluetooth-only.
• Best for low-latency video sync → Twelve South AirFly Pro. aptX Low Latency is the more video-friendly codec option here.
If your question is specifically about listening on planes with your own wireless headphones, I'd buy the Twelve South AirFly Pro. It solves a real travel problem — wired seat-back audio, wireless ears — and does it with battery life that outlasts most itineraries and a low-latency codec that keeps video in sync. The SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear is a genuinely fun, comfortable, affordable headphone, and for a kid, a student, or casual gaming I'd recommend it without hesitation. But it can't transmit audio out of an in-flight system, so it doesn't answer the flight question at all. In my opinion, these two aren't really competitors: one is a travel tool, the other is a lifestyle headphone.
are bluetooth headphones allowed on flights
Yes. Bluetooth headphones are generally allowed on commercial flights, and many airlines now support Bluetooth pairing directly with seat-back systems. On planes that don't, a transmitter like the AirFly Pro lets you use your own Bluetooth headphones with the wired entertainment jack.
do bluetooth headphones work on flights
They work for listening to your own phone or tablet, but they won't connect to a plane's seat-back screen on their own if that system is wired-only. That's exactly the gap the AirFly Pro fills: it converts the 3.5mm output into a Bluetooth signal your headphones can receive.
do delta flights have bluetooth for headphones
Some aircraft and cabins do offer Bluetooth pairing with the in-flight entertainment system, but it varies by plane and configuration, so it isn't guaranteed. If your flight doesn't have it, a transmitter like the AirFly Pro is the reliable workaround for using your own wireless headphones.
are bluetooth headphones ok on flights
Yes, they're fine to bring and use. The only practical limit is connectivity: a Bluetooth headphone like the SIMGAL RGB Cat Ear can pair with your phone, but it can't pull audio from a wired seat-back jack — for that you need a transmitter, not a headphone.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: ONITOON Cat Ear vs HBYCDSTF RGB: Bluetooth Headphones for, JLab JBuddies Pro vs Rydohi Headphones Over Ear, P PUPGSIS Gaming Microphone vs Denash Cat Ear Headphones