Twelve South AirFly Pro Review: Finally, Wireless Headphones on a Plane
You settle into your seat, plug in your Bluetooth earbuds out of habit, and remember: the in-flight entertainment system only takes those flimsy wired earbuds from 2009. The Twelve South AirFly Pro exists solely to fix that moment—a small Bluetooth transmitter that lets your wireless headphones work with airplane seatback screens, gym equipment, or anything else still stuck with a headphone jack.
What It Is
The AirFly Pro is a pocket-sized Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into any standard 3.5mm headphone jack and beams audio wirelessly to your headphones or earbuds. Twelve South has made AirFly devices for years, but the Pro adds real upgrades: it connects to two pairs of Bluetooth headphones at once, works in reverse as a receiver (plug it into a speaker and stream from your phone), and packs a rechargeable battery rated for around 16 hours.
At just under $42, it lands in the middle of what you'd expect to pay for well-made travel tech—not a throwaway gadget, not a splurge.
Who It's For
This is built for people who fly with wireless earbuds and are tired of digging out old wired ones every time they board. It's also useful for gym-goers whose treadmills or bikes still rely on a headphone jack, anyone with an older TV that lacks Bluetooth, or two people who want to watch the same in-flight movie without splitting one pair of earbuds.
If you already own decent wireless headphones and travel semi-regularly, this quietly earns its keep in your bag. If you rarely fly or don't mind wired earbuds, it's a nice-to-have, not a must-have.
Key Features & Specs
- Dual Bluetooth connections – pair two sets of headphones at once, useful for sharing a movie with a travel companion
- Transmit or receive mode – switch between sending audio out or pulling audio in from a Bluetooth source
- Battery life – roughly 16 hours per charge, enough for most long-haul flights
- Compact design – small enough to clip to a lanyard or toss in a jacket pocket without adding bulk
- USB-C charging – a welcome update over older AirFly models that still used micro-USB
- Physical switch controls – simple toggle for mode and pairing, no app required
Pros
- Solves a genuinely common travel annoyance
- Dual-headphone pairing works well for shared listening
- Battery easily lasts a full transcontinental flight
- Small enough to forget it's in your bag until you need it
Cons
- Occasional slight audio lag, more noticeable with video than music
- Sticks out from slim in-flight jack panels on some seatback screens
- Price feels a touch high for a single-purpose gadget
The AirFly Pro isn't flashy, and it doesn't need to be—it does one job and does it well. Anyone who flies regularly and has already gone wireless will find it removes a small, recurring annoyance from travel days. It won't change how you listen to music, but it will make sure you never have to touch those sad seatback wired earbuds again.
If that's a problem worth $42 to solve, check current pricing and availability here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z13G1P5?tag=thebenchtest-20


