This Viral Wireless Dongle Lets You Share Your Audio On A Flight - How It Works

pros and cons

Pros

• Makes in-flight intermezo afloat wireless
• You tin usage your favourite headphones' spatial audio and ANC
• Small and easy to pack

Cons

• Not useful if you're not a predominant flier

Flying for hours connected extremity is nan bane of my existence. From sitting successful a mini spot for hours to nan highly communal restroom, I must support myself distracted passim nan formation to support from going crazy. I effort my champion to work, sleep, aliases publication nan full formation because watching movies connected a level conscionable isn't nan astir luxurious experience.

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But flying connected an airplane is an apt opportunity to drawback up connected your movie watchlist, moreover if nan level intermezo strategy tin thwart your plans. You person 2 options: usage nan airline-provided "headphones" and perceive everything connected nan level isolated from your movie, aliases usage your headphones and beryllium tethered to nan backmost of nan personification successful beforehand of you. 

To debar either scenario, I've been testing TwelveSouth's latest Bluetooth adapter, nan AirFly Pro 2. The institution sent maine nan latest AirFly adapter to trial connected my formation recently, and if you're a predominant flyer and a movie buff, here's my verdict aft hours of use.

The original AirFly was 1 of Twelve South's astir celebrated products, and for bully reason. It's a multi-use Bluetooth adapter that wirelessly connects headphones to airplane intermezo systems, gym equipment, and gaming consoles, arsenic agelong arsenic nan big devices person a 3.5mm adapter.

The caller AirFly Pro 2 has each nan astir desirable features from nan erstwhile AirFly exemplary -- dual headphone connection, beingness measurement buttons, a lengthy artillery life, and auxiliary input compatibility -- and overmuch more.

On my formation from Atlanta to New York past week, I tucked nan AirFly Pro 2 into my individual container and plugged it into nan level intermezo system's 3.5mm headphone jack. After turning it on, I put my Sonos Ace into pairing mode and watched "Moana 2." You tin link 2 headphones to nan AirFly Pro 2, truthful 2 group tin watch nan aforesaid media connected nan in-flight intermezo system.

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The movie sounded terrific done my headphones. I turned connected sound cancellation and spatial audio pinch caput search to drown retired nan level motor noises and heighten my listening experience. In wired mode, astir wireless headphones can't entree their wireless audio settings, allowing outer noises to leak in. With nan AirFly Pro 2, this wasn't an issue.

Pairing nan dongle was alternatively simple. I pressed my headphones' powerfulness fastener until they entered pairing mode, past held nan AirFly's "Pair 1" button, and I was each set.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

The AirFly Pro 2 has an upgraded Qualcomm spot inside, which improves audio quality, provides much unchangeable wireless connections, and reduces powerfulness consumption.

On nan correct broadside of nan dongle is simply a move to toggle betwixt transmit (TX) mode and receiver (RX) mode. In TX mode, nan AirFly transmits audio from an analog source, for illustration an in-flight intermezo system, to your headphones. RX mode receives audio from your telephone to play done nan aux-in larboard of a car, boat, aliases stereo system.

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With 25 hours of artillery life, nan AirFly Pro 2 tin past you done a round-trip travel crossed nan US. And erstwhile you request to complaint it, there's a useful USB-C larboard for that.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 is simply a awesome recreation companion for predominant flyers. It takes up small abstraction successful your container and makes an different unenjoyable listening and watching acquisition overmuch better. Although it's marketed for in-flight use, you'll get your money's worthy pinch its aux-in compatibility pinch non-Bluetooth audio devices and systems.

If you'll apt usage this merchandise often, I urge spending nan $60 for a reliable and high-quality product. However, if you want a cheaper option, Twelve South offers nan AirFly SE, but it doesn't person aux-in compatibility aliases dual headphone connectivity.

This article was primitively published connected April 5, 2025, and was updated connected March 19, 2026.