It’s a first-world problem, but a problem nonetheless: You plop down in your airplane seat, all set to watch in-flight entertainment, when you realize there’s no way to use your AirPods. They are, of course, wireless and linked to your phone. What now? Now you remember the Twelve South AirFly Pro ($55 at Amazon) that you cleverly remembered to attach to your keychain for just such an emergency. This nifty little accessory plugs into any 3.5mm audio jack and pairs with AirPods or other wireless earbuds or headphones. And it’s not just for airplanes either: if you own a Nintendo Switch, for example, you’ve probably wished for a wireless audio option. This is it.
Red heart
This tiny rechargeable dongle lets you listen to AirPods on planes. But it also works with other Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, and it can also transmit Bluetooth audio from older devices such as home stereos. That makes it just as suitable for at home as for travelling.
$55 at Amazon
The AirFly Pro can also work the other way around: you can plug it into, say, an older home or car stereo and then use your phone to stream tunes. This is all done via Bluetooth, with little more than a push of a button required for setup.
The device looks decidedly Apple-esque, with its glossy white finish and rounded edges – a worthy AirPods companion, for sure. It charges via a USB-C port and includes a small keychain cap for the stereo plug. The latter fits really well, which should prevent the AirFly from accidentally falling out and getting lost, but I’d still be a little leery of riding it on a shotgun with my keys. Thankfully, there’s also a drawstring carry bag if you prefer to go that route.
That sleeve also contains the manual, which has fairly small print, but is very clear and easy to understand. After the initial pairing process with your AirPods or other device, all you have to do is remember to hold the power button for five seconds to turn the AirFly on – and another five seconds to turn it off.
Meanwhile, there is a small switch on the side that toggles between transmit and receive modes. If you’re not interested in the latter (meaning you only want the headphone option for airplanes and the like), the AirFly Duo costs about $10 less and actually has slightly better battery life: about 20 hours, versus 16 on the Pro.
A great benefit with both: you can pair two headphones at the same time, meaning you and a travel companion can watch the same movie during the flight.
In my testing, the AirFly Pro worked flawlessly, pairing easily with my AirPods Pro and remembering that connection from one session to the next. While there are cheaper options, I like the compact, all-white design of the AirFly.
Bottom line: if you’ve ever wished for a way to turn a wired headphone jack into a wireless one, this is your dongle.
Red heart
This tiny rechargeable dongle lets you listen to AirPods on planes. But it also works with other Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, and it can also transmit Bluetooth audio from older devices such as home stereos. That makes it just as suitable for at home as for travelling.
$55 at Amazon
