If you’re a frequent traveler, having wireless headphones can make long flights manageable; you can watch your movies or listen to music without being at the mercy of the in-flight entertainment. But what happens when you want to watch the in-flight movie and all you have are wireless headphones? Most of the time, you break down and buy the wired headphones sold by the airline, or hope your wireless headphones have a wired option. But that’s another cable to carry and another travel expense.
AirFly was put on my radar a few years back, and it is a mainstay in my bag when traveling. So what does AirFly do? AirFly by Twelve South is a small Bluetooth dongle that lets you pair wireless headphones to the in-flight entertainment system on most airlines. Recent enhancements even added the ability to pair a second set of wireless headphones so you can enjoy the in-flight entertainment with a travel companion.
But for all that innovation, my one gripe was never knowing for sure if my headphones were paired. Now you’re probably saying, “Rich, that sounds like a first-world problem. Just look at the blinking lights.” And you’re right, I can follow the light prompts, but wouldn’t a tiny screen be better for information like battery life or pairing status?
I guess Twelve South felt the same, because they announced the AirFly View today. It’s the same tiny dongle we all know, but now with a small screen that walks you through pairing, shows which headphones are connected, and displays battery status. The on-screen guidance comes in 24 languages, and the screen dims and turns off when it’s not in use, so it won’t light up a dark cabin. Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours on a single charge, which covers even the longest international flights.
Another small but noteworthy improvement is a zippered hard-shell travel case instead of the little satchel that came with previous AirFly models. You’ll also get the dual-prong airline adapter for older seat connections and international flights, plus a USB-C cable for charging.
Another cool benefit that doesn’t get enough mention is using AirFly outside of travel. For instance, some gym treadmills have headphone jacks to hear the TVs, and with AirFly you can listen with your own wireless headphones instead. Want to enjoy your CDs or records over Bluetooth? Plug AirFly into the headphone jack of your stereo and enjoy those records, CDs, and even cassettes.
The AirFly View comes in two colors, Black and Coastal Blue, and has an MSRP of $79.99. You can order it right now from Twelve South before kicking off your holiday travel or look for it on Amazon.
