Very rarely does a product come along that completely changes the way we travel. There are already a huge number of products that have improved our flying, from extreme support neck pillows to blackout eye masks and even AirTags that help us track our baggage every step of the way. Twelve Southern AirFly Duo is another innovator that every frequent or occasional traveler should take with them.
Simply put, with this wireless Bluetooth transmitter, you can watch and listen to movies, TV shows and more from your in-flight entertainment system through your own wireless headphones. In other words, you can say goodbye to the often terrible wired airline-supplied headphones and keep your favorite Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones in your ears.
A travel essential for watching in-flight entertainment on your own headphones.
We swear by the small but powerful AirFly Duo. The wireless Bluetooth transmitter is a great addition for any traveler who wants to use their favorite headphones without sacrificing sound quality. It’s small and light, and it’s super easy to pair with Bluetooth devices, including those from other manufacturers! – and provides more than 20 hours of work without recharging. If you are a frequent traveler, the AirFly Duo is a good investment.
In the end, AirFly Duet solves one of the most annoying problems in air travel: the inability to listen to the inflight entertainment system with your own quality set of headphones or earbuds. AirFly calls itself “the missing link between wireless headphones and wired headphone jacks,” which means you can also use AirFly far beyond the plane, including on treadmills, gaming devices, and more. The product works by plugging into the headphone jack of almost any electronic device, connecting to your Bluetooth wireless headphones, and really, that’s it.
We especially like the simplicity of the AirFly Duo. When you receive the device, you will receive the 4.1-inch AirFly itself, a quick start guide booklet, a charging cable, and a handy drawstring protective pouch that fits easily into a travel backpack or even your pocket. Really, you don’t need more than that, and we appreciate that Twelve South gives you only the bare essentials without overdoing it.
Pairing AirFly with your favorite set of wireless headphones couldn’t be easier. After fully charging the device with the included charging cable, we were able to connect our AirPods Pro set within 30 seconds by pressing a couple of buttons – one on the AirFly and one on the AirPods case. During our tests on an almost completely filled aircraft airfly there was no problem playing audio without interfering with other bluetooth headphones in a small space.
What we especially liked about AirFly Duet is the fact that you can share the audio with your travel partner. Since the device can be connected to two Bluetooth wireless devices at the same time, you and your companion can watch the same movie at the same time in flight. Say goodbye to starting and pausing a movie on separate screens at the same time—AirFly Duo ensures you stay in sync while watching a movie or TV show.
When we tested AirFly Duet during our transatlantic flight from London to New York, the device’s battery lasted the entire journey. According to Twelve South, the AirFly Duo can last 20 hours on a single charge. And even if you need to charge it, we love that you can do so while using it via an external connector at the same time. As long as you have a power source nearby, including a Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-approved battery, you can keep AirFly running.
Even if you’re not an Apple user, AirFly is also compatible with devices other than AirPods. And if the Duo doesn’t suit your needs, there are other AirFly options. There are also AirFly Pro ($55 at Amazon)which, in addition to being able to connect two pairs of headphones, also allows you to put the device into receive mode to send audio from your phone to your car or speaker.
There’s a lot to love about the AirFly Duo. From its small and compact size, including a handy drawstring pouch, to the ease of connecting the device to your favorite headphones, this is an amazing product that travelers should love to try.
There’s so much to love about AirFly Duet that it was difficult for us to identify any shortcomings. However, we’re a little annoyed that turning AirFly off and on again causes a slight delay when connecting our wireless Bluetooth headphones. Although after a few seconds, the two devices connected on their own without problems. If nothing else, you may just need to be patient and not try to “overflight” your AirFly. Let him do his thing – because he really does it well.
If we’re going to be very picky, the AirFly Duo isn’t exactly cheap. At just under $50 per device, this is investments. That being said, we believe it’s an investment well worth it, especially if you’re a frequent traveler.
Will we fly without AirFly Duet again? Probably no. Overall, the simplicity of the device makes it worth taking with you on every trip. It’s compact enough to fit in any travel bag, connects easily enough to a range of devices, and perhaps best of all, you can say goodbye to airline-supplied headphones forever. If you travel frequently – or rarely, but have other places to use your transmitter – airfly Devices are absolute nonsense.
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