Quick Summary
Twelve South’s AirFly enables wireless listening using your own headphones – making it invaluable on long-haul flights.
The new AirFly Pro 2 brings multi-device connectivity, high-quality audio support (via aptX), improved battery (to 25 hours), and an included carry case.
I fly a lot. Like, a lot – on British Airways alone I’ve notched up 1,100,000 miles in just over a decade. So there are certain comforts that I can’t leave home without when it comes to long-haul travel.
Not only does that mean always having the best travel headphones – I’m defaulting to Bose QuietComfort Ultra for the noise-cancelling right now – but a way to actually use them on long-haul flights is a must for me too.
That’s where Twelve South comes in. You might know the brand for various Apple accessories, but it also makes a nifty gadget called AirFly – which you can plug into an in-flight entertainment system and use your own headphones for wireless listening.
(Image credit: Twelve South)
I reviewed the original AirFly some years ago. Since then I’ve managed to lose it (on a plane, obviously), but have since replaced it – because it’s that much of a must-have for me.
And now there’s a refreshed new top-end model in town: the AirFly Pro 2. It upgrades the previous Pro model with a high-quality audio upgrade – supporting aptX transmission – plus improved battery life.
Twelve South has clearly been listening to feedback, too, and now includes dedicated pairing buttons, plus quick-access volume and mute control directly on the device itself. That’ll make it even easier to use.
(Image credit: Twelve South)
While I use the product for personal listening on airlines’ in-flight systems (and there’s an adaptor included in the box, should it be one of those older two-prong 3.5mm spurs), there are other clear benefits too.
As AirFly Pro 2 runs on a more recent Bluetooth standard, multi-point connectivity is possible – meaning you can connect two pairs of headphones wirelessly. That’ll be ideal for, say, using a tablet’s 3.5mm output for two people to watch a show together without disturbing anyone around them.
Twelve South even suggests the product can be used as an input “for connecting phones to vehicles without sharing data”, or even on gym equipment. Speaking of which, it sounds like about the only thing missing is Auracast for this current Pro model.
The AirFly Pro 2 will launch this April, priced £59.99 in the UK and $60 in the USA, maintaining a similar price over its Pro predecessor. It’ll go on sale in Apple stores from June, too. I know I’ll be putting one on my shopping list…
