What is the Best Aviation Headset? Ultimate Buyers Guide
TLDR
The best deal for aviation headset:
- Kore Aviation P1
- David Clark H10-13.4
- Rugged Air RA200
The best noise cancelling aviation headset:
- Bose A30
- Lightspeed Delta Zulu
- David Clark One-X
The best aviation headset for student pilots:
- Kore Aviation KA-1
- David Clark H10-13.4
The best aviation headset for comfort on long flights:
- Bose A30
- David Clark One-X
- Kore Aviation KA-1
The best aviation headset for wireless/bluetooth:
- Bose A30
- Lightspeed Delta Zulu
- Lightspeed Zulu 3
The best aviation headset for reliability & longevity:
- Kore Aviation KA-1
- David Clark H10-13.4
- Telex Airman 850
In this article we will answer the question “what is the best aviation headset?” for several different categories:
- Best Deal
- Best Noise Cancelling
- Best for Student Pilots
- Best for Comfort on Long Flights
- Best Wireless/Bluetooth
- Best Reliability & Longevity
These lists were created based off my own experience, word of mouth in the aviation world and research conducted via product reviews and online forum discussions. Scroll down to read the lists or watch the video!
NOTE: Part Time Pilot does not make ANY commission from these recommendations. We do ask these companies if they will give our readers/viewers a coupon code but other than that there is no monetary affiliation.
Best Deal for an Aviation Headset
The best deal category is pretty simple… this is the headset you can get the most bang for your buck with. It is not necessarily the cheapest but the one that will get the job done just fine and can be a great choice for those of us on a budget.
- Kore Aviation P1
- $120
- Durable and pleasantly reliable for the price with better than average passive noise reduction (PNR) of 24 dB
- David Clark H10-13.4
- $350 to $400
- Durable with passive noise reduction (PNR) and a great reliability record
- Rugged Air RA200
- $90 to $100
- Lowest price option with decent audio that can be a good option for those on a budget
Part Time Pilot’s choice: Kore Aviation P1.
We reached out to Kore Aviation for a discount for our readers and they said yes! Use coupon code PartTimePilot for 15% off. Note: We make zero commission for this. This is simply a discount!
Best Noise Cancelling Aviation Headset
Airplanes are loud, especially old trainer aircraft. If you want headsets that will kill that noise the best you want ones with Active Noise Reduction (ANR) rather than Passive Nosie Reduction (PNR). Here are the best noise reduction headsets:
- Bose A30
- $1300
- Bose’s latest & greatest ANR headsets. They are lightweight, comfortable and come with bluetooth
- Note: Some pilots like the older, cheaper A20 Bose better for overall value even though the A30s have top ANR
- Lightspeed Delta Zulu
- $1200
- Great ANR with Bluetooth that are very comfortable for long flights according to pilot reviews and online forums
- David Clark One-X
- $1000
- Considered one of the more reliable and comfortable pair of headsets on the market
- Great ANR
Part Time Pilot’s choice: Lightspeed Delta Zulu
Best Aviation Headset for Student Pilots
This category can be considered a combination of the best deal, the best reliability and the easiest to use. I usually recommend to my students to get products that aren’t complicated and you can count on to work. This way, it is one less thing you have to worry about up in the air learning to fly.
- Kore Aviation KA-1
- $220
- More durable & more comfortable than their P1 models with above average passive noise reduction (PNR) of 24 dB
- 5-year manufacture warranty for peace of mind
- Note: I have had a pair of KA-1s for 10 years and they still work great!
- David Clark H10-13.4
- $350 to $400
- Durable with passive noise reduction (PNR) and a great reliability record
Part Time Pilot’s choice: Kore Aviation KA-1
We reached out to Kore Aviation for a discount for our readers and they said yes! Use coupon code PartTimePilot for 15% off. Note: We make zero commission for this. This is simply a discount!
Best Aviation Headset for Comfort on Long Flights
Wearing something on top of your ears for long periods of time can get hot, sweaty and make your ears really sore. So for those more advanced pilots taking long cross-country flights it can be really beneficial to have a comfortable pair of headsets. The best headsets for comfort are:
- Bose A30
- $1300
- Bose’s latest & greatest ANR headsets.
- Some pilots like the older, cheaper A20 Bose better for overall value even though the A30s have top ANR & are slightly more comfortable because of the lightened force on your ears
- David Clark One-X
- $1000
- Considered one of the more comfortable pair of headsets on the market for long flights typically taken by professional & military pilots
- Kore Aviation KA-1
- $220
- More durable & more comfortable than their P1 models with above average passive noise reduction (PNR) of 24 dB
- I have a pair of these & Bose A30 and honestly, these are more comfortable
Part Time Pilot’s choice: David Clark One-X
Best Aviation Headset for Wireless/Bluetooth
Why would you want Bluetooth capability on your headsets? The Bluetooth is actually to connect to a phone or other device and not your aircraft. We still want to physically connect our headsets to our aircraft for reliable audio but connecting to your phone can allow you to get calls or listen to music. Is that safe? That is up to you. I think that it certainly can be to listen to some calming music that cuts out whenever someone wants to talk to you on the radio. Here are the best headsets for Bluetooth:
- Bose A30
- $1300
- Bose’s latest & greatest ANR headsets with bluetooth
- Some pilots like the older, cheaper A20 Bose better for overall value as the A20s also have Bluetooth
- Lightspeed Delta Zulu
- $1200
- Great ANR with Bluetooth that are very comfortable for long flights according to pilot reviews and online forums
- Lightspeed Zulu 3
- $900
- ANR with Bluetooth that are also very comfortable for long flights according to pilot reviews and online forums
Part Time Pilot’s choice: Lightspeed Delta Zulu or Zulu 3
Best Aviation Headset for Reliability & Longevity
Another SUPER important feature of a good set… and maybe the most important… is that they work! And we all love those products in our life that we aren’t having to replace every year because they just keep on chuggin’ along. Here are the best headsets for reliability and longevity:
- Kore Aviation KA-1
- $220
- Have to be on this list for me because I have had mine for 10 years without any issue
- David Clark H10-13.4
- $350 to $400
- Durable and known to last 20 years or more!
- Telex Airman 850
- $500
- On-ear rather than over the ear and super light-weight yet durable
- Used a lot commercially for its robust build and longevity
Part Time Pilot’s choice: Kore Aviation KA-1 or David Clark H10-13.4
We reached out to Kore Aviation for a discount for our readers and they said yes! Use coupon code PartTimePilot for 15% off. Note: We make zero commission for this. This is simply a discount!
The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time and money.
And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material
5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s.
This is why I created the Part Time Pilot Online Ground School.
The ground school was created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement:
- Mentoring students from start to finish
- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding
How does Part Time Pilot compare to other Online Ground Schools?
I went to the website of each of the Top 10 Online Ground Schools and gathered ALL the relevant info a student pilot like you needs to make an informed decision.
Things like cost, student ratings, lifetime access or not, types of lessons, bonuses included, scholarships included, support available and more.
Then, I lined them all up and compared them all in a single table so that student pilots could make the best, most informed decision on their training.
