AirFly Pro 2 review: The dongle that saved air travel (by letting me use my AirPods for in-flight movies)

Let me get this straight: I spent all that money on top-flight noise-canceling earbuds, but I can't use them to watch in-flight movies? The horror! Alas, it's true: few seat-back entertainment systems support Bluetooth, and I can't exactly plug my AirPods into that old-fangled headphone jack. Well, not without help: The AirFly Pro 2 is a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver that plugs into any 3.5mm audio jack (including those still common on airplanes) and pairs with AirPods or other wireless earbuds or headphones.

Problem solved, right? Actually, yes — this little gadget works really well, to the point where I'm loathe to air-travel without it. And it has a few other worthwhile applications as well. But I do have a few gripes, one of them kind of important. Here's my AirFly Pro 2 review.

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The AirFly Pro 2: What it does

The AirFly Pro 2 looks like something Apple would make, with a glossy white finish and rounded edges — a worthy AirPods companion, to be sure. (As noted, however, it also works with just about any Bluetooth earbuds or headphones.)

Though definitely designed with an eye toward in-flight entertainment, the AirFly Pro 2 can transmit audio from whatever source it's plugged into: a TV or radio, an older Nintendo Switch, a treadmill at the gym, even that vintage tape deck of yours. And it can do so to two separate listening devices, meaning you and your seat-mate can watch the same movie simultaneously.

Flip a switch and it becomes a receiver instead: Plug it into the 3.5mm AUX-in jack on, say, an older home stereo or car radio and then use your phone to stream music, podcasts or whatever through those speakers.

The AirFly Pro 2: How it works

The device charges via a USB-C port and can last at least 25 hours, according to Twelve South. That's impressive; you should be able to take plenty of flights before needing to recharge.

There are three notable improvements in this version of the AirFly Pro: an actual power switch, which takes the place of a power button you had to hold down for five seconds (!) to turn the device on or off; two dedicated, labeled pairing buttons for connecting two sets of earbuds; and volume control buttons, which can save you having to reach for your phone to adjust levels.

I do miss the little protective cap that Twelve South included with the previous model; it also had a keychain ring to more easily keep the dongle close at hand.

You still get a little drawstring carrying case, but neither the quickstart guide nor the full user guide will fit inside it. That's problematic, because unless you use the AirFly Pro 2 on a regular basis, you may forget certain aspects of how it works.

In fact, the first time you use it will probably be on a flight, in which case you'll have to put both the dongle and your earbuds in pairing mode. All this is explained in detail in the well-written user guide, for which I'm thankful, but I certainly wish Twelve South had thought to make it more travel-friendly. As it stands, it's a thick 50-page multi-language booklet. (You can download the PDF version, but I always prefer hard-copy manuals.)

Meanwhile, there's a single LED that lights up or blinks white or amber, depending on what's happening — charging, pairing, etc. That's another reason you'll want the manual close at hand.

The good news is that once everything is set up, actually using the AirFly Pro 2 is simple: Turn it on, plug it into the headphone jack, pop in your earbuds. In a recent test onboard a Delta flight, it worked flawlessly.

The AirFly Pro 2: What it costs

Here's where I struggle: This little gizmo costs $60. That seems a bit hard to justify when there are similar products priced considerably less. For example, the Lavales SafeFly Pro has a similar design and features, but adds an OLED status screen, and at this writing it's on sale for just $32 (not including a coupon that takes 30% off).

I haven't tested that, so I can say whether it's as good as the AirFly Pro 2, but there's nothing especially complex about a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver; it either works or it doesn't.

The AirFly Pro 2 works, and I'm glad to have it as a travel companion. I just wish it was a bit more affordable.