Is it possible to actually enjoy a flight? You sit so close to your fellow airplane seatmates that it seems nearly impossible to shift in that tiny chair without coming into contact with your closest neighbor. So how can you enjoy music or movies without hearing everyone within a five-row radius—let alone the roar of airplane engines?

Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones reduce noise so you can actually focus on your in-air entertainment instead of the conversation next to you. The detachable audio cable doesn’t get tangled up nearly as much as earbud cables do, and the entire setup packs nicely into its carrying case, so you don’t have to remember where all the various parts are when you pack your carry-on.

To be honest, I wanted these to fail. The headphones are seriously expensive, and I was hoping they weren’t worth the money. But the noise-canceling attribute is impressive. It makes a long flight seem shorter, plus, the over-ear headphones are much more comfortable than earbuds.

Aside from the price, there’s a small downside: they require an AAA battery. Keep an extra or two in the case, because once you get used to the noise-canceling effect, you don’t want it to run out mid-flight. While I’ve been quite careful with mine, a friend has broken his—and now tries to use the headphones while they’re duct-taped together. Be tender with your pricy electronics.

The Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones list for $299.95 on the Bose website. On Amazon, they’re priced at $299.