Best Earplugs for Flying

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Work out which of two separate problems you are solving, because the products that fix them are different. Ear pain on descent is a pressure problem, and it is addressed by plugs with a ceramic or membrane filter that slows the rate at which cabin pressure reaches the eardrum; these deliberately do not seal completely and they will not make the cabin quiet. Wanting to sleep through engine noise is an attenuation problem, and there the number to read is the rating in decibels. Dense foam plugs reach around 33 dB and block the most, reusable silicone designs are commonly rated near 24 to 27 dB, and high-fidelity filtered plugs sit around 17 dB because they are built to lower volume evenly rather than to shut it out, which is the option if you still want to hear announcements and the person next to you. Do not read those figures as absolute, since the rating is measured in a lab and real attenuation depends entirely on whether the plug seals in your ear canal. That makes fit the deciding factor. Foam is cheap enough to treat as disposable and comes in large multi-packs, mouldable silicone putty suits odd canal shapes and works for people foam hurts, and reusable stemless silicone tips sit flush enough to sleep on your side without being pressed into the ear. Carry a spare pair, because one always disappears down the seat.