If you’ve ever stepped on a plane with a cold, you can understand the discomfort I’m about to describe. Imagine your eustachian tube constricting to the point where your eardrums feel ready to burst. Imagine being in this excruciating pain for the entire duration of takeoff and landing, with few options for relief. That’s exactly what happened to me when I boarded a (pre-pandemic) flight with a cold and forgot to take a decongestant.
If you also forget this crucial step until after the plane ascends thousands of feet into the air, there’s only one solution: EarPlanes.
EarPlanes are corkscrew-shaped earplugs designed to alleviate in-flight ear pain caused by congestion. They’re made of hypoallergenic silicone and contain a ceramic filter that regulates air pressure shifts inside the ear. This ensure you won’t feel pain during takeoff and landing, especially when you’re congested.
I want to clarify this post isn’t sponsored in any way, (though I do have an Amazon affiliate link
Do EarPlanes actually work?
While there are many gimmicky products on the market, EarPlanes actually work to alleviate in-flight ear pain caused by congestion. I’ve had two instances where I boarded a flight while completely congested and felt terrible during takeoff and landing. The first was on a flight to Los Cabos – my first time traveling while sick. The pain completely took me aback. I was in tears during landing and asked the flight attendant for help.
She had encountered this situation before and gave me Tylenol, suggesting I take one before my next flight. By the end of the flight, I had not only endured unbearable ear pain, but I also couldn’t hear out of my right ear. It took a week for my ear to clear up.
During a pre-pandemic flight to D.C., I was extremely congested and had no medication on hand. On the verge of tears and desperate for relief, I resorted to taking painkillers from a stranger. You can always count on senior citizens to travel with a bag of pills, and I figured she would be the least likely person to pull a Bill Cosby.
While the Advil helped, I’m generally not big on OTC or prescription drugs. So, before my connecting flight to Chicago the next day, I decided to look for other solutions. I tried various remedies, hoping to cure the cold in 24 hours or less. No such luck. At the airport, I stopped by Hudson News to buy a decongestant. That’s when I came across EarPlanes.
They promised to curb excruciating ear pain from congestion. I was equally skeptical and desperate, so I bought a pair.
As instructed, I plugged the EarPlanes in before takeoff and was surprised when I felt absolutely no pain. I took the EarPlanes off for the remaining flight and popped them back in at landing. Once again, I felt no ear pain. The best part? My ears popped after landing, which was great because I had spent the day before barely able to hear anything.
How do EarPlanes work?
EarPlanes work by slowing the air pressure shift in your ears, which can cause pain at takeoff and landing. Slowing the pressure change helps reduce discomfort and pain in the eardrum, which is pronounced when you’re suffering from a cold, allergies or sinus problems.
While they’re safe for most people, you should definitely consult with a physician if you have other health concern. EarPlanes are safe for kids as long as you buy the children’s version and avoid using them during extreme congestion.
How to use EarPlanes correctly
The best way to use EarPlanes is to place them in your ears before takeoff and 45 minutes before landing. Gently turn the corkscrew end into your ears until they fit snugly.
You can remove them once the plane hits cruising altitude. In my experience, that’s usually when the ear pain eases anyway. EarPlanes are disposable. You can leave EarPlanes on during the entire flight, but it’s not necessary since most ear pain occurs during takeoff and landing. For best results, you can download the EarPlanes+ app, which monitors cabin pressure and notifies you when it’s time to use your plugs.
The company recommends replacing them after two uses since they can gather dust, pollen, and airborne bacteria.
Benefits of using EarPlanes
The main benefit of using EarPlanes is that they alleviate ear pain while flying. They’re also great if you’re looking for a non-medical option for managing the pain. I don’t usually travel with pain relievers and am always hesitant to take drugs, so I’m happy to pop in a pair of EarPlanes instead.
They also have the added benefit of reducing cabin noise by 20 decibels. This is great for folks who want a quieter flying experience without the possible side effects caused by noise-canceling headphones.
Who should use EarPlanes?
Travelers suffering from a cold, allergy or congestion should use EarPlanes to alleviate pain during takeoff and landing. It’s also recommended for those with sensitive ears or sinus conditions. Since EarPlanes can lower cabin noise, it can be great for passengers who want to enjoy a quieter flight without noise-canceling headphones.
I would recommend buying a pair or two and keeping them in your travel kit. They take up less space than a pair of AirPods. I keep mine in my travel organizer case, which I always carry on planes. This way, I always have them in flight. They’re inexpensive, take up little space, and come with a small container to keep them safe.
Where to buy EarPlanes
You can buy EarPlanes at most pharmacies and online. According to the website, they’re available at CVS, Walgreens, Boots, Hudson News, Target, Amazon and Staples. If your local Staples store carries them, you can earn 5X rewards by paying with your Ink Cash or Ink Plus Card.
EarPlanes cost $8.99 on the official website. First-time buyers can get a buy-one-get-one-free deal, an excellent opportunity to stock up and save. I don’t remember what I paid at the airport, but I’m sure the markup was significant. The lowest current price is through a website called Thrifty White. You can buy them in bulk as low as $5.21 a pair on Amazon.
- Thrifty White: $4.75
- Amazon: $7.29 for one pair, $19.95 for three, $32.95 for six, or $52.17 for ten
- Walmart: $7.29
- Target: $8.89
- CVS: $10.99
- Walgreens: $10.99
Bottom line
After my excruciating experience flying while congested, I can attest that it’s the kind of pain you never want to experience. I would highly recommend EarPlanes to anyone traveling while sick. They do eliminate excruciating pain caused by congestion and are a cheap, non-medical treatment option.
Do you have any remedies for curing in-flight ear pain while traveling with a cold? Please share in the comment section.
Hi Ariana. I can also attest to the efficacy of earplanes. Additionally, I was told by an ENT doctor to use a nasal decongestant spray before take off and at the start of the descent. Between those two tips, I have never again experienced excruciating ear pain.
That’s exactly what I was after when I stumbled upon Earplanes. They’ve worked so great for me, that I’ll definitely keep using them.
Hmmm, travelled on planes for 42 years professionally, even when they had propellers, and never heard of these. Thanks for the tip.
Me neither – until I had a need for them.
I will be on a 30 hours international trip next week in economy. Any suggestions for a good travel pillow?
I’ve always found them to be uncomfortable (probably because I’m short). But you might want to check out this post I wrote about surviving 16 hours in economy class (hint: It’s all about the footrest!): https://www.pointchaser.com/tips-surviving-16-hour-flight-economy-class/
I’ve been using Earplanes for almost 20 years. At times I can get excruciating pain in my ears when landing and these definitely help.
Did not realize they’ve been around that long. Great stuff!
I have used the earplanes and recommend the children’s size. The adult ones were very painful for me. If you are on the plane the flight attendants will bring you a paper cup with a hot wet paper towel inside it to put over your ear for take off and landing that somehow helps.
Interesting. For me, the pain killers worked. I might try that if I ever forget my EarPlanes.
Hey A! Not sure if you’ll see this post, but can you clarify, are you holding the paper cup against your ear w the paper towel inside or just the paper towel?
Ariana – thank you for this post. I am going to buy some to have just in case.
Glad you found it helpful!
Another vote for a nasal decongestant spray. I use it once about 1/2 hour before planned landing time, and again approx. 15 minutes later. Has worked for me every time. Previously I almost always was in tears with ear pain and splitting headache (that I almost otherwise never have), feeling as though my head would burst before we landed. BTW, I’ve always experienced that, for me, the faster/steeper the descent, the more pain to be endured. I may now try the Earplanes to see if they help.
Don’t forget to force yourself to yawn a lot during descent, to keep your ears open.
Unfortunately yawning didn’t help me at all. I was pretty badly congested and the pain was just awful.
@Sharon. Another method to use after nasal decongestant in lieu of yawning is to hold your nose closed with your thumb and forefinger and blow air against your fingers as if you could force the air out. This really keeps your ears open on the descent. You can do it once every 5 or 10 minutes or as needed during the descent.
Ariana, I was surprised you wrote “Older women always travel with a bag of pills…” Sexism, ageism, and gender stereotypes can be hurtful. If you’re lucky, you’ll be an ‘older woman’ one day.
Thanks, Doug! I had to laugh since I guess I am one of those ‘older women’ with a bag full of pills! BUT, they are all my husband’s medications. I may be ‘chronologically advantaged’, but lucky enough to still not need any medication on a regular basis!
I made that comment in jest. It’s not sexist to suggest elderly women travel with tons of pills – it’s a common/funny stereotype and in this case it turned out to be true. Elderly men have bags of pills too, but I don’t trust those scoundrels. 😉 And yes, I’m sure one day I’ll be one of these women and I’ll have a sense of humor about it then too.
I have terrible allergies so suffer greatly when flying. My doctor recommended sudafed 30 minutes before departure and every 4 hours. It dries out all (or most) of the congestion for a short period of time to avoid the insane ear pain when landing. Totally works for me. I ran out for a recent flight and suffered and vowed never again. I’ll buy some earplanes as backup!