Short answer: A jet engine is about 140 dB at 30 metres, loud enough to be painful and to damage hearing almost at once. An airliner taking off is typically 100–120 dB near the runway and 70–90 dB under the flight path a few kilometres from the airport. Inside the cabin, cruise noise is usually 75–85 dB, similar to a busy road.
Aircraft noise matters to three groups: people on the ground near airports, passengers on long flights, and the crews who work beside running engines. This guide covers how loud a jet engine and a plane taking off are, what aircraft noise levels are considered acceptable around homes, how noisy the cabin is, whether noise-cancelling headphones help, and how airside workers protect their hearing.
How Loud Is a Jet Engine in Decibels?
Levels depend on the aircraft, engine power, and above all distance. These are typical ranges.
| Situation | Typical level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jet engine at about 30 m, high power | About 140 dB | Painful; hearing protection essential |
| Airliner taking off, near the runway | 100–120 dB | A few hundred metres away |
| Under the flight path a few km out | 70–90 dB(A) max | As each aircraft passes |
| Aircraft cabin in cruise | 75–85 dB(A) | Seats near the engines are louder |
| Busy airport terminal | 60–75 dB(A) | Announcements and crowds |
Modern airliners with high-bypass turbofan engines are much quieter than the jets of earlier decades, and international noise certification standards have tightened over time. Even so, a large aircraft at take-off power remains one of the loudest routine sounds people encounter.
How Loud Is a Plane Taking Off?
Take-off is the loudest phase because the engines run at or near full power close to the ground. Close to the aircraft, levels can pass 130 dB; at the airport fence they are often in the 100–120 dB range. In open air, the sound pressure level falls about 6 dB each time the distance doubles, so each kilometre further away makes a clear difference. The decibel calculator does the distance maths.
For comparison, 120 dB is near the threshold of pain and 100 dB is a loud concert. The decibel chart places aircraft among other everyday sounds, and the logarithmic decibel scale explains why 140 dB is 10,000 times the energy of 100 dB.
Aircraft Noise Around Homes
Near airports the concern is long-term exposure, so noise is described as an average over a day with extra weight for the evening and night. Two benchmarks are widely used:
- US FAA: a Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) of 65 dB is the threshold of significant aircraft noise impact, and the level above which homes are normally considered incompatible land use.
- WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines (2018): aircraft noise should be kept below 45 dB Lden over the day and 40 dB Lnight at night, because higher levels are linked to annoyance and sleep disturbance. For a sense of scale, see is 45 dB loud? and is 40 dB loud?.
These are long-term averages outdoors. A single flyover can peak much higher, around 65 dB to 90 dB(A), even when the daily average is lower. If you live under a flight path, the noise monitor can log the average and maximum over an evening, and room noise levels gives indoor targets for bedrooms.
Airplane Cabin Noise
During cruise, cabin noise is usually 75–85 dB(A): mostly airflow over the fuselage plus engine noise. It is often louder during take-off and climb. Seats near or behind the engines tend to be louder than seats near the front. That is similar to a busy street (is 80 dB loud?) and close to the 85 dB level where NIOSH starts to limit daily exposure.
By the NIOSH rule, 85 dB(A) is safe for 8 hours and 82 dB(A) for 16 hours. A long-haul flight in a loud seat can therefore use a large share of a day’s allowance, especially if you also turn headphones up to hear a film. The noise exposure calculator adds up a travel day, and the exposure limits guide explains the rules.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones on Flights
Active noise cancellation works best on steady, low-frequency sound such as engine drone, which is exactly what fills an aircraft cabin. It is less effective on voices and sudden sounds. The real hearing benefit is that you can listen to music or a film at a lower volume, instead of turning it up to beat 80 dB of background noise. Passive options such as well-fitted foam earplugs also work well for sleeping.
A sensible target is to keep headphone volume at a level where you could still hear someone speaking to you from the next seat. The WHO safe listening allowance for adults is the equivalent of 80 dB for 40 hours a week.
Ear Protection for Airside Workers
Ground crew, engineers and marshallers work near running engines and auxiliary power units, where levels can pass 100–140 dB. Employers must control this under workplace rules such as OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 in the US and EU Directive 2003/10/EC in Europe. In practice that means high-rated earmuffs, often worn with earplugs close to engines, communication headsets so crews can hear instructions, marked hazard zones, and regular hearing tests.
How to Measure Aircraft Noise with Your Phone
The cabin is a good place to try our sound decibel meter: 75–85 dB sits comfortably within a phone microphone’s range. Hold the phone away from your body at head height and read the average over a minute or two. Calibrating your microphone improves accuracy. Cabin noise is rich in low frequencies, so a C-weighted reading is higher than the A-weighted one; see dB(A) vs dB(C), and use the frequency analyzer to see the rumble.
Phones cannot measure a jet engine up close: microphones compress or clip above roughly 100–120 dB, and you should not be that close without protection anyway. If a flight leaves your ears ringing or blocked for more than a day or two, see a doctor; our online hearing test is a quick screen, not a diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud is a plane taking off?
Typically 100–120 dB near the runway and 70–90 dB(A) under the flight path a few kilometres away. Close to the engines it can reach about 140 dB.
How many decibels is an airplane cabin?
Usually 75–85 dB(A) during cruise, often a little louder during take-off and climb, and louder in seats near the engines.
Is airplane noise bad for your ears?
An occasional flight is unlikely to harm hearing, but long flights in loud seats with loud headphones add up. Noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs help.
Do noise-cancelling headphones work on planes?
Yes, they are very effective against the steady low-frequency engine drone, which lets you listen at a safer volume.
What aircraft noise level is acceptable near homes?
The WHO recommends below 45 dB Lden and 40 dB Lnight. In the US, the FAA treats 65 dB DNL as the threshold of significant impact.
Addito is an audio analysis and sound measurement writer specializing in decibel testing, noise level analysis, sound frequency measurement, and audio engineering tools for creators, audio professionals, students, and everyday users. He creates practical content focused on sound measurement, hearing safety, microphone testing, and acoustic analysis tools.