Having been around for well over two decades, ghd is one of the first words in hairstyling, so it makes sense that they have a travel edition of their famous hair dryers. If you’re on the fence about investing in a portable counterpart to your full-size dryer, we’ve undertaken a full ghd Flight+ Travel Dryer review is here to walk you through its capabilities.
RRP: £99
Wattage: 1600w
Weight: 453g
Cable length: 1.8m
Warranty: 2 years
Extras: Dual voltage, foldable handle, concentrator nozzle, carry case
Though the best ghd straighteners are easily what this brand is most famous for, its hair dryers probably come close second, with models like the Air and Helios firm favourites among fans. According to ghd, the foldable travel dryer packs 78% of the Air’s power into its smaller design.
So, how well does it perform in reality? Our contributing beauty editor has put it through its paces in this full review, taking you through the specs and the user experience to help you decide if it’s the right travel hair dryer for you. Here’s what you need to know…
Our contributing beauty editor's full ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer review
Our first impressions of the ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer
If you’re at all familiar with ghd tools, you’ll already know that their designs are always incredibly sleek. So it’s no great surprise that this extends to unboxing the Flight+ Dryer for the first time. Inside you’ll find the tool in its carry case, along with the accompanying concentrator nozzle, plus the instruction leaflet. It’s all very chic and fuss-free.
The dryer itself is a very lightweight tool – less than 500g, to be more precise – which is all the more impressive when you remember the fact that it is only 22% less powerful than the Air. Unusually, the concentrated nozzle attachment is made from translucent tinted plastic, which feels somewhat at odds with the premium feel of this and its other tools. But, overall, first impressions are pretty good and on par with the brand we know and love.
How does the ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer perform?
As you’d expect, the Flight+ doesn’t emit as powerful airflow as the ghd Helios Dryer or Air models (2,200w and 2,100w respectively). But it’s not such a difference that it feels like it’s adding a great number of minutes onto the overall time of your blow dry.
My hair has a loose, ringlet-y curl pattern and is very frizz-prone, so I don’t rough dry my hair when I’m styling it myself. My at-home blow dry skills are also nowhere near those of a hairdresser’s – they are trained professionals for a reason – so I would always use a second styling tool, like straighteners, after a hair dryer to smooth things out. (I usually use a time-saving 2-in-1 tool, like the Dyson Airstrait or Shark FlexStyle.)
In other words, a hair dryer is more of a functional tool than a final styler for me when I’m at home – but I still want it to leave my hair feeling soft and with as little extra frizz as possible. Thankfully, ghd lived up to its reputation and got my hair dry without frying it of all life. The concentrator nozzle could be narrower, but it allowed for a little more precision when drying my hair in sections and left my strands feeling pretty soft.
How does the ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer compare?
As for how it compares against its competitors, pretty well. The price is a considerable investment for a travel hair dryer; that ghd tech comes with an RRP of £99 (though it’s often on sale for less). This is more than most – if not all – of the travel hair dryers on the market. But it shows in a couple of areas that give it an undeniable edge.
Cold shots might be commonplace on the best hair dryers, but they actually aren’t a given on a travel model. Thankfully, the Flight+ is equipped with a cold function, even if it is only with a lower speed setting and not a separate button that chills down whatever heat and speed setting is currently programmed in.
The travel case is also one of the smartest cases I’ve seen accompany one of these hair dryers. It’s been improved over the years, too; the older ghd Flight came with a rounded zip case that, while sturdy, didn’t feel as chic. This newer version also features a handy shoulder strap; I’m not sure you’d ever carry your hair dryer on its own with your other possessions in a bag, but it’s nice to have all the same.
Should you buy the ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer
Overall, the ghd Flight+ Hair Dryer is a decent tool. This really comes down to what you want from your travel dryer. If you want to spend as little as possible and only need to rough dry your hair, there are models that cost considerably less and may do you a good enough job. They just won’t feel as premium as a ghd tool. So if you know you are going to buy a travel hair dryer of some description and you have a decent budget to play with then, yes, I think you’d be happy with the ghd Flight+. It’ll give you considerably more professional feeling results than a hotel room hair dryer, that’s for sure.
