Verdict

The GHD Flight is a stylish, compact travel hairdryer that, despite some compromises, musters up a more powerful performance than you might expect.

Pros

• Powerful for travel hairdryer
• Compact and lightweight
• Stylish design
• Easy to use

Cons

• Struggles to dry thick hair
• Cool setting could be more effective
• Travel case a bit bulky

What is the GHD Flight?

For jet-setting types, the GHD Flight offers much of what you’d expect from GHD’s fully fledged models in a more compact, lightweight and travel-friendly design. In fact, the GHD Flight promises 85% of the power, while packing 60% less weight.

Understandably, features are stripped back, but the GHD FLight’s dual voltage design will allow it to work at its best on both sides of the pond, and it comes with its own travel case too.

GHD Flight – Design and features

The GHD Flight feels far more plasticky compared to its larger sibling, the GHD Air, but the upside is a main body weight of just 300g, and a manufacturer quoted 422g in total.

To keep it compact as well as lightweight for travelling, the hairdryer’s handle folds in on itself, and the unit’s head is relatively dinky too. It seems strange, then, to bundle it all in a fairly sizeable hard-shell travel case – albeit one that looks very nice indeed.

Controls are located on the inside of the handle, and comprise a single slider function to choose one of three settings: warm and low, hot and high, and a “cool” setting. There are no individual controls for choosing heat and speed separately, but we wouldn’t really expect that level of functionality in a travel hairdryer.

Underneath these controls, the GHD Flight has a switch for its variable voltage, with a choice of 240V (for the UK and Europe) and 120V (for USA, Canada and South America), allowing you to use it safely whilst abroad.

The hairdryer comes with one removable nozzle, which isn’t the most useful for precision drying, and a cable that measures 1.75 metres. That’s pretty generous for a travel hairdryer.

GHD Flight – Performance

The GHD Flight is pretty powerful for such a compact unit. GHD doesn’t quote an official wattage, but the hairdryer managed wind speeds of 15.6m/s at its highest setting –which isn’t far off the maximum speed of the Lee Stafford Coco Loco Blow & Go Nuts.

It did take quite a while to dry our test cloth, however, at around three minutes. Nevertheless, this isn’t a bad result considering it’s only a minute slower than the much larger, more powerful Panasonic EH-NA65-K.

Those with thick hair may find that it takes some time to dry their hair thoroughly with the GHD Flight, however. Even on its highest setting, it still doesn’t reach the heat levels of standard sized models.

Note, too, that the GHD Flight’s coolest setting doesn’t really replace the job of a cool shot button. There’s still a bit of warmth to the air, meaning it isn’t as effective at setting styles. There’s no anti-frizz technology either, so if you’re a sufferer then you’ll need to use product to help keep it at bay.

Overall, though, the GHD Flight does a good job of quick on-the-go drying, offering some control for more in-depth styling.

Noise measures in at a relatively quiet 100dB – but considering it’s at least half the size of standard dryers we’ve tested, that’s a little on the loud side. It also sounds noisier than some larger hairdryers, since its motor has quite a high-pitched tone.

However, you’re likely to overlook these minor quibbles in a travel model, placing power and portability at the top of the list of priorities – and in this regard the GHD Flight ticks both boxes.

Why buy the GHD Flight?

If you need a compact travel hairdryer that doesn’t scrimp on power, the GHD Flight is well worth a look. At £59, it isn’t the cheapest, but it performs closer to that of standard sized models than rivals.

Inevitably for a travel model, there are some compromises, but it will dry all but the thickest of hair types relatively quickly for its size.

A very stylish travel companion indeed.

Verdict

The GHD Flight is a stylish, compact travel hairdryer that, despite some compromises, musters up a more powerful performance than you might expect.

Trusted Score