I flew 2,700 miles with 4 headphones – this pair was one of the best journey companion

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It’s turn into my customized to convey alongside two pairs of the most recent headphones or earbuds when I’ve air journey deliberate — one pair for my outbound flight and one for my return.  

Although I can gauge a pair of headphones’ efficiency on journeys to the grocery retailer or whereas working in my dwelling workplace, there is no extra genuine testing floor than probably the most overstimulating place I do know: Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Also: I wore 5 totally different headphones throughout 8 flights – here is how every pair dealt with my stress checks (2025)

This time, I traveled with among the newest headphones launched this 12 months to check them in a brand new atmosphere. I took the Apple AirPods Max 2 and Sony WF-1000XM6 from Atlanta to New York City and again, and examined the Sennheiser Momentum 5 and the Sony 1000X The Collexion from Atlanta to Las Vegas and again.

In an airport and on a aircraft, I can higher perceive my expertise with a pair of headphones’ consolation, battery life, portability, and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), because of my continual speeding, my forgetfulness about machine charging, and my requirement for as a lot quiet as attainable.

Apple AirPods Max 2: ATL to LGA

The good: ANC, sound, ecosystem bonuses

Apple’s AirPods Max 2 present glorious low-frequency noise cancellation, which is efficacious in combating the noise from a aircraft engine. The Max 2’s dense earpads present important bodily noise isolation, together with the headphones’ improved digital noise cancellation, leaving little doubt about their robust efficiency on this class.

Review: Apple AirPods Max 2

The AirPods Max 2 have a energetic and vibrant sound profile, which is nice for watching motion pictures or YouTube movies whereas flying. However, one of the best factor concerning the AirPods Max 2 is their deep integration with my Apple units, which is useful when I’m switching between my iPhone, my work MacBook, and my private MacBook on a busy work journey like this one.

The unhealthy: consolation

Though I spent shy of two hours within the air from Atlanta to New York City, I spent an hour with the Max 2 on my head whereas ready within the TSA line. After two hours of steady put on, the sheer weight of the AirPods Max 2 began to hassle me, and I took them off and spent the remainder of my flight and commute from the airport to the workplace with my AirPods Pro 3.

Sony WF-1000XM6

The good: ANC, sound

The WF-1000XM6 has so many nice options: a modern design, an simply pocketable case, nice battery life, glorious noise cancellation, and good sound. The XM6’s noise cancellation is on par with Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, and its detailed sound and have set make it a beautiful journey companion.

The unhealthy: consolation

As a lot as I really like the WF-1000XM6’s sound, noise cancellation, and have set, their kind issue is an insurmountable barrier for me. My ear anatomy does not agree with the WF-1000XM6, and regardless of exchanging eartips and consistently fidgeting with their orientation in my ear, I can by no means get the match proper.

Review: Sony WF-1000XM6

If I may discover a semi-comfortable match, the XM6’s weighty construct sits too far outdoors of my ear canal, and any speaking or chewing would instantly dislodge them. After near an hour of wear and tear, I made a decision to pop in my AirPods Pro 3.

Sennheiser Momentum 5: ATL to LAS

The good: consolation, sound, ANC, battery

During my preliminary testing, I discovered the Momentum 5 to be an extremely stable pair of headphones. The Momentum 5’s detailed and correct sound made them the right selection for a marathon pre-show listening session as I ready to land in Las Vegas for a BTS live performance.

Alongside an outstanding sound profile, the Momentum 5 supplied hours of consolation, up till the final hour or so of my four-hour flight. It wasn’t till the final leg that the headphones exerted an excessive amount of stress on my glasses and several other earrings alongside my ears.

Review: Sennheiser Momentum 5

I’d place the Momentum 5’s noise-canceling skills on par with the Sonos Ace: nice, however not one of the best you should buy. As a end result, these headphones did properly on a business flight, however not in addition to the flagship choices from Apple, Sony, or Bose. 

I’m notoriously unhealthy at retaining units charged whereas touring, and I by no means appear to convey sufficient cables to cost the miniature Best Buy stock that resides in my carry-on. It was wonderful to put on the Momentum 5 on a flight and each morning to the gymnasium with out making a dent in its battery.

The unhealthy: portability

The Momentum 5 does not fold, however I want it did. When haphazardly shoving my belongings into my private bag, it was harder to stuff the Momentum 5 in and hold it shifting. This journey was for leisure, and I packed loads for lengthy nights out on the Strip. I worth having a pair of compact headphones I can simply throw in a bag, and sadly, the Momentum 5 is not it.

Sony 1000X The Collexion: LAS to ATL

The good: consolation, ANC

Sony’s particular version over-ear headphones carry out greatest when it comes to consolation, because of their slimmer earcups, plushier ear pads, and a extra padded headband, delivering long-term consolation that exceeds that of the flagship WH-1000XM6.

Review: Sony 1000X The Collexion

The 1000X The Collexion’s noise cancellation is not as robust because the WH-1000XM6, nevertheless it’s barely higher at canceling midrange frequencies, similar to human voices, than the Momentum 5. Along with nice sound for melancholic post-BTS live performance listening, these headphones’ excessive consolation and efficient noise cancellation made them an incredible journey companion.

The unhealthy: portability

I’m not a fan of touring with headphones that do not fold. Oftentimes, I’ll go away my non-folding headphones at dwelling and depend on my AirPods Pro 3 for comfort when going by way of airport safety, packing as much as deplane, and rapidly shifting by way of the airport to my vacation spot.

The 1000X The Collexion does not fold, however its carrying case does function a deal with. During my preliminary testing, I used to be intrigued by this design selection, however now that I’ve used it in the true world, I did not discover it very helpful. The carrying case turned one other piece of baggage to hold in my already full fingers, and I’d have a lot most popular the headphones to fold so I may simply throw them in a bag.

Writer’s selection

While these are all nice headphones, for air journey and vacationing, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 delivers one of the best expertise. The Momentum 5 outpaces rivals in consolation and battery life, two elements which are beneficial to me as somebody who needs to put on headphones on a flight for so long as I can and often forgets to cost them whereas on trip.

Despite the Momentum 5’s non-folding design, its noise-canceling efficiency and distinctive sound make for a flexible journey companion, appropriate for listening to podcasts or watching YouTube whereas flying. Additionally, Sennheiser preserved the Momentum 5’s 3.5mm jack, so you possibly can plug these headphones right into a flight infotainment system with out the necessity for extra Bluetooth dongles.