Comply with ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
It is develop into my customized to convey alongside two pairs of the newest headphones or earbuds when I’ve air journey deliberate — one pair for my outbound flight and one for my return.
Though I can gauge a pair of headphones’ efficiency on journeys to the grocery retailer or whereas working in my house workplace, there isn’t any extra genuine testing floor than essentially the most overstimulating place I do know: Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Worldwide Airport.
Additionally: I wore 5 different headphones across 8 flights – here’s how each pair handled my stress tests (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 Metropolis 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 airplane, I can higher perceive my expertise with a pair of headphones’ consolation, battery life, portability, and Lively Noise Cancellation (ANC), due to my continual speeding, my forgetfulness about gadget charging, and my requirement for as a lot quiet as potential.
Apple AirPods Max 2: ATL to LGA
The great: ANC, sound, ecosystem bonuses
Apple’s AirPods Max 2 present wonderful low-frequency noise cancellation, which is effective in combating the noise from a airplane engine. The Max 2’s dense earpads present vital bodily noise isolation, together with the headphones’ improved digital noise cancellation, leaving little doubt about their sturdy efficiency on this class.
Overview: Apple AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 have a full of life and vibrant sound profile, which is nice for watching motion pictures or YouTube movies whereas flying. Nonetheless, the most effective factor in regards to the AirPods Max 2 is their deep integration with my Apple units, which is useful after I’m switching between my iPhone, my work MacBook, and my private MacBook on a busy work journey like this one.
The unhealthy: consolation
Although I spent shy of two hours within the air from Atlanta to New York Metropolis, 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: LGA to ATL
The great: ANC, sound
The WF-1000XM6 has so many nice options: a smooth design, an simply pocketable case, nice battery life, wonderful noise cancellation, and good sound. The XM6’s noise cancellation is on par with Apple’s AirPods Professional 3, and its detailed sound and have set make it a beautiful journey companion.
The unhealthy: consolation
As a lot as I like the WF-1000XM6’s sound, noise cancellation, and have set, their type issue is an insurmountable barrier for me. My ear anatomy would not agree with the WF-1000XM6, and regardless of exchanging eartips and consistently twiddling with their orientation in my ear, I can by no means get the match proper.
Overview: Sony WF-1000XM6
If I might 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 damage, I made a decision to pop in my AirPods Professional 3.
Sennheiser Momentum 5: ATL to LAS
The great: consolation, sound, ANC, battery
Throughout 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 alternative for a marathon pre-show listening session as I ready to land in Las Vegas for a BTS live performance.
Alongside an exceptional 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 strain on my glasses and several other earrings alongside my ears.
Overview: Sennheiser Momentum 5
I’d place the Momentum 5’s noise-canceling skills on par with the Sonos Ace: nice, however not the most effective you should buy. Because of this, these headphones did properly on a business flight, however not in addition to the flagship choices from Apple, Sony, or Bose.
I am notoriously unhealthy at holding units charged whereas touring, and I by no means appear to convey sufficient cables to cost the miniature Greatest Purchase stock that resides in my carry-on. It was wonderful to put on the Momentum 5 on a flight and each morning to the health club with out making a dent in its battery.
The unhealthy: portability
The Momentum 5 would not fold, however I want it did. When haphazardly shoving my belongings into my private bag, it was tougher to stuff the Momentum 5 in and maintain it transferring. This journey was for leisure, and I packed quite a bit 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 great: consolation, ANC
Sony’s particular version over-ear headphones carry out finest by way of consolation, due to their slimmer earcups, plushier ear pads, and a extra padded headband, delivering long-term consolation that exceeds that of the flagship WH-1000XM6.
Overview: Sony 1000X The Collexion
The 1000X The Collexion’s noise cancellation is not as sturdy because the WH-1000XM6, nevertheless it’s barely higher at canceling midrange frequencies, akin to human voices, than the Momentum 5. Together with nice sound for melancholic post-BTS live performance listening, these headphones’ excessive consolation and efficient noise cancellation made them an awesome journey companion.
The unhealthy: portability
I am not a fan of touring with headphones that do not fold. Oftentimes, I will go away my non-folding headphones at house and depend on my AirPods Professional 3 for comfort when going via airport safety, packing as much as deplane, and shortly transferring via the airport to my vacation spot.
The 1000X The Collexion would not fold, however its carrying case does function a deal with. Throughout my preliminary testing, I used to be intrigued by this design alternative, however now that I’ve used it in the actual world, I did not discover it very helpful. The carrying case grew to become one other piece of bags to hold in my already full palms, and I’d have a lot most popular the headphones to fold so I might simply throw them in a bag.
Author’s alternative
Whereas these are all nice headphones, for air journey and vacationing, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 delivers the most effective expertise. The Momentum 5 outpaces rivals in consolation and battery life, two elements which can be precious to me as somebody who desires to put on headphones on a flight for so long as I can and ceaselessly forgets to cost them whereas on trip.
Regardless of 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. Moreover, 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.
