I traveled 2,700 miles with Sony, Apple and Sennheiser — this pair sounded best

I packed multiple pairs of headphones for flights through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to give them a real-world workout. I took the Apple AirPods Max 2 and Sony WF-1000XM6 from Atlanta to New York City and back, and the Sennheiser Momentum 5 and Sony 1000X The Collexion from Atlanta to Las Vegas and back.

Airports and planes let me assess comfort, battery life, portability, and active noise cancellation while juggling constant rushing and the usual forgetfulness about charging. Apple's AirPods Max 2 impressed with strong low-frequency noise cancellation, a lively sound profile, and tight integration with Apple devices, but their weight became uncomfortable after extended wear.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 offered excellent noise cancellation, a pocketable case and good battery life, yet persistent fit issues and a tendency to dislodge meant I swapped to my AirPods Pro 3 after about an hour.

United States, Atlanta, New York City, Las Vegas

airpods max, sony wf-1000xm6, sennheiser, momentum 5, sony 1000x, collexion, noise cancellation, battery life, comfort, portability