For a flight under 8 hours, or if you sleep on your side, the AirPods Pro 3 are the easier pick: tiny, light and they fit in a pocket. For a long-haul flight when you want the battery to cover the whole trip, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better one. Sony quotes about 30 hours with noise cancelling on, against about 8 hours for the AirPods before they need the case.
Battery on a long flight
The AirPods Pro 3 last about 8 hours with noise cancelling on, and about 24 hours in total with the charging case. That covers Toronto to London, but on a 14-hour flight to Delhi or Manila you will need to put them back in the case at some point. The Sony WH-1000XM6 is rated at about 30 hours, so a long flight, a connection and the flight home all fit on one charge.
Sleeping with them
Earbuds win here. At about 5.5 g each, the AirPods Pro 3 are comfortable on your side with your head on a pillow. Over-ear headphones are bulky against a neck pillow, and side sleepers will find them awkward in a window seat.
Weight and packing
The AirPods and their case weigh about 44 g in total and fit in a pocket. The Sony headphones weigh about 254 g, fold, and store flat in a case that takes up room in your personal item. For carry-on-only trips, that difference matters.
Your phone matters
The AirPods work best with an iPhone, and some of their features need Apple devices. The Sony headphones work the same with iPhone and Android, and have a 3.5 mm cable for the seatback screen. The AirPods need a Bluetooth adapter for the seatback screen on most planes, so check before you board.
Our call
Pick the AirPods Pro 3 for short and medium flights, side sleeping and light packing, especially with an iPhone. Pick the Sony WH-1000XM6 for flights of 10 hours or more, a long journey with a connection, or when you want cabin noise reduced as much as possible. Many frequent flyers own both.