I have Sony over ears and airpods pro and I never wear airpods on flights. Far too uncomfortable for long ones and noise cancelling is far better on over ears, by design. Of course airpods are more versatile if that's what you after tho.
I have both the Sony over the ear noise canceling headphones and AirPods Pro.
I haven’t brought the Sonys on a flight since I got the AirPods. The Sonys do a marginally better job, but they take up so much more space in your carryon that the small advantage isn’t worth it.
Comfort is more subjective. Over the ear headphones start to hurt my head after a couple hours. Earbuds don’t bother me much in comparison.
It’s something that gives me pause about these VR headsets for longer durations. If I don’t even like wearing the relatively light over the ear Sonys, hard for to imagine myself being all that comfortable wearing a whole screen on my face.
