I've used the QC3 on AA flights a dozen times now. It is quite different from the QC2. I've had 3 defective QC3 units (buzzes when defective); the working QC3 are surprisingly good but not as good for noise reduction as the QC2 -- this is to be expected given the ear cup design. QC3 is a lot more comfortable, so this is a classic tradeoff of quiet and sound quality vs. comfort. My own feeling is that QC2 is better if sticking with Bose, and non-Bose alternatives for lighter/more comfortable but less good noise reduction are better than the QC3. But this is very much a personal preference thing. The high defect rate for brand-new QC3 headsets on AA does give me pause to buying it, though Bose has excellent warranty service.