Do your ears hurt on an airplane?

The popping is what keeps your ears from hurting due to the pressure in your ear that results from altitude change. The popping itself doesn't hurt.

Your ears have to pop, it is the equalising. If they do not the build up of pressure may cause damage. For a 2 hour flight start chewing gum when the plane starts taxiing and do not stop until cruising altitude. You will be descending from at least an hour out. This is where many folk make their mistake. As soon as the plane starts to descend, you will feel it and/or hear the planes engines change, start chewing gum again, new piece! Chew until touch down. Remember if you feel or hear a popping sensation it is a good thing.

No my ears do not hurt, they do pop, and that doesn't hurt. You will find at times your ears will pop on a roller coaster. You have also asked the same question and received a number of good answers.

Yeah they definitely pop as you go higher into the air, but they usually have headphones on the plane so you can listen to radio. Chew gum, it helps but doesn't necessarily take the popping all the way away. They will still be in the popped state when you get off for a bit, but you probably won't even notice it until after your hearing goes back to normal.