It sounds like you could get by with a maxed out M2 MacBook Air for what you need to do, but keep in mind you would be pushing it's limits pretty much all of the time. But, if as you say, portability is a key factor, then go for it. You have two weeks to see how things go, so you can always return it if it doesn't meet your needs or expectations.
For what would best fit your workflow, it sounds like a 14" MacBook Pro would be better as you wouldn't be up against its limits all of the time. For that machine, I would go with a minimum of 32 GB of RAM and would also consider upgrading it to a Pro Max processor. You would, however, be spending considerably more money.
Of course, YMMV.