Photo: Marcus McDonald
While buying a travel pillow at the airport is always an option, I’ve been sleeping much better on planes since I started planning my in-flight sleep routine ahead of time. A good travel pillow also suits your sleeping position, especially if you’re a side sleeper who tends to get stuck in the dreaded middle seat. It should pair well with a light-blocking eye mask as well as earplugs to drown out engine noise. And the best travel pillows are not only comfortable but also easy to pack — they shouldn’t be a nuisance once you arrive at your destination.
To find travel pillows for every kind of sleeper and traveler, my fellow Strategist travel writer, Rachael Griffiths, and I asked frequent fliers for their picks, then tested those out for ourselves on both long-haul and domestic flights. We also spoke to chiropractors about the science behind travel pillows. While you’re here, you may want to check out my guides to the best carry-on luggage and the best refillable toiletry bottles.
First, consider the type of travel pillow you’re interested in: U-shaped versions that go around the neck or traditional flat pillows that have been shrunken down for portability are most common. U-shaped pillows are designed to prevent lateral bending in the neck — “It’s that move to sort of pinch the cell phone between your shoulder and ear,” says Dr. Carla Fischer, the director of quality and patient safety at NYU Langone Spine Center. That bending to the side, she says, is the most important thing to prevent, but not everyone sleeps in the same position or has the same concerns, so I’ve included several styles in this story.
Below you’ll find pillows made with memory foam, filled with beads, or are inflatable — each of which has its own pros. Dr. Claire Fitzpatrick, founder of Bed-Stuy Chiropractic, believes that memory foam is the most “accommodating” when it comes to travel. When I asked her what she meant, she explained that “if you get a medium to medium-firm memory-foam sort of pillow, it accommodates you, but it doesn’t let you dig into it too much.”
When it comes to thickness “the sides should come up to the height of your earlobes,” says Wainani Arnold, founder of the Wainani Wellness Center and in-flight wellness expert for Hawaiian Airlines. “The back of the neck pillow should be flat or only as thick as the distance between the back of your neck to the back of your head (one to two inches). If it is too thick in the back, the pillow will push your neck forward from the chair too much and will potentially dump your head back, which is not ideal for your neck.”
Between a carry-on and a personal item, both stuffed to the brim, finding room for something as large as a pillow can be cumbersome. The most packable among travel pillows are the inflatable ones. Others filled with memory foam or cotton are a little trickier to deal with — but are likely more comfortable. This is a trade-off, depending on how long your flight is. And often, neck pillows often have a snap closure at the front that can easily be used to secure it to the handle of your suitcase.
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: No fill | Thickness: Thin | Packability: Easy
This is the travel pillow I use when I journey from New York City to my hometown of Perth, Western Australia. That’s about 23 hours of flying, and I’ll spend at least half of that time sleeping peacefully thanks to the Trtl. This device is like a scarf crossed with an Elizabethan collar and achieves the main goal of a neck pillow — preventing lateral bending in the neck — thanks to the plastic brace stowed inside its padding. You can adjust this brace and choose which side you prefer nodding off toward.
Griffiths is also a Trtl fan. “The first time I tested out the Trtl, I was out like a light,” she says. “The brace’s angle hits just right: There is no sloping so much that your neck bends unnaturally, but it’s supportive enough for you to relax into a decent sleep.” Lauren Maternowski, editor at Pack Hacker, likes that it allows her to fully lean against the seat’s headrest, and former Strategist staffer Rosie Percy also found that with the adjustable Trtl she was “able to sleep through a flight for the first time in my adult life, touching down feeling refreshed and without a crick in my neck.” The Points Guy’s travel editor, Madison Blancaflor, says the Trtl is the only way to survive long-haul flights in economy. And Scott Keyes of Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights) also echoes all this praise: “What I like about it is its versatility. It lets you sleep decently even if you’re in the middle seat, and this one is small enough to easily tuck into your backpack.”
Shape: Neck and lumbar pillow | Fill: Not listed | Thickness: 2 inches | Packability: Average
If you aren’t exactly sure if you’ll need neck support or lumbar support, a convertible pillow like this might be your best bet. This neck pillow folds up into a square-shaped pillow that can then be used on your lower back or up against a window. It can also be rolled up into the built-in pocket for storage — which is great for saving space and also shielding the pillow from any germs in the airport. Taryn White of The Trip Wish List tells me it has teeny pockets for earbuds, gum, and mints, a big pro if you usually find yourself rummaging around to find your essentials mid-flight. It has a less convenient hook (compared to a strap) to secure it to your luggage, but the snaps that close the front of the pillow provide another option for strapping it on. I couldn’t track down the fill used in this pillow, but the general consensus from reviewers is that it is “firm but not too hard for me and my aching neck” (according to one reviewer on the Bed,Bath & Beyond website).
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: Memory foam | Thickness: 5 inches | Packability: Easy
I’ll admit that sometimes I cheat on my Trtl with Cabeau’s more traditional-looking travel pillow, which is a vast improvement on the ones you can buy at the airport. It’s a U shape, but with slightly raised sides to stop your head from slumping (and supports your jaw to prevent open-mouth breathing, says travel blogger Carmen Sognovi). It’s made from memory foam, and it has a flattened back, which allows it to be flush with the chair. This helps your spine align with the chair for more comfort (according to Fitzpatrick). But the best feature is the adjustable strap that fastens the travel pillow to a headrest — which prevents you from flopping forward once you’re sound asleep. Once I’m locked into my Cabeau, I have no choice but to sleep, and I’ve successfully snored away for countless hours while wearing it. I’ll also note that while it takes up more space than the Trtl, the Cabeau stuffs easily into a surprisingly chic circular bag that clips to the outside of my backpack or over the luggage handle of my suitcase.
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: Inflatable | Thickness: Adjustable | Easy to pack
The same brand also makes an inflatable version of its travel pillow — and though I generally don’t like inflatable pillows, this one is a good option. It inflates to five inches thick but is just the size of a soda can when deflated. Just like the memory-foam pillow, this one has a flat back to help keep your neck in line with the seat, and it has a neck strap to keep your head super-stable. “They are a bit higher than most neck pillows and have a special toggle you can connect and tighten so the pillow doesn’t fall off,” says Jennifer Lachs of Digital Nomad Girls. Lachs admits that the memory-foam pillow above is “even more comfortable,” but the inflatable is better if you want to travel light. (Initially, I thought that inflatable was synonymous with adjustable — the more air you put in, the taller it will be, and less air will make it less firm — but Fischer said it’s a bad idea to not fill up these pillows all the way, as that’s not how they were designed to be used.)
Shape: Lumbar pillow | Fill: Inflatable | Thickness: 2 inches | Packability: Easy
Here’s a different type of travel pillow — it’s designed for lumbar (rather than neck) support. As a WFH-er who’s rather particular about ergonomic office chairs, I notice the lack of lumbar support on airport seats whether it’s long- or short-haul flights. “In a proper chair, the lumbar part should actually push out to support that curve in your low back, but they don’t do that on planes, because if they did, it would affect their seating, so a lot of them curve in,” says Dr. Jared Hoffman of Williamsburg Chiropractic. His recommended solution is this pillow that inflates to two inches thick and reduces stress on the joints and discs of your lower back by supporting that lower-back curve. Hoffman not only recommends it to patients but says “this I have used personally and I think it’s one of the best products I’ve come across.” And as it’s inflatable, it’s super-easy to travel with — just deflate and roll into your bag once you disembark.
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: Inflatable | Thickness: 3.5 inches | Packability: Easy
This inflatable pillow is worn like a sash, and it gives you something to loll your head against (apart from the person sitting next to you). On a recent flight to Italy, Griffiths chose the dreaded middle seat on purpose to see how well the Travelrest really works. “I’m obsessed with this hideous inflatable golf club,” says travel writer Teddy Minford, who first told us about the unique travel pillow. “It creates something to lean against, even if you’re in the middle seat.” After testing it, Griffiths agrees with Minford that the pillow gives you something to rest your head against — and she successfully managed to get a few hours of sleep on her early flight. Though she felt herself sloping a little toward the side she was resting on, she was overall impressed with how much the pillow improved the usually uncomfortable experience of middle seating. It was also super-easy to transport: When deflated, it rolls up to the size of an iPhone.
Shape: Head and neck pillow | Fill: Polyester filling | Thickness: 3 inches | Packability: Easy
The aptly named J-Pillow has a main body that supports the crook of your neck and a cushion extending below the chin to stop your head sliding forward. Mercedes Arielle is a window-seat person and says the J-Pillow is best at cradling her head, shoulder, and chin on flights. For Arielle, that three-pronged support is essential “because I rest my head against the window so I can maximize every inch of my window seat.” Griffiths tried one, too, and liked how the chin cushion didn’t extend too far around her neck and the main body of the pillow opened up in a V-shape so she could really wedge her head inside. The material felt more luxurious than the average travel pillow as well — it has a fleecy lining that you can nuzzle down into. It has become her go-to for train journeys, because it’s cushy enough to absorb the vibrations of the tracks. You can compress the pillow to half its size in a carry bag, then use its loops to attach it to your luggage.
Shape: Head pillow | Fill: Polystyrene microbeads | Thickness: Not listed | Packability: Challenging
Mid-overnight flight, the tray table can begin to look very tempting — but it’s far from a comfortable or stable surface. For some extra padding, Fitzpatrick likes this pillow that’s more like a helmet. It covers all sides, including the forehead, so it can be used in a number of situations. There is a hole for your mouth so you can breathe, but otherwise it’s a pillow, eye mask, and noise-canceling headphones all in one. Once out of the box, however, it could be cumbersome to travel with.
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: Polyester filling | Thickness: Not listed | Packability: Easy
The Huzi pillow, like an extremely plush scarf, can wrap around your neck or lower back — or even both at the same time — to create a highly customized, optimum sleeping position. Writer and mom-of-one Chantel Tattoli says that this pillow is her foolproof method for traveling with her child. She notes it has an almost mystical effect on her daughter on long flights. “Generally, she seems to accord a magical ‘fairy ring’ quality to this fluffy circle, as if once she’s thrown it over her, she’s staked some space in which things are pretty good,” says Tattoli. The Huzi’s design makes it a great pick for those with scoliosis, too. “Even mild scoliosis can affect your comfortable position in a tight seat,” says Fitzpatrick. “The adjustable lemniscate-type pillows can be good for this.” Wearing it through the airport like a scarf also makes it easy to carry, but if you’d rather throw it in your bag, it rolls up neatly into a little ball.
Shape: Knee pillow | Fill: Inflatable | Thickness: Adjustable | Packability: Easy
Some people can’t fall asleep without a knee pillow — musician Waxahatchee is one of them, and this used to present a problem when she went on tour for months at a time. Because a plush pillow is hard to pack, she found this inflatable one that she says has been life-changing. It takes just three big breaths to blow up and is surprisingly soft. “I don’t overinflate it — I leave a little bit of air out of it so it has a bit of squish,” she says.
Shape: Neck pillow | Fill: User’s choice | Thickness: Adjustable | Packability: Average
If you’re flying on a budget airline and trying to pack light, you could opt for this stuffable travel pillow as a way of sneaking extra clothes onto the plane. Jasmine Anderson and Natasha Wilson (travel agents and co-hosts of the podcast Travel Fly Sexy) both recommend it. “It’s a great hack because you can fit extra T-shirts, shorts, and swimwear into something that no one is looking at you sideways for because it’s a pillow,” says Wilson. And while there are numerous versions of this kind of pillow on the market, I especially like this one because it is covered in a plush fabric for extra comfort and clips at the front for extra neck support.
• Jasmine Anderson, co-host, Travel Fly Sexy
• Mercedes Arielle, fashion and travel blogger at Calculated Opulence
• Wainani Arnold, founder of the Wainani Wellness Center and in-flight wellness expert for Hawaiian Airlines
• Katie Crutchfield, musician, Waxahatchee
• Dr. Carla Fischer, director of quality and patient safety at NYU Langone Spine Center
• Dr. Claire Fitzpatrick, founder of Bed-Stuy Chiropractic
• Dr. Jared Hoffman, Williamsburg Chiropractic
• Scott Keyes, Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights)
• Jennifer Lachs, founder of Digital Nomad Girls
• Kat Lopez, freelance writer
• Lauren Maternowski, editor at Pack Hacker
• Teddy Minford, travel writer
• Rosie Percy, former Strategist associate director of e-commerce-audience-development strategy
• Dr. Rebecca Robbins, sleep specialist and Harvard Medical School instructor
• Stella Shon, writer at The Points Guy
• Carmen Sognovi, travel blogger
• Chantel Tattoli, freelance writer
• Taryn White, founder of The Trip Wish List
• Natasha Wilson, co-host, Travel Fly Sexy
Update on June 27, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
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