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The 12 Best Travel Pillows of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Sleep and relax comfortably on the go with these top travel pillows

In This Article

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• Our top picks
• Other Pillows We Liked

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying
• Why Trust T+L

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Emily Johnson

Sitting upright for hours on end or sleeping on unfamiliar pillows can be incredibly uncomfortable, but a reliable travel pillow can make your trip a lot more tolerable. Whether embarking on a red-eye flight, going camping, or looking to get a good night's sleep in your hotel room, the best travel pillows will be comfy, supportive, and portable. 

We tested more than 40 travel pillows, looking at traits like comfort, durability, portability, and quality. We narrowed down the best options while using the accessory for road trips, long-haul flights, train rides, and even sleeping at home, making sure each option was comfortable for extended use. After catching some of the best Z's, we rounded up pillow choices for different types of travelers who are looking to get more rest on their future trips.

Best Overall

Infinity pillow travel pillow.

Infinity Pillow

The modular design of the pillow makes it easy to use to support the neck, chin, or back while sitting.

The cushioning is fairly soft, so the support isn't as stiff as memory foam.

Most travel pillows come in one shape and size, so we love that this one can contort in various ways to fit your needs. At nearly 40 inches long, the infinity design (yes, like the scarves worn in the early 2000s) can be wrapped once for less support or twice for the type of neck support found in traditional C-shaped pillows. We used the pillow during an all-day road trip and loved that we could wear it around the neck with a looser or tighter fit depending on how much neck support we wanted.

We also found that it's much easier to travel with the pillow since the closed ring shape makes it easy to wear around the neck instead of having to pack it away or risk it falling off. The bamboo fabric is extremely soft and breathable, so we never felt overheated or constricted, and the pillow is machine washable for easy upkeep after a trip. Our only note is that it's not a firm neck pillow like memory foam options, so it's not the most supportive if that's what you're looking for, but it still offers sufficient cushioning for keeping the neck upright. It also comes in a whopping 10 colors.

The Details: Bamboo, nylon | 39.3 x 6.6 inches | Machine washable

Travel + Leisure / Paige VandeWiele

Best With Seat Strap

Cabeau tne s3 travel pillow.

The seat strap system keeps the pillow in place to prevent it from slipping around or falling off.

It can feel stiff at first and takes some getting used to.

This soft and supportive travel pillow is the perfect accessory for long trips, whether you're in the car or in the air. The pillow itself can attach to any headrest with adjustable straps to prevent your head from sagging or falling into uncomfortable positions while sleeping. There's also an adjustable chin strap for added comfort and security. The pillow's exterior fabric is soft and cozy yet breathable so you don't feel too hot or constricted — though it can take some time to find your perfect position.

We also love that the pillow case is machine washable. We tested this pillow on a long international trip where it really got tossed around on planes, trains, and buses, so it felt great to wash the cover at the end of the trip, making it feel as good as new. Despite its fairly large size, the pillow is also quite portable as it rolls up into a compact carrying case that you can attach to a bag's exterior or slip into larger backpacks and totes.

The Details:  Polyester, microsuede, foam   | Machine washable | Carrying case included

Most Supportive

Ostrichpillow go neck pillow.

The pillow has an asymmetrical design that can accommodate neck, chin, and head support preferences.

It might warm your neck if you run hot while sleeping.

The Ostrich Pillow Go Neck Pillow feels like sleeping on a cloud. This travel pillow provided the perfect amount of neck support and comfort when we took it on a flight, allowing us to get more rest than usual. The plush memory foam filling and asymmetric design can be easily adjusted to support the neck, chin, or head with the taller or shorter sides. The materials appear high-quality and luxurious, and it is easy to roll the pillow up to fit inside its compact drawstring sack. The pillow held its shape after being in the bag for long periods of time, which leads us to believe that it will hold up well with prolonged use. The pillow cover is removable and machine washable, but we air dried it to ensure it didn’t shrink (and had no issues putting it back on the pillow). A must-have for those with higher budgets, this pillow allows for better sleep and more comfort on flights.

The Details: Viscosa, memory foam | 10.5 x 9.5 inches | Machine washable | Carrying case included

Travel + Leisure / Susan Brickell

Aeris Memory Foam Travel Pillow

It’s supportive and firm without feeling too stiff. 

This would be best for travelers who know they prefer a firm travel pillow.

We love the comfortable and supportive Aeris Memory Foam Travel Pillow for travelers that like a firmer neck pillow. The buckle strap adjusts accordingly to fit around your neck and offers 360-degree support on the chin, jaw, and back. We loved how you can lean back in the car or plane, and the back of the neck doesn't fall backward. In addition to having exceptional support, the Aeris travel pillow folds into a small ball and easily fits into the included circular carrying case that you can clip onto a backpack or suitcase without being a noticeable nuisance. The travel pillow also comes with earplugs and an eye mask, and features a frontal slip pocket that you can store them in. After a trip, you can unzip and remove the carrying case to machine wash it, although we recommend air drying it to prevent any possibility of shrinkage.

The Details: Velour, polyester, memory foam | 11.81 x 11.42 x 3.54 inches | Machine washable | Carrying case included

Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp

Pluto Pillow Pod

Pluto Pillow

It boasts a cozy hood and built-in eye mask for total darkness even on bright flights.

It's one of the pricer options on this list.

Like the black-out curtains of travel pillows, this option comes with a hood and an eye mask that shields your eyes from any light, which is incredibly useful when you're trying to get some shut-eye on a busy flight. It has a soft neck brace that wraps around the neck with light support, and the hood goes on like a regular hoodie with a drop-down eye mask. Once our head was fully cocooned in the hooded pillow, we found that it was a game changer for travelers who have a hard time falling asleep with light or ambient noise around since it muffles sounds and blocks rays. While the space-helmet-like shape looks quite different from other travel pillows on the market, it's still easy to put on and offers excellent portability. Plus, this newer model features an easy way to clip the pillow to a backpack or luggage handle. One thing to note is that the price point is quite high compared to other pillows on the market, but the unique design and high-quality fabric and construction make it worth it for those with higher budgets.

The Details: Alcantara fabric, WPS mesh | 12 x 6 x 4 inches (folded) | Machine washable

Travel + Leisure / Dera Burreson

Gingerlily Silk Travel Pillow

A silk pillow is the way to go to protect your hair and skin throughout your travels.

This pillow is 12 by 16 inches, so make sure you have plenty of room to pack it.

For those who love sleeping on silk pillowcases at home, this mini version for travel is an absolute must. Yes, it can be pricey to buy silk travel accessories, but it's also expensive to ruin a blowout and have to find a salon on vacation (and there's no price to be put on fresh, clean skin). This silk pillow is smaller than a standard pillow at 12 inches wide and 16 inches long, but you can still use it in a hotel bed, and it's perfect for trains, planes, and cars — just make sure you have the space in your personal item bag . After using this pillow for multiple long trips, it still shows no signs of loose stitches, fraying, or pilling. Rather, the pillow feels like it will last without ever going limp or flat.

The Details: Mulberry silk, cotton sateen, polyester | 12 x 6 inches

Travel + Leisure / Morgan Ashley Parker

TripSavvy / Morgan Ashley Parker

Best Cooling

Cabeau evolution cool pillow.

The mesh air vents make the pillow breathable to prevent overheating. 

It’s made of firm memory foam.

The Cabeau Evolution Cool Pillow is a great pick for travelers who get warm quickly. The pillow is designed to prevent heat from building up when you wear it as mesh vents in between two layers of cushiony memory foam filter in the air. We liked the breathability feature and moisture-wicking fabric and noticed that we didn’t feel overheated while using it on an airplane or road trip. While it took a moment to get situated, once the pillow was in the most comfortable position, it was extremely supportive and firm without feeling too hard. We especially liked the portability of the already lightweight pillow (thanks to its durable carrying case), as well as the mesh pocket for storing small accessories. Even after being rolled up and stuffed into its carrying case, this pillow quickly unfolds back to its original shape.

The Details: Memory foam | 9 x 7 inches | Machine washable | Carrying case included

Best Adjustability

Buyue travel neck pillow.

One side of the pillow has extra cushioning, and you can swivel it around to support any part of your head.

It comes with a drawstring bag to stuff it in, but the pillow still takes up a good chunk of space in a backpack.

With thick cushioning on one side of the pillow, the unique design of this travel pillow makes it easy to get comfortable in a small space where there isn't much wiggle room. No matter which way your head tilts when you sleep, you can adjust this pillow with the largest part of cushioning rotated to support the side or back of your head, or you can turn it to the front to prevent your chin from tipping forward or bobbing around. After testing the pillow on both road trips and long flights, we found that the fabric is breathable and soft for resting your head on, and we love that the cover comes off to toss it in the wash. Because of the thicker side of the pillow, it does take up a bit more space in a backpack, but it does come with a drawstring bag if you prefer to carry it outside of your luggage.

The Details: Polyester, spandex | 8 x 8 x 8 inches | Machine washable | Carrying case included

Travel + Leisure / Ava Wegner

Samsonite 2-in-1 Magic Travel Pillow

It has a modular design to shift from a U-shape to a rectangular pillow, offering versatility at an affordable price.

The neck pillow might not offer enough support for some since it's on the softer side.

This microbead pillow from Samsonite can be used as a neck pillow if you're sitting upright or you can shift it into a rectangular pillow for leaning against a window or laying on a tray table. The handy two-in-one design already gets bonus points for versatility, but the budget-friendly price makes it all the more better. In testing, it was an effortless process to switch from the U-shape to the rectangle shape by flipping the pillow inside out. Made with polyester and microfiber beads, this pillow is shockingly lightweight and feels nearly weightless to carry around an airport. Because the pillow is on the softer side with the microfiber beads, we discovered it's not as supportive as a memory foam pillow, but it still offered enough support to prevent the neck from uncomfortably craning too far to one side.

The Details: Polyester | 12.25 x 11.75 x 4 inches | Hand wash

Travel + Leisure / Anita Rutz

Best Splurge

Purple harmony anywhere pillow.

This supportive pillow is comfortable enough to sleep on at night and would make any hotel stay feel more luxurious.

At over three pounds, it's quite heavy but feels weightless if you attach the strap to a backpack.

If you're looking for a travel pillow that is just as comfortable — if not more so — than your pillows at home, then this luxurious one from Purple is the one for you. It's a miniature version of the brand's best-selling Harmony pillow, and it boasts the same cooling gel and bouncy, neck-supporting feel as the larger version. During testing, we found this pillow to be noticeably cooling, breathable, and moisture-wicking, which can come in handy for camping. We wouldn't use this pillow during flights because of the plush, rectangular shape that wouldn't work well when sitting upright, but it would be ideal when you're laying flat, like in a hotel room.

It comes with a machine-washable pillow cover, and there is a travel case sold separately . Because this is one of the priciest pillows on this list, we do wish the travel case was included, but we do think it's worth adding on for its carrying straps and compression features. The pillow feels quite heavy on its own, but when you attach the strap to a backpack, it feels weightless to carry. You can also compress the pillow in half if you have the travel case, making it much more portable. Although this is a splurge for a travel pillow, we think it's worth the investment for travelers in search of a comfortable pillow with luxe features like a breathable honeycomb design, a moisure-wicking cover, and strong neck support.

The Details: Talalay latex, knit | 16 x 13 x 6 inches | Machine washable

Travel + Leisure / Jackie Cucco

Best Breathable

Sleep number travel pillow.

Sleep Number

The memory foam filling and synthetic fiber exterior let air pass through for superior breathability.

The pillow is large and was cumbersome to carry, especially for light packers.

It can get hot and stuffy on an airplane, so we love that the synthetic materials used to create this Sleep Number travel pillow are light and airy. The memory foam filling is bouncy and lightweight, and the soft fabric pillowcase is cooling enough to prevent overheating while sleeping in a plane, car, or train. We used the pillow on a long-haul flight to Ireland and found it was ideal for leaning your head against the window or on the tray table since the pillow is on the larger side. While the size offers extra cushioning and support like a regular pillow, it did make it slightly annoying to carry through crowded airports since it doesn't come with a compact carrying case. However, it does come with a drawstring bag to carry it separately or you can use the clasp to attach it to backpacks, suitcases, or other luggage.

The Details: Lyocell blend, memory foam | 17 x 12 inches | Machine-washable cover | Carrying case included

Travel + Leisure / Emily Johnson

Best for Camping

Therm-a-rest compressible pillow.

This mini pillow is ultra-durable and fit for rustic adventuring.

It doesn’t offer neck support like a regular travel pillow.

If you’re not a fan of the typical U-shaped travel pillow, the Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is a great alternative. It resembles the rectangular style of a traditional pillow, and you can compress it down to easily transport it to the great outdoors, making sleeping in a tent more comfortable than ever. The recycled polyester fabric is light and breathable, and the foam filling — made from extra polyurethane foam left over after producing REI’s sleeping pads — provides a soft cushion for your head. We also loved how durable it is, especially for various uses like camping, flying, or taking a nap at home. While the pillow doesn’t come with a carrying bag, it has a toggle strap that you can use to compress it into a smaller size and a built-in cover that you fold the pillow into for protection while traveling.

The Details: Recycled polyester, polyurethane foam fill | 15 x 11 x 5 inches | Machine washable

Other Travel Pillows We Liked

Some travel pillows we tested almost made the cut but didn’t due to a few weaknesses, though they still might make suitable options for some travelers.

Hest Pillow : This standard pillow is on the softer side yet still provides support and comfort while laying on it, but the fabric is slightly itchy, and it’s bulky to carry around, even when compressed.

Cabeau Evolution Classic Travel Neck Pillow : While the memory foam is the perfect balance of firm and soft, we found this pillow to be just a bit too bulky for frequent travel.

Travel + Leisure / Daniela Galvez

Slip Jet Setter Travel Pillow : The silk material is luxurious soft and cooling, but the pillow itself is extremely bulky to wear and difficult to travel with.

Snugl Neck Travel Pillow : Made with soft and supportive memory foam, the pillow is ultra-comfy to use in-flight, but we had a lot of trouble getting it back into the carrying case.

Cushion Lab Travel Deep Sleep Pillow : The comfort level with this pillow is so high that we started using it to sleep on nightly at home. However, it's not very portable, and we had a hard time rolling it up into the case.

Our Travel + Leisure team tested more than 40 travel pillows to find the very best ones for every type of comfort-seekers. To thoughtfully curate this list, we researched and tested popular options, including pillows with the classic U-shape and rectangular ones, too.

Paying close attention to traits like comfort, quality, durability, and portability, we noted various features that stood out to us for both good and bad reasons. We looked for special features such as cooling designs, firmness, softness, or other claims by the manufacturer to check if they rang true. Our favorite pillows also kept their shape after being tucked away into a case and always sprang back into their original form with no signs of damage. 

After testing the pillows on journeys like cross-country road trips and long-haul flights, we continue to capture testing notes every few months to update our articles accordingly.

Tips for Buying a Travel Pillow

Prioritize neck support.

When it comes to sleeping in planes, trains, or cars, you should focus on your neck and head support. When your head drops during sleep, it can leave you with a sore neck or even a headache. Your travel pillow should be supportive enough that your neck stays securely upright without feeling as though you're being squeezed.

Portability is key 

Whether you pack light or stuff your suitcase full, a compact travel pillow that fits into a small carrying case is ideal for bringing along on trips. Of course, some travel pillows don’t compress, but they should still be easy to clip onto a suitcase or backpack and not bump into too many things if you’re traversing an airport or train station. It's always more convenient when a carrying case is included, especially if it has a luggage trolley sleeve or straps.

Consider the filling material 

Travelers who like a firmer pillow should opt for a memory foam filling that can offer more support than an inflatable alternative. Microbead pillows can be just as supportive as memory foam ones, but they tend to be on the softer side and are more suited to travelers that like a little less structure while sleeping. 

Think about how you plan to use it

Travel pillows are a relatively broad category, so you'll want to narrow down your intended use and travel habits before purchasing since they come in all different shapes, styles, and sizes. For example, if you often find yourself in the middle seat while flying, you'll want a pillow with lots of head support like a memory foam, U-shape pillow or an infinity style that you can adjust. However, window-seaters might opt for a rectangular pillow for leaning against the plane wall.

Travel pillows aren't just for flights, either. There are also rectangular options that can help make you more comfortable while camping or staying in hotel rooms, rental properties, or even friend's houses that might not have great pillows. They are also a road trip essential for every adventure.

You can generally find washing instructions on the tag of the travel pillow when you buy it. Removable covers can usually go through a machine wash, but many of our team members opted to air dry the cover to prevent any shrinkage that could happen in a hot dryer. If a pillow doesn’t have a removable cover, you can spot clean the pillow by using a wet cloth dipped in soapy water.

Most standard travel pillows have a semicircular shape that you wrap around the neck to support your neck, head, and chin. These U-shaped pillows often have memory foam or microbead filling, but there are also inflatable neck pillows. There are unique J-shaped travel pillows that are perfect for supporting the neck and head of someone sitting in the middle or aisle seat. In addition, standard pillows make great travel pillows for certain situations, and plenty of rectangular-styled pillows compress down for better portability.

Most travel pillows will come with carrying cases to compress the pillow, making it more portable. If the carrying case doesn't have a handle, it should still pack down small enough to fit in a personal item such as a backpack or a tote bag. Some pillows have a luggage trolley pass-through sleeve, which you can slip over the handle of your suitcase, while others may have a strap or a clip that you can attach to a backpack to carry it hands-free.

Some pillows are specifically designed to be worn in multiple different ways, but in general, it depends on your comfort preferences. You can wear a travel pillow backward , forward, or you can lean on it in the window seat — the most important thing is finding the most comfortable position for you.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Anna Popp  is a New York-based commerce writer at T+L, where she writes most of the team's tested content. Anna participated in testing travel pillows and worked with travel editors to determine the results for the best ones on the market based on a series of tests completed during trips taken by plane, car, and train. We will continue to update this article as we test even more travel pillows.

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The Best Travel Pillow

By Sabrina Imbler

Short of scoring a row of empty seats—dream on!—your best bet for getting at least a little sleep while flying is a travel pillow.

After asking 10 panelists to try on eight travel pillows and after taking four cross-country red-eyes in window, aisle, and middle seats, we think the comfortable and easy-to-pack  Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow is the best travel pillow for most people.

Everything we recommend

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

The best travel pillow.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

Buying Options

Cabeau Evolution Classic Pillow

A travel pillow available at airports.

This memory-foam neck-support pillow is highly adjustable, but without a contoured back, it can’t quite sit flush with the headrest. It’s available at many airport stores, though.

Trtl Pillow

A pillow for one-sided neck support only.

It’s a fleece scarf with a built-in plastic brace—like a one-sided neck brace, but softer and cozier. However, it’s not so great if you tend to shift position while you sleep, and it costs more than the other pillows we recommend.

Bcozzy Pillow

Great with large headphones.

Featuring an adjustable design that accommodates over-the-ear headphones, the Bcozzy is an excellent chin-support pillow for people who nod forward as they sleep.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case.

Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, while supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks. While the memory foam feels plush, it’s also quite firm; this offers excellent support, but not much give. It also doesn’t let you adjust the fit, like our two wrappable picks: the Turtl and the BCozzy . If the Travelrest fits your neck, it’s an excellent pillow. If your neck is much longer or shorter than this pillow’s 5-inch wall, though, you might prefer the fit of one of our other pillow picks.

If our top pick sells out, or if you find yourself pillowless past security, the Cabeau Evolution Classic Pillow is almost as good a pillow. It lacks the Travelrest’s angled, lay-flat back, but its U-shape, contoured memory-foam core and machine-washable velour cover still provide comparable levels of comfort. Its adjustable string closure also means that you can fit the pillow much tighter around your neck than you can with the Travelrest, making it a good choice for people with smaller necks or people who prefer a more constricted fit. Additionally, it’s the only one of our picks that we’ve regularly seen in stores located behind the security checkpoint at many airports.

If you typically lean to the same side while sleeping, the Trtl Pillow’s fleece-covered plastic frame provides unshakeable support to one side of your neck while remaining comfortable to wear. It’s basically a one-sided neck brace. The pillow’s cozy wraparound fleece will also keep your neck warm, making it a good choice for anyone who gets cold while flying (and a poor choice for those who sleep hot). But the Trtl’s winning quality is its tiny, packable size. Unlike any of our other picks, the Trtl does not need to be compressed or stuffed into a carrying case. It will always take up about as much space as a PB&J sandwich. (It costs a lot more than one, though.)

The Bcozzy , a variation on the hemi-doughnut theme, is our pick for anyone who wears large over-the-ear headphones on a flight or tends to nod forward while they sleep. The pillow’s overlapping ends form a snug cushion that holds your chin in place far better than do the Trtl’s plastic frame or the Travelrest and Cabeau’s chin-facing gap. While the pillow does not provide great support to either side of your neck, if paired with a large pair of headphones, the Bcozzy holds a head in place perfectly. While not as compressible as our other picks, the pillow has a small loop that can be clipped to the outside of most bags so it doesn’t have to take up space inside your bag.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked our best travel pillow finalists, how we tested travel pillows, our pick for the best travel pillow: travelrest nest ultimate memory foam travel pillow, runner-up for the best travel pillow: cabeau evolution classic pillow, also great for portability: trtl pillow, also-great chin-support pillow for forward-nodders: bcozzy pillow, other good travel pillows, the competition.

I am a frequent flyer who often takes red-eyes from coast to coast—I now live in Brooklyn but fly home to San Francisco to visit my parents. I’m also an insomniac, so falling asleep on planes has never been easy for me. While writing this article, I tested eight travel pillows on two five-hour flights and slept with our four picks on two more cross-country flights. I also spoke with Rebecca Robbins, a postdoctoral fellow at the NYU Center for Healthful Behavior Change at the time of the interview, to see what she looks for in a travel pillow.

In addition, my Wirecutter colleagues as a whole are an exceptionally mobile group. We’ve worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica, so I asked some folks on staff which pillows they like and use regularly. (They’ve also since contributed some additional testing.)

Boarding a red-eye without a travel pillow in your bag is like choosing to sleep on the floor when there’s a perfectly good futon nearby. Sure, it’s no bed, but it’s a hell of a lot better than hardwood. In an interview she did in 2017 with The Atlantic reporter Kelly Conaboy, Dr. Mary O’Connor, then the director of Yale’s Center for Musculoskeletal Care, said that despite a lack of clinical studies that support the efficacy of travel pillows, “Many of us who travel have experienced falling asleep with our neck in a weird position and it bothering us thereafter. So, I think they can be helpful, but that depends on how they’re used and whether they support the neck.” In other words, using a supportive pillow may decrease the chances you wake up with an unwanted crick. It certainly has in our experience.

However, not all travel pillows are the same, and if you also happen to have a zealous hatred of your travel pillow, you probably have a bad one. So even if you have a generic pillow you picked up at some airport a few years ago, consider upgrading to one of our picks. And of course, these pillows work well on buses and trains, too.

So how can you tell if a pillow is likely to actually support your head? Rebecca Robbins, a postdoctoral fellow studying sleep at the time of our interview, says the best travel pillows will keep your head elevated and in alignment with your spine: “Look for something that would really be supportive. My one gripe with most travel pillows is that they’re too soft and not too full—you want something that will be supportive as you try to get comfortable in your limited space.” Robbins also recommends finding a pillow that can keep you cozy but not too hot, as she says it’s easier to sleep with a lower body temperature.

Robbins does her best to avoid one common travel situation. “My number one sleep tip is to not take a red-eye if you can avoid it,” she said. “If the flight is five hours, you’re going to only have three hours of true rest, because all the announcements—‘lower your window,’ ‘raise your window.’ Those can be significant distractions.”

We also looked at existing editorial reviews for guidance. Ethan Green , founder of the sleep resource blog No Sleepless Nights, compiled an extensive comparative review of popular travel pillows that we found helpful when deciding what models to test.

For people who want a travel pillow that will ease some of the discomfort of sleeping upright on a bumpy plane ride, we’ve identified the following key features:

• Comfort and support: The pillow should offer ample support for the weight of your neck and head but not restrict your movements or feel too tight.
• Portable (but not inflatable): You don’t want your travel pillow to take up so much space in your carry-on that you can’t bring other things you need, so it should compress to a smaller size. Barring that, there should at least be a way to clip it to the outside of your bag or luggage. Inflatable pillows are easy to pack but should be avoided. They inevitably spring a leak, often sooner rather than later.
• Soft: The material should feel plush against your skin but not trap so much heat that it’s uncomfortable to wear.
• Universal fit (or as close as possible): The pillow should allow space for people to sleep with a ponytail or accommodate bigger hair, as well as a whole variety of head shapes and sizes and neck lengths.
• Sleeping styles: It should also accommodate people who move their head in any direction while they sleep. It should also work in a window, a middle, or an aisle seat.
• Speed of compression/decompression: In case you need to quickly stow your pillow before exiting the plane, or if you want to catch some shut-eye in a moment’s notice, it shouldn’t take too long to stuff the pillow into its carrying case or unfold it to full size.
• Weight: Ideally, the pillow shouldn’t add undue burden to your carry-on. While inflatable pillows will always be the lightest option, memory-foam pillows don’t weigh much more and can offer significantly more comfort.
• Grip/traction: Your head will likely move around a bit while sleeping on a plane, especially if there’s turbulence. So any kind of grip or traction around the bottom of the pillow will help it stay in place and keep you snoozing.
• Machine washable: As you might expect from a vessel that ferries hundreds of people back and forth across the sky on a daily basis, planes can be filthy. So you’ll want to be able to wash the whole pillow—or at least its cover—before you take it on your next trip.

We researched more than 40 travel pillows—which ranged from variations on a hemi-doughnut to inscrutable crowdfunded designs—and after comparing hundreds of glowing and enraged Amazon reviews, we decided to test eight. We asked a panel of 10 people to try each of the pillows in a chair pushed against the wall of a conference room (the closest we could come to airline conditions in our office) and surveyed them on the fit, comfort, and support of each pillow. The panelists all had a variety of neck lengths and jaw sizes, and one even had a substantial beard. We also ran all of the pillows or their detachable pillowcases through a washing machine as instructed to see how well each stood up to a spin cycle and tumble dry.

And because simulations are rarely enough, I brought eight travel pillows on two cross-country flights to see how the pillows felt in the specific back design of an airplane seat. As I was lucky enough to have unnecessarily kind and understanding neighbors (thank you, Mike and Deborah!), I wore each of these pillows in a window, a middle, and an aisle seat to see if they felt comfortable in each configuration. I also tried on Deborah’s Muji travel pillow (as she offered), but determined it had much less support than our picks. I also carried all of our picks on two more cross-country flights on a different airline to ensure the pillows did just as well in different seat designs.

The Travelrest Ultimate remains our top pick after several years because its plush but firm memory-foam core offers more support to your neck than that of any other pillow. It’s also one of the few pillows we tested that felt specifically designed for an airline seat, with an angled, grippy back that aligns perfectly to both upright and reclined positions and ensures the pillow won’t slide down as you nod off. The velvety-soft pillow supports heads and necks of all sizes and can be fitted with an adjustable cord and clasp. In the tried-but-true shape of a hemi-doughnut—imagine a doughnut with a bite taken out—the Travelrest Ultimate may look like other pillows, but a number of thoughtful details make it a softer, more supportive pillow than all the rest.

The Travelrest offers better all-around support than any other pillow we tested. Its broad, marshmallowy walls hug the whole circumference of your neck. It feels supportive but not stifling. The easy-to-fasten Velcro strap means it can be adjusted to a snug fit for necks of many sizes. There’s even a small crevice for curlier hair or a ponytail.

In addition to fitting your neck, the Travelrest’s back tapers up to a point to fit flat against an airline seat back. Most neck pillows lack this tapering on the back and the excess padding can push your neck away from the headrest, causing your neck to droop forward. Additionally, the Travelrest has grippy dots on the back that prevent it from slipping.

In addition to its excellent support, the Travelrest is very comfortable and cozy to wear. Its memory-foam core is wrapped in velour, which kept my neck warm without overheating it. The Travelrest’s velour also felt softer and smoother against my skin than similar coverings on other pillows, such as the Cabeau Evolution. It’s also easy to clean: The Travelrest’s cover is easily unzipped and machine-washable. The velour retained its softness after going through a wash and dry cycle.

While the Travelrest isn’t inflatable, it packs down to the size of a roll of toilet paper in its carrying case. Once you fold it cinnamon-roll style and it’s small enough to fit inside the bag, a Velcro strap on the pouch helps you compress it even further. If there’s still not enough space for it in your bag, you can always clip its drawstring to any exterior loop.

All of these thoughtful details were not lost on our testing panel. They gave the Travelrest the highest marks of any pillow in comfort and neck support, and two-thirds of our testers picked it as their favorite pillow.

How the Travelrest has held up

After over a year of use, this pillow had lost none of its supportiveness. The memory foam was just as firm and springy as it was when we bought it. Its velcro strap was still easy to secure. If it fits you, this is a pillow that stays secure and comfortable on your neck for the duration of a long flight. However, we’ve also heard from multiple travelers that this pillow doesn’t fit them. The memory foam is quite firm, which offers excellent support, but not much give. If a pillow of up to 5 inches doesn’t fit comfortably on your neck, we think you’ll be happier trying one of our other picks.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Travelrest Ultimate will never compress to the thin, flat size of a tiny pillow like the Trtl. But its unparalleled, cushiony support can still pack down to a reasonable size, and its 13 ounces won’t make your carry-on noticeably heavier. And if saving space is your highest concern, we think the Trtl provides space-conscious support without the spit-filled fuss of an inflatable pillow.

While the Travelrest’s voluminous plush can support all heads that lean left, back, or right, the pillow may not hold up the chins of people with smaller faces. When my head bobbed forward, my small face sank into the gap between the pillow closure and my neck. You can adjust the Velcro strap for a tighter fit, but the short strap cannot be pulled as tight as the Cabeau’s adjustable strings.

The Travelrest Ultimate’s unbeatable support is in part due to the height of its sides, designed to come up to the jaw of the wearer. This means the pillow may be incompatible with larger over-the-ear headphones for people with shorter necks. For instance, when I tried to wear the Travelrest Ultimate with my noise-cancelling Bose headphones , the pillow pushed the headset uncomfortably far up on my head, taking my earlobes with it. However, my editor, who has a longer neck, didn’t have this problem.

If you want a tighter, more adjustable fit, the Cabeau Evolution Classic  (which used to be called just the Evolution) is the way to go. Its contoured memory-foam design offers almost as much neck support as our main pick does, albeit without some of the Travelrest’s luxurious height. But the Cabeau’s adjustable clasp allows a far greater range of cinching than the Travelrest. In other words, the pillow can fit as tightly as you like.

Like the Travelrest, the Cabeau’s hemi-doughnut shape offers 360 degrees of support for anyone wearing it. It also boasts a cushioned memory-foam core and a contoured top that will keep your neck upright and head in place. But unlike the Travelrest’s gently arched bottom, the Cabeau’s flat bottom won’t sit as securely on your shoulders and may move around during your sleep. The Cabeau also lacks the Travelrest’s smartly tapered, grippy back that helps keep the pillow in place during flight. The Cabeau’s velour cover is also machine-washable, but it feels less soft than the Travelrest’s.

Although the Cabeau’s fit and shape aren’t quite as good as the Travelrest’s, this pillow is more adjustable. It can be tightened or loosened with two adjustable strings that clip together, which results in a far more adjustable range than the Travelrest’s short strip of Velcro. If you have a smaller neck and know you find a tighter grip on your neck comforting, the Cabeau may be the way to go.

Like the Travelrest, the Cabeau also packs down to a quarter of its size, thanks to an adjustable strap bisecting its carrying case. But at 15.2 ounces, it’s a bit heavier than the Travelrest.

Unlike any of our other picks, the Cabeau Evolution is sold in many of those ubiquitous news stores inside airports. So if you find yourself lacing up your shoes after security and wishing you had bought one of our picks before your flight, look for the Cabeau’s contoured shape among the novelty hemi-doughnuts dangling off the travel pillow racks. It’s the best pillow you can buy at an airport. But if you have the chance to order online, the Travelrest offers more support.

There is a newer model of the Evolution Classic, the S3 , which has straps to hook onto a seat’s headrest. We think it’s a good choice if the Classic version is out of stock or otherwise unavailable. It’s still supportive and comfortable, but not as thick or soft as the Classic.

The Trtl Pillow , though odd-looking and unconventional, won a contingent of ardent fans with its firm support and slim, packable size. But it’s not our top pick because it works on only one side, and its warmth-trapping fleece can cause your neck to overheat. It’s also the most expensive of our picks. The Trtl consists of an arched plastic skeleton inside of a soft, fleece scarf that wraps once around your neck and then closes with Velcro to hold the pillow in place. You just lean your head against the convex end of the bendy frame, wrap the pillow around your neck, and your head has a soft but firm pedestal on which to rest while you sleep. It sounds weird, but it’s not that different from a neck brace—only it’s one-sided and softer.

Because the Trtl Pillow is little more than a scarf with a plastic plate in it, it packs down to the size of a sandwich and can lay flat against the back of your bag. This is the smallest travel pillow we tested and also requires none of the squashing or awkward cinching it takes to stuff the Travelrest or Cabeau into their holding bags, which are also easy to lose. Unlike any of the other pillows we’ve seen, the Trtl is small enough to fit inside a briefcase or handbag, making it the best option for people who don’t normally travel with backpacks. And at a featherweight 5 ounces, the Trtl is the lightest pillow we tested.

Though the Trtl can support your head from only one side, the tall, bendy plastic frame inside offered more support on that one side than either the Travelrest or Cabeau. Yet even with its soft, wraparound design, it lacks the all-around support provided by our top and runner-up picks. If you are an asymmetrical sleeper (if you prefer sleeping with your head leaning to one side), the Trtl may be a good choice. However, it’s not a good choice for people who nod forward—the plastic insert is too stiff. If that’s you, we prefer the Bcozzy, which we talk more about below .

Some testers found the Trtl’s quasi-corseted-turtleneck design off-putting. But then again, no one looks cool wearing any travel pillow. And on that note, the Trtl’s cozy fleece will keep your neck toasty. So if you know you run hot, the Trtl may not be the pillow for you.

Wirecutter’s Ganda Suthivarakom swears by the Trtl: “It packs almost flat, weighs next to nothing, and can be helpful for sleeping even when you are stuck in a middle seat. As someone who is always cold on the plane, I don't mind the whole fleece scarf design, either.”

Trtl has a more padded version of the pillow that claims to be more adjustable; one of our longer-necked staffers tried it and reported that it is indeed more comfortable for him than the original Trtl was. However, the same limitations of the original apply to the new version.

The Bcozzy is a snakelike spin on the traditional hemi-doughnut that’s perfect for anyone traveling with large headphones or people who tend to nod forward while sleeping and wake themselves up. It lacks the tall, supportive sides of our other picks, but the overlapping front is the perfect height to keep your chin from nodding forward as you doze off. It’s not as supportive on the sides, but this leaves ample room for big headphones.

The Bcozzy’s best advantage is its overlapping circular design, which allows you to adjust the pillow to degrees of personal preference. You can place the overlapping ends of the pillow around any point of your neck (though it only really makes sense in the front or on the sides), and wear the pillow as loose or as tight as you’d like. We think it’s most comfortable when the ends meet right under your neck—and in that position, it cushions your chin better than any other pillow we tested.

The longer, leaner Bcozzy lacks the plush, ensconcing neck support of the Travelrest Ultimate or Cabeau Evolution. It lays so low on your shoulders that it might not even touch your jaw. But this makes the pillow perfect for anyone who likes to wear over-the-ear headphones along with a travel pillow while they sleep on the flight. I personally like to fall asleep to music and drown out the dull roar of an airplane, so the Bcozzy works perfectly for me.

We still think the Travelrest Ultimate is a superior overall hemi-doughnut pillow, but the Bcozzy is an excellent choice if you plan to wear big headphones or know the feeling of that sharp, waking drop when your head falls forward on a plane.

The Bcozzy is also one of the least packable pillows, as it doesn’t come with a carrying case and does not compress particularly well. But its 7.4 ounces is around half the weight of the Travelrest or Cabeau, and it does comes with a little loop that clips onto the outside of a backpack or duffel. And even when squished down at the bottom of a bag, it doesn’t take up that much more space than the Travelrest Ultimate or Cabeau.

If you’re a back sleeper who can fall sleep sitting upright in your seat, facing forward, and not need to curl up or lean your head on the airplane window: You may want to try the Posture+ Travel Pillow, which is a U-shaped neck cushion, padded with memory foam, that looks like the back half of a cervical collar. When testing it, we slept surprisingly well, but it won’t suit all (or even most) sleep styles. It’s also not machine-washable, and it is pricy.

If you have a shorter neck and tend to run hot on planes and would prefer a pillow designed to keep you cool: Consider the ventilated Cabeau Evolution Cool —the combination of a silky polyester cover (similar to spandex) and vented design did feel mildly cooler against our necks. And we liked the pillow’s silky feel, packable size, zippered carrying case. But it was significantly smaller than the standard Cabeau Evolution and the Travelrest Ultimate, and it left the chins of long-necked testers totally unsupported. It’s also more expensive—now about $20 more than the Travelrest.

If you always lean to the same side when sleeping: Consider Travelrest’s All-in-One , which has a novel across-the-shoulder design that could be comfortable in such a situation. It has a similar fabric to the company’s winning Ultimate Memory Foam Neck Pillow, but in our tests its bulky inflated tube offered no structured head support, which could pose a problem in bumpy conditions.

If you tend to be a forward-falling head bobber: Consider the Caldera Releaf , which is less travel pillow and more neck brace. It does offer superior neck support, but it constricted the throat too much for our comfort.

The Trtl Pillow Plus , a later addition to the Trtl lineup, is more height-adjustable and has more padding than its older sibling . Our self-described “giraffe-necked” tester said that it did indeed fit him better than the original Trtl had. However, it still supports your head from only one side, making it not a great choice for sleepers who nod forward. It’s also bulkier than the original and costs nearly twice as much.

The Cabeau Evolution S3 is a newer version of our runner-up pick , the Evolution Classic. We liked it, and we think it’s a solid choice if the original Evolution isn’t available. It has added straps that you can hook onto a headrest to keep your head from falling forward while you sleep, but our runner-up pick is softer and slightly thicker, which offers a bit more support. We did find the S3 to be easier to roll up into its carrying case, however.

Intrigued by one of the stranger innovations that we’ve seen in travel pillow design, we tested the Huzi Design Infinity , but we can’t recommend it. Instead of cinching or clasping at the front, it is designed to be looped several times around the wearer’s neck like an infinity scarf. But the pillow failed to support our testers’ necks. Regardless of who tried it, testers found that looping it twice was too loose and thrice was too tight. It was also the largest and least compressible pillow we tested.

The J-Pillow offered a singular, three-pronged design that proved impossible for anyone to figure out without instructions. After some explanation, our testers could wear the pillow correctly, but they still felt that its squishy stuffing offered insufficient support, and only to one side of the head. It’s also impossible to pack away efficiently due to its pyramidal shape. If you want a one-sided pillow, skip this and go for the Trtl instead.

We tested the inexpensive Travelrest Curl because we loved its plush and contoured big cousin, the Travelrest Ultimate. But while the Curl contains the same luxurious memory-foam filling as the Ultimate, the pillow is so small that many testers found that it didn’t even come up to their jaws when worn. It does have an attractive price, but its skimpy size and unsupportive design could support only the shortest of necks.

We found the air-filled Sea to Summit Aeros Traveller Pillow to be similarly lacking. We liked how easy it was to fill—its dual-valve inflation mechanism means it won’t let air out between breaths—and we appreciated that it weighed only about a fifth as much as the Travelrest, but the Travelrest’s 360-degree support made it too hard to go back to an open-ring design that offers no support in the front. Also, one of our former freelance writers recently reported that when she pulled her pillow out of storage, after a few years of not using it, its internal bladder disintegrated in her hands.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Rebecca Robbins, postdoctoral fellow at the NYU Center for Healthful Behavior Change , phone interview , October 20, 2017

Meet your guide

Sabrina Imbler

Sabrina Imbler is a former staff writer for Wirecutter, where they covered kitchen tools and HVAC.

Further reading

Pluto Pod Travel Pillow: A First-Class Sleep Experience in Economy

by Dorie Chevlen

This travel pillow is so great you won’t even care if you look silly wearing it.

The Silly-Looking Trtl Travel Pillow Is the Only Way I Can Sleep on Flights

by Elissa Sanci

You might look funny while wearing the one-sided Trtl travel pillow in flight, but you won’t care when you land at your destination bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Air Travel Is Chaos. This Gear Will Help Get You Through the Exasperating Delays.

These things don’t make your flight take off any faster, but they can make the wait a little more tolerable.

The 31 Best Gifts for Frequent Travelers

by Samantha Schoech and Dorie Chevlen

Here we present practical and whimsical finds to delight any intrepid traveler.

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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The 11 Very Best Travel Pillows

Because in-flight sleep is possible, even in the middle seat..

In this article

Best travel pillow overall.

• Best less-expensive
• Best memory-foam
• Best inflatable
• Best for specific seats
• Best for sleeping on the tray table
• Best for traveling with kids

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 .

What we’re looking for

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.”

Packability

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.”

Best less-expensive travel pillow

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).

Best memory-foam travel neck pillow

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.

Best inflatable travel neck pillow

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.)

Best inflatable travel lumbar pillow

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.

Best travel pillow for the middle seat

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.

Best travel pillow for the window seat

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.

Best travel pillow for tray-table sleeping

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.

Best pillow for traveling with kids

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.

Best travel knee pillow

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.

Best stuffable travel pillow

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.

Some more travel pillows we’ve written about

Our experts

• 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

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Today’s Top Clicked

The 9 Best Travel Pillows of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Get some quality shut-eye on the go

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

TripSavvy / Alessandra Amodio

Comfort is key when traveling, whether by car, train, bus, or airplane. And not just for your happiness—sitting or sleeping for hours on end can put your cervical spine (C-spine) in an unnatural position as your head bends downward to read, sways back to sleep on a headrest, or falls to the side to doze off against a window.

A travel pillow can help provide cushion to make falling asleep in transit easier, and the support may also help your C-spine and keep you comfortable during long flights and car rides. There are two main kinds of travel pillows: a donut or C-shape pillow and a rectangular pillow that mimics the type you use in bed.

All travel pillows should provide support and comfort, and you should be able to pack them down small enough to carry with you through an airport or on a train. To see what products were up to par, we tested 21 travel pillows over four weeks as we spent time in planes, trains, and cars. We looked for comfort, quality, portability, durability, and overall value.

Final Verdict

How we tested, other travel pillows we tested.

• What to Look For

Why Trust TripSavvy

Best overall, cabeau evolution classic travel pillow.

• Comfort 5 /5
• Quality 4.5 /5
• Portability 5 /5
• Durability 5 /5

Highly supportive material

Helps maintain natural C-spine shape

Easy-to-clean cover

Attaches to carry-on

Not as supportive for taller people

Material runs warm

Doesn’t pack down

The Cabeau Evolution Classic Travel Pillow has a responsive memory foam core, which we determined is what makes this neck pillow rise above the rest. Whether it's propping your head up while sleeping or supporting your neck while watching a movie, it feels like a cloud of softness and comfort that conforms to support your shape. 

The design is your traditional C-shape, but with raised sides to keep your neck up and a flattened rear to avoid pushing your C-spine forward. We thought the memory foam felt neither excessively firm nor too soft, but worked well to hold our head up comfortably when sleeping. Moreover, it bounced back to its original shape after we used it for over two hours.

The pillow doesn't deflate, but it has a clasp that keeps it from slipping around your neck and makes it easy to latch the pillow onto your bag when not in use. It comes with a soft cover that's removable and machine washable. Not only is it affordable, it's also better designed than most competitors at the same price point.

Dimensions: 9.5 x 10 x 5 inches | Weight: 11.6 ounces | Material: Polyurethane core, velour cover

TripSavvy / Daniela Galvez

Best Overall, Runner-Up

J-pillow chin-supporting neck pillow.

• Quality 5 /5

Super comfortable with a memory foam core

Packs down (carrying case included)

User-friendly

Doesn’t secure in place to prevent slippage

Less intuitive for the middle seat

This neck pillow has a unique J-shape design meant to support your head and neck while leaning against a window or seat in a car, bus, or plane. We found it super supportive while napping on a 19+ hour car trip and quite intuitive to use—one tester's 6-year-old cousin figured out immediately how to position this pillow.

The J-Pillow is lightweight, easy to move around, soft, and plush. It features memory foam, which is why it feels so supportive, and it has a machine-washable, cuddly, soft cover. The pillow is also quite durable and maintains its shape no matter the damage: We squished it under all the luggage in a trunk and it bounced right back to shape and didn't get any snags. 

Bonus: It comes with a stuff bag that you can tie around luggage, making the awkward shape much easier to travel with.

Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 13 inches | Weight: 8.16 ounces | Material: Memory foam core, polyester blend cover

TripSavvy / Jennifer May

Best Budget

Cloudz microbead travel neck pillow.

• Quality 4 /5

Great quality for the price

Easy to travel with

Two fabric options for hot/cold

Cover isn’t removable or washable

During testing, we found this classic donut-shaped neck pillow comfortable, supportive, lightweight, and soft but sturdy. The core has millions of tiny microbeads and is covered with super soft, plush fabric on one side and cooling spandex on the other, depending on what you need most during your travels. 

The pillow features a snap closure in front that helps keep your neck from falling forward and makes the pillow easy to attach to your bag for transport. During our tests, we specifically liked this pillow for neck support while switching between napping and reading or using a computer on long flights or train rides. And, despite being just $20, it also felt very high quality. 

While it didn't tear or snag during our travels, it’s worth noting that if you were to catch this on a door or snag it somehow, the millions of microbeads in the filling would come pouring out. 

Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 4 inches | Weight: 7 ounces | Material: Polyester, polyester blend

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow

• Portability 4 /5

Recycled materials

Flat design like a bed pillow

Versatile use

Doesn't specifically contour to the neck

Not the most compact when stowed

The Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is ideal if you value having something akin to an actual pillow, but small enough for traveling. The traditional rectangle is filled with upcycled chunks of foam from excess camping sleeping pad material, with a soft insulation layer on top to keep the surface from feeling lumpy. You can pull the drawcord string to cinch the pillow to your desired firmness.

We found this pillow incredibly comfortable, with a real pillow feel that was ideal for everything from flights and camping to sleeping at home. We liked the soft and breathable exterior, which was perfect for warm weather and hot plane rides. The pillow packs down into itself and you can use the drawcord to tie the pillow onto a suitcase or backpack.

Dimensions: 15 x 11 x 5 inches (small) | Weight: 7 ounces (small) | Material: Polyester fiber core, polyester cover

Best Splurge

Ostrichpillow go neck pillow.

Cool, minimalist design

Incredibly comfortable for long flights

Very compact when put away

Velcro might catch on clothes or hair

The Ostrich pillow is a simple and sleek design, with one sleeve of high-density memory foam that wraps around your neck with high sides to rest your cheek on and Velcro security in front. We found this design extremely comfortable, to the point that it felt like wrapping a marshmallow around our neck or sleeping on a cloud. We found it supportive for the neck, chin, and head while sitting in the middle seat on a flight, and it even kept our neck and back pain-free on a long international flight.

The memory foam is incredibly soft and plush, and the design is very accommodating among different-sized people who tested it. This pillow also has an appealing, modern design that looks more refined while wearing it than other options we've seen. One of us, who is already a hot sleeper, did report that the pillow was a little warm on a long international flight, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

What's more, it packs down super small, compressing to 60 percent of its size into an included stuff bag, which makes it easy to stash in your carry-on bag .

Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.7 x 2.7 inches | Weight: 14.8 ounces | Material: Memory foam core, viscose cover

Tripsavvy / Susan Brickell

Best Cooling

Cabeau evolution cool pillow.

Accommodates large headphones

Good balance between softness and support

Packs down small

May be too firm for some

The Cabeau Evolution Neck Pillow follows a C-shape design but with one significant difference: The top and bottom inch have memory foam for optimal neck support, while the middle is made with mesh vents to keep you cool.

Our testing found this design to be super supportive and firm without being too hard, and that the airy, cooling design worked as promised. The curved sections on each side are also designed to wear over-the-ear headphones comfortably. The pillow is lightweight and packs into a circular carrying case that's easy to attach to your luggage. Plus, the pillow maintains its shape even after being rolled and unrolled over and over. 

We found that even though this pillow runs nearly $60, it's worth it if you need firm support to sleep comfortably while traveling—especially in a middle seat.

Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 5 inches | Weight: 12.7 ounces | Material: Memory foam

Best Memory Foam

Aeris memory foam travel pillow.

• Comfort 4.5 /5
• Durability 4.5 /5

Super supportive

Compact when not in use

Comes with earplugs and eye mask

Requires effort to get into case

Made from ultra-supportive and contouring memory foam, it's no surprise that we found the Aeris Travel Pillow to be super firm and have excellent neck support. The memory foam is stiffer but still feels soft and comfortable to sink into. The sides come up high to provide an excellent chin rest when sleeping. We loved how we could lean back in the car or plane and the back of our neck wasn't against the headrest, which made for a comfortable nap. This neck pillow has a drawstring cord to secure it on any size neck.

The cotton cover is removable and machine washable. The whole pillow folds down small into a carrying case, which has the added feature of a side pocket to hold the included earplugs and eye mask.

Dimensions: 12.8 x 11.73 x 5.16 inches | Weight: 12.8 ounces | Material: Memory foam core; 80 percent velour, 20 percent polyester cover

TripSavvy / Anna Popp

Gingerlily Silk Travel Pillow

• Portability 3 /5
• Value 3.5 /5

Keeps skin and hair looking great

Big enough to use as a normal pillow

Quality materials and construction

Matching laundry bag, eye mask, and neck pillow available

Carrying case sold separately

Not particularly compact 

Retailing for almost $100 more than our overall winner, there’s no doubt that the Gingerlily Silk Travel Pillow is a splurge. However, it’s made from the finest mulberry silk, giving it an ultra-soft, smooth texture that helps to prevent wrinkles and protect your hair. We used ours on a five-hour Amtrak journey and loved that it kept a blowout looking sleek. The pillow may be expensive, but so is finding a salon on vacation (and there’s no price to be put on wrinkle-free skin!). 

The pillow is also made to last with high-quality materials and stitching. By the time we finished testing, it still looked brand new, and we felt that it would be a long time before it began to flatten. At 12 by 16 inches, this isn’t a full-size pillow, but neither is it the most portable option. This means you’ll need a significant amount of space in your carry-on or purse to tote it around, but on the flip side, being large enough to use for a regular night’s sleep at your destination adds to its overall value. Choose yours in sophisticated navy or pink and ivory stripes. 

Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches | Weight: Not listed | Material: Mulberry silk cover, silk and polyester core

Best Support

Cabeau evolution s3 travel pillow.

• Durability 4 /5

Unique chin strap for unrivaled support

Soft, washable cover

Folds compactly into included case 

Holds up well to intense travel 

Can feel a little restrictive at first 

Standing for “The Neck’s Evolution,” the TNE S3 from Cabeau features a patent-pending, totally unique chin strap designed to hold your head and neck firmly in place to prevent uncomfortable “bobblehead” syndrome. Other design features include raised side supports, a flattened back for greater comfort when leaning against your airplane seat, and an opening at the front of the neck for effective heat dispersal. Adjustable straps allow you to secure the pillow to any high-back seat. 

The interior is made from supportive memory foam, while the removable, washable cover features a soft, cozy fabric that held up well to our 12-day testing trip around Japan and South Korea . Despite using it almost constantly on different modes of transport, it looked good as new when we got home and only lost a slight degree of softness after washing. We especially liked that the pillow folds in half to fit inside a compact carry case, which has a clip for attaching it to your suitcase. There are seven bright colors to choose from. 

Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.3 x 11 inches | Weight: 14 ounces | Material: Memory foam core; polyester, microsuede, birdseye mesh cover

The Cabeau Evolution Classic Travel Pillow is exceptionally supportive, conforms to the natural curvature of the neck, and features a removable cover that is easy to clean. Also tying for the top pick, the J-Pillow Chin-Supporting Neck Pillow features an innovative design that delivers comfort and comes with an easy-to-carry stuff bag.

To determine the best travel pillows, we considered how easy the pillow was to set up and use out of the box, how the material felt to touch, how durable the material was against wear and tear, and how easy it was to clean. We put each pillow through a series of tests on plane, train, bus, or car rides exceeding two hours . During travel, we considered how supportive and comfortable the pillow was, how the fabric felt, how it made our neck feel, how easy it was to pack or compress, and whether it had any exceptional features that made traveling more comfortable.

Here are some of the other travel pillows we tested that fell short of our favorites list.

Trtl Pillow : For the price, this travel pillow didn't provide nearly enough neck support and not only felt flimsy but actually caused us pain during a 3.5-hour flight. Putting the wrap on was incredibly awkward and the fleece felt too stuffy riding in a car.

BCozzy Neck Pillow : This pillow has a unique wraparound design intended to create a double layer of cushion. However, it was too thick during testing to double up comfortably. It was definitely durable and well made, but not comfortable enough to recommend purchasing.

Ostrich Pillow Light Versatile : This pillow has comfortable, T-shirt-like fabric outside and a supportive, memory foam feel when you press on it. But the circular nature of the design just didn't work in testing to support the neck and head in a way that was also comfortable to sleep.

Cabeau Evolution S3 Memory Foam Travel Pillow : This memory foam pillow is supportive and soft, and it features mesh around the neck to keep you cool, as well as suede around the face to keep you cozy. Overall, this pillow is well made, thoughtfully designed, and comfortable enough for us to nap with on an 11-hour flight. It didn't fit into any single best category, but we recommend it nonetheless.

TripSavvy / Erin Johnson

Travelrest Ultimate Travel Pillow : This pillow's main selling point is that it rolls down super small for packability. But outside of that, we found little reason to buy it. It wasn't comfortable to sit or sleep with, caused us neck pain, the material was too plastic-y, and it's overall just confusing to use.

MLVOC Travel Neck Pillow Set : Our testing found this travel pillow too stiff to find a comfortable fit, not providing support to the head and neck, and allowing the head to bob from side to side. It also requires effort to stuff into the travel bag.

Samsonite Microbead 3-in-1 Neck Travel Pillow : This pillow features tiny beads, so it's not stiff like memory foam, but it didn't provide much support during testing unless our head was against a window. There isn't much support on the back of the neck, either. Overall, you can snag something more supportive for the price.

AirComfy Daydreamer Inflatable Neck Travel Pillow : This inflatable travel pillow isn't very comfortable once filled with air and was too small to fit in the crook of our neck comfortably. The surface gets dirty quickly and the plastic material was uncomfortable against the face. In short: Skip.

Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Travel Pillow : This pillow has a soft, velvety cover and feels very firm with its memory foam core. We thought it might be too firm for some, but personally found it comfortable around the neck or leaning on for a window. For the price, it's well-made and a solid choice.

Dot&Dot Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow : Filled with memory foam, this pillow has certain joints that twist into different shapes for personalized comfort. We found it to be thick and comfortable, but the bending nature tends to straighten slowly over time, so you'll have to readjust the position regularly.

Hest Pillow : This pillow packs down super small and then unfolds to be filled with shredded memory foam and polyester. Zippered access lets you adjust the loft to what you prefer, and we found it to be super comfortable and plush to sleep on. It's great for car trips and excellent for a full-size pillow versus a neck pillow, but we wish it came with a way to attach to luggage for air travel and that it was a bit lighter.

What to Look For in a Travel Pillow

You can find a comfortable neck pillow for just $20, but depending on your physiology, needs, and preferences, a pillow in the $40 to $60 range might be more comfortable. The price should correlate with design and features: A more expensive pillow should have a more streamlined design and features that make it worth more money due to better comfort, packability, and durability.

Most travel pillows come in one of two styles: Some kind of donut- or C-shaped neck pillow and a rectangular, small pillow that looks like what you use on your bed. 

A well-designed donut- or C-shaped pillow is ideal for keeping your spine aligned and preventing your head from jutting forward or falling back as you sit and sleep for hours while traveling. It should have support on all sides to keep your head from bobbing or your chin from falling. This style of pillow is ideal if you spend most of your travel time sitting up, whether working on a computer or trying to sleep in a middle seat (versus a window).

A rectangular pillow is ideal if you’re lying down in a car, train, or airplane, or if your head will be resting against a window. It’s also ideal if you want one item to do double duty, as you can use this travel pillow at home for a lumbar pillow or toddler pillow, or while camping. A rectangular pillow should feature materials that support your head and neck, and ideally have a customizable loft so you can adjust how thick or thin it depends on your sleep style to maintain that spinal alignment between your head and neck.

As we’ve said, a travel pillow’s primary purpose is to keep you comfortable and pain-free while in transit, which means it needs to be able to keep your head and neck in spinal alignment. That means the best travel pillow will be adjustable since some people need it tighter, looser, thicker, or thinner.

Your travel pillow should have a machine-washable cover that you can remove and clean like any pillowcase. Let the cover air dry to prevent any shrinkage.

Travel pillows make sleeping more comfortable, usually making sleeping easier. A good travel pillow should provide support for your head and neck in a way that maintains cervical spinal alignment. Being out of alignment (with your head jutting forward, back, or to one side) is associated with the neck, shoulder, and back, and can make it very uncomfortable to sleep (not to mention not great for your musculature).

The most common way people wear these classic travel pillows is with the clasp in the front and the back of the "C" at the back of the neck. If you reverse this position, you may find it much more supportive and comfortable. Whichever orientation offers you the most comfort—and therefore facilitates rest—is the correct way.

Rachael Schultz is a fitness and outdoor product journalist based in Carbondale, Colorado. Growing up in and around cities on the East Coast, she wasn't taught how to backpack or ski as a kid, which means that as she moved West and her passion for the outdoors grew in adulthood, so did her research skills around what exactly one needed to buy to get outside. Now an avid mountain biker, skier, hiker, and camper, she's endlessly fascinated by and knowledgeable about the nuances of materials, performance, and convenience of outdoor gear. She's lucky enough to test everything from women's ski bibs to ultralight backpacking gear to camping cocktail kits. Rachael is passionate about making the outdoors just as accessible to those who haven't spent much time under the stars as those who grew up enjoying it, and that includes having the right gear to stay happy and motivated to head out again as soon as possible.

Journal of physical therapy science vol. 35,2 (2023): “ Changes in neck pain and somatic symptoms before and after the adjustment of the pillow height .” 106-113. doi:10.1589/jpts.35.106

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10 top-rated travel pillows for long trips

Between crowded seats, crying babies and limited leg room, traveling on long flights can be exhausting and uncomfortable. A perfect pillow makes the trek slightly easier to bear and can help you get some sleep during those travel periods. To help you narrow down which travel pillow is right for you, we consulted sleep and travel experts about what to know before shopping, plus we compiled highly rated options to consider.

SKIP AHEAD What are the benefits of travel pillows? | How we picked the best travel pillows | The best travel pillows to consider in 2024 | How to shop for travel pillows

Selected. Our top picks

What are the benefits of travel pillows?

Whether your airplane seat is too small or your bus ride endures several bumps, it may be difficult to relax on a long trip. Add noisy conversations and frequent overhead announcements and you have multiple barriers in your way to getting a good nap.

One of the main reasons people struggle to sleep while traveling — especially on international flights with time changes — is because they’re trying to sleep at a time with “low circadian and homeostatic drive” (a time when they would not normally sleep, so they’re not as tired), says Dr. Andrew Varga, a board-certified physician at The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center . The other factor, according to Varga, is the sleeping space, which is usually cramped and doesn’t let you lie recumbent or change positions, except in typically pricey business- and first-class cabins.

“Not everyone is an equally deep sleeper, and people with any sleep issues at baseline will often have a harder time sleeping in a louder and less comfortable environment — such as an airplane,” says board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Alex Dimitriu . He noted that posture plays a big role in the discomfort we feel — and as anyone who has slept on a plane knows, “the head tends to fall off to the side or forward, which is both uncomfortable and can cause neck pain, and [can] even make breathing less efficient.”

“Sleeping upright is not at all a natural position,” says Dr. Mayank Shukla , a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist in New York City. “Our head weighs almost 10 pounds and flops around the neck when sleeping upright, leading to aches and pain with all that muscle strain.”

Experts noted that travel pillows can provide support for the neck and head, alleviating some pain and discomfort when combating an upright sleeping position while traveling. They’re typically portable, lightweight, ergonomically designed and come in different sizes to fit every type of person, plus some have additional high-tech features like temperature regulation. This is an ideal tool for frequent flyers who hope to maintain a semi-regular sleeping schedule.

How we picked the best travel pillows

The best travel pillows are ones that are comfortable, supportive and easy to carry around, according to our experts. When shopping for a quality travel pillow, they recommend considering the following factors:

• Inflatable vs. non-inflatable : You can adjust inflatable pillows to your desired firmness, and easily store them away when deflated. With non-inflatable pillows, on the other hand, you can fill them with more cushioned materials to promote comfort including memory foam and poly-fiber fill.
• Portability : Look for features like straps (that you can attach to your luggage ) or an accompanying pouch (that you can pack it down into) for ease while on the go.

select Minimize chaos on your next trip with these expert-approved accessories

The best travel pillows to consider in 2024.

Below, we rounded up a selection of the best travel pillows based on NBC Select staff recommendations, ratings and expert advice.

Best overal travel pillow: Cabeau

Cabeau evolution s3 sleep pillow.

• Straps allow for attachment to headrests
• Adjustable drawstrings
• Comes with carrying case
• Large size may be uncomfortable to some

Former NBC Select editor Christina Colizza says she loves this travel pillow from Cabeau because it prevents slouching by attaching to the plane’s headrest. “As someone who is [very tall], I’ll take all the help I can in getting some sleep while flying, and this pillow makes a huge difference,” she says. “Plus, it compresses down into a small pouch, which makes it convenient enough to schlep around airports.” The headrest attachment also makes this an ideal option for long road trips. This travel pillow comes in five colors and patterns including indigo and galaxy.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 7,652 reviews on Amazon  

Best splurge travel pillow: Ostrichpillow

Ostrichpillow go neck pillow.

• Full 360-degree neck support
• Compresses for easy packing
• Fit around neck may vary

Ostrichpillow offers a variety of unique pillow alternatives, from a napping option to a mini hand pillow . This memory foam one has raised edges for neck support and comes with a velcro strap that allows you to customize its fit. The travel pillow can also compress down to snugly fit inside the included travel bag.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4-star average rating from 1,876 reviews on Amazon

Best versatile travel pillow: Huzi

Huzi infinity travel pillow.

• Very versatile
• Bulky: can be hard to carry
• May be difficult to store

If you’re looking for a pillow with versatility, this option from Huzi may be just what you need. It’s made from a soft, anti-bacterial nylon bamboo that keeps you cool and airy as you sleep, according to the brand. The best part, however, is its scarf-like, 360-degree design — you can move and adjust the pillow however you’d like to target specific areas like your neck, back, chin and more. It can also be wrapped around your head to help muffle noise, or used as support when resting against a plane or car window.

Fill material : Microfiber | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : None | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 6,307 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for chin support: Bcozzy

Bcozzy chin supporting travel pillow.

• Stops your head from falling forward
• Good value for price
• Full wrap around can feel constrictive

Few things can jolt you awake faster than your head falling forward while you’re seated. This ergonomic neck pillow offers an adjustable front loop for chin support and a flat back to avoid pushing your head forward. It includes a snap strap that you can hook to your luggage or hang up in your car. The pillow comes in multiple colors and you can choose between various sizes ranging from kids small to extra-large .

Fill material : Polyester | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Snap closure  | Rating : 4.2-star average rating from 29,016 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for back support: SmartTravel

Smarttravel inflatable lumbar travel pillow.

• Easily inflates and deflates
• Can be used on back as well as neck
• Hand-wash only

NBC Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg says she likes a lumbar pillow for added back support during long flights. This inflatable pillow serves as both a neck and back pillow, and is designed to fit your body’s natural curves and reduce pressure on the spine and neck, according to the brand. It also comes with an expandable mounting band to easily fasten it to headrests.

Fill material : Inflatable | Machine-washable cover : No | Portable features : Travel bag  | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 1,262 reviews on Amazon

Best inflatable travel pillow: Sunany

Sunany inflatable neck pillow.

• Comes with accessories
• Quickly inflates and deflates
• Not very soft

Designed to follow the natural curve of your neck and body, this travel pillow’s ergonomic shape can soothe discomfort and reduce pressure points around your head and neck, according to the brand. You can also place your arms and head inside one of the four holes to support a sleeping position that’s most comfortable for you. It comes with a pouch for storage, along with a matching eye mask and earplugs.

Fill material : Inflatable | Machine-washable cover : No | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.2-star average rating from 6,696 reviews on Amazon

Best travel pillow for single-side sleepers: Trtl

Trtl travel pillow.

• Soft, cozy exterior
• Lightweight and easy to pack
• Only supports one side at a time

For those who don’t find enough support from traditional U-shaped travel pillows, this uniquely-shaped option comes with a hidden inner support that can hold your head and neck at any position that’s comfortable for you. You can adjust the support to contour your neck, shoulder or jaw, while the fleece exterior is soft and machine-washable.

Fill material: Mesh fabric | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Flat design for easy packing | Rating : 4.0-star average rating from 35,371 reviews on Amazon

Best budget travel pillow: Wolf Essentials

Wolf essentials microfiber neck pillow.

Wolf Essentials Microfiber Travel Pillow

• Very affordable option
• Machine-washable
• Thickness may cause fit issues

This neck pillow’s fleece cover provides soft, thermal comfort, which is perfect for when the plane or vehicle gets cold. It’s entirely machine-washable (not just the cover) and comes with a snap closure to keep it from sliding off of your neck or to connect it to your luggage. 

Fill material : Polyester blend | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Snap closure | Rating : 4.4-star average rating from 10,911 reviews on Amazon

Other travel pillows we love

Crafty world travel neck pillow.

• No on-neck fastener

This option comes with a removable and machine-washable cover, so you can easily wash it. It’s made with a memory foam interior and a velour fabric exterior for a soft and comfortable feel, according to the brand. The pillow also has an elastic strap to help you connect it to your suitcase for extra portability. It comes in four colors — black, blue, gray and purple. 

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Elastic strap | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 5,558 reviews on Amazon

Mlvoc Travel Pillow

• Includes eye masks, earplugs and carrying bag
• Affordably priced
• Bulky; may have issues with fit

With its ergonomic, curved design for neck and head support, this travel pillow comes wrapped in a cover that is both machine-washable and sweat-resistant. The travel pillow comes with a contoured eye mask and earplugs, and can fold down to half its size to fit neatly into the included travel bag. Plus, the built-in snap strap can also latch onto your suitcase for easy portability.

Fill material : Memory foam | Machine-washable cover : Yes | Portable features : Travel bag | Rating : 4.3-star average rating from 33,692 reviews on Amazon

select Whether you’re going away for a week or a weekend, there’s a highly-rated bag on Amazon for you.

How to shop for a travel pillow.

The best travel pillow is one that you find the most comfortable to use for extended periods of time. Ideally, Dimitriu recommends testing out the pillow beforehand to see whether it’s comfortable and how it changes shape.

“The emphasis for most users should be to see how comfortably the pillow lets you rest with your back to the seat and without your head falling forward,” he says. And while larger pillows tend to provide more cushioning, he noted “airplane seats are tight, and there is such a thing as too much pillow.”

Below, we highlighted two of the most important considerations when shopping for travel pillows: inflatability and portability.

Inflatable vs. non-inflatable

When going on a long-haul trip, most travelers don’t want another thing to lug around. “Inflatable pillows may allow for more cushion and can fold to a smaller size,” Dimitriu says, adding that they won’t take up too much space in your luggage. They’re also typically more adjustable — you can change the amount of air to get more or less firmness, depending on your comfort level.

Non-inflatable travel pillows include various types of filling material including memory foam, polyester fiberfill and microbeads. While the different materials can make it easier to find a more comfortable fit, non-inflatable pillows tend to be bulkier than inflatable ones. When it comes to cleaning, both inflatable and non-inflatable pillows typically have removable covers that you can machine wash or spot clean.

Portability

If you’re on a multipart journey or backpacking through Europe, for example, the size and portability of your travel pillow may be just as important off a plane as it is on it. Some travel pillows have straps that you can attach to your luggage, while with others you can fold to fit inside a small bag.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Andrew Varga is a board-certified physician at The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center .
• Dr. Alex Dimitriu is a board-certified psychiatrist, sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California.
• Dr. Mayank Shukla is a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist in New York City.

Why trust NBC Select?

Mili Godio is an updates editor at Select and covers a range of sleep topics including weighted blankets , sunrise alarm clocks and blackout curtains .  Ashley Morris is an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select covering skin care, lifestyle and more. For this story, Godio spoke to three sleep medicine experts to get their recommendations on how to shop for travel pillows and their benefits. She also researched dozens of travel pillows on the market that are in line with experts’ guidance.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Mili Godio is an updates editor for Select on NBC News.

We may receive financial compensation for products purchased through links on this website. sleepjunkie.com is owned by Healthy Sleep, LLC and includes Amerisleep, LLC advertising. Learn more .

Best Travel Pillows: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Most people can agree long flights are no fun— but long trips without a high-quality travel pillow are even worse. Sure, you can try contorting your body to get comfortable enough to sleep, but nodding off on a plane is hard enough on its own. Plus, trying to get good sleep without a good pillow  can result in headaches, a stiff neck, and overall discomfort.

In this guide, we discuss the best travel pillows to help you get sound sleep on your next red-eye.

• Best Travel Pillows
• 1. Trtl Travel Pillow

Trtl’s travel pillow is one of our favorites because it has an entirely different design than most wrap-style pillows and offers scientifically proven ergonomic neck support.

Trtl is designed to hold your head upright in a better position than most standard travel pillows. It’s lightweight, only weighing half a pound, and easy to store.

To use it, wrap the Trtl pillow around your neck as you would a scarf, so it supports your head from all angles. Its internal structure stretches to create a hammock-like effect, allowing your head to rest without drooping too low.

The Trtl pillow features super-soft micro-fleece and a breathable mesh lining to keep you warm but not too warm. It’s also machine washable for convenient cleaning. You can buy the Trtl travel pillow from their website or Amazon, and it’s available in grey, black, red, and pink.

• 2. Travelrest® Nest™ Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Travelrest® makes several travel pillows, but we like their Nest™ pillow because it has a patented ergonomic design and comes with a 2-year warranty.

Travelrest®’s Nest™ pillow looks a lot like a standard U-shaped travel pillow, but it has a velcro strap that allows you to wrap and secure the pillow around your neck for all-around cushioning. It also has a divet in the top to fit snugly against most headrests.

The Nest™ pillow features a soft velour cover and thermo-sensitive, contouring memory foam inside. The foam inside molds perfectly to your neck to promote neutral alignment and prevents disruptive neck movements.

We recommend memory foam pillows  to those with chronic neck pain because memory foam alleviates pressure points, preventing new pains from forming, and Travelrest®’s memory foam pillows are some of the best.

For convenient transport, the Nest™ pillow can be compressed down to only a fourth of its original size and zipped away in its complementary drawstring “stuff sack.” This pillow is easy to wash, too, as the cover can be easily unzipped and thrown in the washer and dryer.

To get sound sleep when you’re not on the road, invest in a comfortable mattress. Read our guide for reviews of top-rated mattresses and find your next bed.

• 3. Huzi Design Infinity Pillow

Remember infinity scarves? People loved them because they were versatile and easy to use. Huzi expanded upon this well-liked concept to create a game-changing travel pillow.

Huzi’s Infinity Pillow wraps around your neck to offer cozy comfort, much like a scarf would. Its Mobius shape allows you to adjust it in a number of ways, making it compatible with most sleep habits. It features super-soft, breathable bamboo fabric and microfiber filling to keep you at a comfortable temperature.

The Infinity Pillow is naturally antibacterial, helping you fight the germs associated with public travel, and machine washable for easy cleaning. It’s available in pink, navy blue, burgundy, grey, and bright green.

You can purchase the Infinity Pillow on Amazon.

• 4. Cabeau Evolution S3® Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Cabeau makes a handful of travel pillows, but their newest and most recommended model is their Evolution S3®. Cabeau claims this pillow is the “world’s best engineered travel pillow.”

While we’re fans of the Cabeau pillow pillow, we like to think there isn’t one “best” pillow for all sleepers. However, if you’re a back sleeper or deal with chronic pain, these will likely feel the most comfortable for you.

Cabeau’s Evolution S3® is a U-shaped travel pillow. It has straps at the bottom to hold the two ends together around your neck, and straps on the top to secure the pillow to your headrest.

Because this pillow straps to your headrest, it prevents your head from dropping forward and keeps your airways open. It also has raised sides to prevent your head from bobbing back and forth with outside movement. Its very thin back offers cushion for your neck and shoulder muscles, allowing you to relax.

Their pillow features contouring memory foam and a moisture-wicking cover for cushioning and cool comfort. The cover is machine washable, too, and comes with a compact carrying case.

Cabeau offers a limited manufacturer’s warranty and a “No Neck Pain Guarantee” with each of their pillows. Their warranty covers material or workmanship defects, while their pain guarantee allows you to return the pillow for a full refund if you ever experience any pain while using it.

• 5. J-Pillow Chin and Neck Travel Pillow

The J-Pillow is perfect for sleepers sitting upright and offers head, chin, and neck support with its unique shape. It wraps around one side of your neck to fill the gap between your head and shoulders and give your neck cushioning support.

The J-Pillow is designed to help your neck muscles relax so you can fall asleep easier and get more undisturbed rest. Its shape also prevents your head from bobbing by keeping your neck stabilized.

Though this pillow doesn’t compress down, it includes a convenient snap-loop fastener so you can easily attach it to your luggage. It features a soft polyester cover and supportive filling.  The J-Pillow is also machine washable for easy cleaning.

You can find the J-Pillow exclusively on Amazon.

• 6. AirComfy Inflatable Daydreamer Travel Neck Pillow

We like AirComfy’s Inflatable Daydreamer Travel Neck Pillow because it has a built-in pump which  inflates the pillow in less than a minute. The Inflatable Daydreamer Neck Pillow is a U-shape but has a more ergonomic design to offer better neck support. The back “U” of the pillow has extra cushioning, allowing your head to rest comfortably straight up without falling too far backward.

AirComfy’s travel pillow has an ultra-soft velvet cover that can be easily removed and thrown in the washing machine. It also comes with a convenient Packsack for easy transport.

You can buy the AirComfy Daydreamer on Amazon, and it comes in dark blue, purple, pink, and grey color options. As far as we can see, the AirComfy pillow does not come with a warranty or sleep trial, but Amazon does offer free returns with the product.

• 7. Bcozzy Chin and Neck Supporting Travel Pillow

The Bcozzy Chin and Neck Supporting Travel Pillow wraps around your neck to keep your head supported from all angles.

It offers extra support for your chin to prevent your head from falling forward while you sleep, and its wrap-style design keeps your neck in place. It has a thinner back to allow your head to rest back more naturally, preventing stiffness or soreness.

Bcozzy stuffs their pillow with lightweight Hollow Conjugated Siliconized Polyester Fiber. The cover of their pillow is polyester, too. Plus, their pillow can go in the washer and dryer for easy cleaning.

The Bcozzy pillow is available exclusively on Amazon and comes in black, pink, navy, red, grey, purple, and apple-green.

• 8. Cloudz Microbead Cool Gel & Bamboo Travel Neck Pillow

The Cloudz Microbead Cool Gel & Bamboo Travel Neck Pillow is one of our more budget-friendly options, sold for only $15 on Amazon. It has a straightforward U-shape design and comes in five fun colors: blue, black, pink, grey, and camouflage.

The Cloudz travel pillow has a soft-to-the-touch cover with mesh lining on one side to prevent heat retention. Cloudz also infuses cooling gels directly below the cover of their pillow to help combat body heat.

Their cover is part polyester part spandex, and the inside filling is 100% polystyrene beads. Cloudz’s pillow conforms to your neck and offers sturdy support without crunching down like other microbead pillows.

• 9. Therm-a-Rest® Compressible Travel Pillow

Therm-a-Rest’s Compressible Travel Pillow is the only rectangle travel pillow on our list and is better suited for camping and not so much for sleeping sitting up. These pillows are also great for people who like to avoid hotel pillows and want to bring a clean bed pillow from home on trips.

As their name suggests, these pillows compress to a quarter of their size so they can be easily thrown in with your luggage. They come in small, medium, large, and extra large size options and seven different color and pattern options, including blue heather, cardinal, denim, gray, lichen, moon, and pistachio.

Therm-a-Rest’s travel pillow features a brushed polyester cover and shredded urethane foam filling. We’re fans of their brand because they offer a lifetime warranty with their pillows, backing their quality and protecting your investment.

You can find these pillows on Therm-a-Rest’s website, Amazon, or at most places you can buy camping gear, such as Cabela’s.

If you commonly experience aches and pains, read our guide on finding the best mattress for a bad back .

• 10. AERIS Travel Pillow

The last pillow on our list is the AERIS Travel Pillow, a U-shaped pillow that comes with earplugs and an eye mask to help you get completely undisturbed sleep. It has an incredibly soft velour cover that’s also removable for easy washing, and the inside is stuffed with solid memory foam.

The AERIS Travel Pillow offers contouring comfort and is great for sleepers with neck pains. It provides enough support to keep your neck stabilized. Plus, it’s easily moldable so it can be compressed down to fit in its corresponding travel bag.

You can buy the AERIS Travel Pillow on Amazon. While it doesn’t have a sleep trial, Amazon still allows returns should you find the AERIS isn’t comfortable for you.

• What is a Travel Pillow?

As you can imagine, travel pillows are smaller than standard bed pillows and are easy to take on-the-go. They’re perfect for long flights, road trips, camping, and more.

Because we’re not accustomed to sleeping in a vertical position, travel pillows are designed to help us get comfortable dozing off straight-up in a chair. Travel pillows can prevent uncomfortable neck aches and help you catch up on sleep to pass the time.

Traditional travel pillows come in a variety of shapes and sizes to offer different levels of comfort and support. However, they fall into two main categories: inflatable and non-inflatable. We then have hundreds of different options amongst those two categories.

Inflatable pillows take portability a step further and can completely deflate to fit into your carry-on. However, these are filled solely with air and may not be as comfortable as non-inflatable counterparts. Plus, you have to blow them up manually. While this may be inconvenient for some, these pillows are perfect for people who are concerned about luggage space.

Non-inflatable pillows vary widely. Some are stuffed with foams, others with microbeads, and they’re available in different styles. These aren’t as easy to transport; however, they usually offer better cushioning comfort.

• Types of Travel Pillows

There are several different types of travel pillows because what’s comfortable for one person may not work for another. We all have varying sleep needs, so it’s best to consider your personal preferences when choosing the best travel pillow for your next trip.

Whether you’re choosing an inflatable or non-inflatable travel pillow, they’re available in the following shapes:

When you hear the term “travel pillow,” chances are your mind goes to the U-shaped cushions you can pick up in nearly any airport terminal.  These offer gentle comfort for your neck, with the primary complaints about them mentioning their lack of chin support.

In an effort to innovate the standard U-shaped travel pillow, the J-shape was born. These were created to offer better chin support and prevent your head from drooping uncomfortably.

While many believe the J-shape travel pillow is significantly more comfortable, it’s a lot harder to transport unless it’s inflatable.

A wrap-style travel pillow looks a lot like a scarf. As the name implies, these wrap around your neck to offer all-around support. They are excellent at preventing your head from tilting side to side or bobbing up and down as a result of turbulence or a bump on the road.

Wrap-style travel pillows are usually the easiest to transport because they fold right up to fit in a back pocket or purse.

Hourglass travel pillows look like an hourglass turned on its side— they have two wider ends and a thin middle. They usually come with a strap or Velcro to attach to your headrest and offer a cushion for both your head and neck.

In comparison to other travel pillows, these are the most versatile. When you’re not on the road, these can double as comfortable knee pillows. Plus, for people with back pain, they can be placed below the small of your back for extra cushioning support.

Rectangular

Rectangular travel pillows are the least popular because they can’t hold your neck upright. These are very similar to the bed pillows you use at home but much smaller.

Many airlines hand out rectangular travel pillows to their passengers on long-haul flights as they’re relatively inexpensive, but they’re not the most comfortable. These get placed behind your head to offer a bit of cushion.

See Also: Memory Foam vs Microbead Travel Pillow

• What to Consider When Buying a Travel Pillow

A good travel pillow offers you comfortable neck support, is easy to stow away, is convenient to clean, and comes with reliable warranty coverage.

In this section, we discuss the factors to think about when choosing the most suitable travel pillow to meet your sleep needs.

It can be tricky finding the perfect sized travel pillow. On one hand, you want something that’s going to be comfortable, but at the same time, you need something that will be easy to transport.

If saving space is a major concern for you, you’re almost always better going with an inflatable travel pillow as they’re the easiest to compress and tuck away. However, if you can accommodate a non-inflatable travel pillow, we recommend choosing those over inflatable options due to their difference in comfort.

Above all, you should make sure your travel pillow fits your body type.  A travel pillow is no good if it’s not comfortable for your shoulders and neck. While it may seem obvious to point out, all of us have varying shoulder and head sizes. Make sure the dimensions of your next pillow are compatible with your upper body.

Cleaning Instructions

Like most public transportation, planes are filthy. They’re a breeding ground for germs, which you would expect of a vessel designed to transport large numbers of people far and wide.

To prevent yourself from catching a cold, or other germs, always wash your travel pillow between trips.

For the most convenient care, choose a pillow that’s machine washable. Choosing something that requires more careful cleaning can be tedious, and you’ll likely be less inclined to wash your pillow as often as you should.

Save yourself the hassle of spot or dry cleaning travel pillows and look for one that can be easily thrown in your washing machine and dryer for a quick refresher.

Your Preferred Sleeping Position

Your preference for stomach, back, or side sleeping doesn’t matter much when you’re sitting straight-up in an uncomfortable chair.  However, your at-home sleeping habits still contribute to your decision when choosing the most comfortable travel pillow.

Your sleeping position determines how your head typically rests at night. Back sleepers are used to snoozing with their head flat back on a pillow, side sleepers usually sleep with the side of their face on the pillow, and stomach sleepers typically turn their necks to either side to make it easier to breathe.

Knowing that, we can safely assume the following about different sleep preferences:

• Back sleepers will feel more comfortable with a pillow that allows them to rest looking straight forward, such as a U-shaped or hourglass pillow.
• Side sleepers will likely prefer a wrap-style or J-shaped pillow that lets them rest the side of their head on the pillow.
• Stomach sleepers should be most comfortable in wrap-style travel pillows as they’re best for accommodating people who tilt their necks or head while they sleep.

More often than not, travel pillows do not come with a warranty. Instead, many come with moneyback guarantees or return policies that let you try them out and return them if you’re dissatisfied.

However, during our search for high-quality travel pillows, we found the average warranty for travel pillows, if a company has one, is around two years.

Now, because your travel pillow likely won’t come with a warranty, you must buy one with high-quality materials and craftsmanship to get your money’s worth. While travel pillows aren’t as expensive as regular bed pillows, they can still be costly.

• Tips for Getting Good Sleep While Traveling

Beyond investing in a high-quality travel pillow, there are other things you can do during your trip to help you get good sleep and prevent jet lag.

• Buy a comfortable eye mask and set of earplugs. Nothing complements a travel pillow better than an eye mask and earplugs— this trio of sleep-promoting accessories can help you completely block out any outside noises, lights, and distractions to doze off undisturbed. If you’re not a fan of earplugs, noise-canceling headphones work just as well.
• Try to keep your spine aligned. It may seem unnatural to focus on your posture while you’re trying to fall asleep, but keeping your spine in a neutral position allows your muscles to relax and prevents pain build-up at your pressure points.
• Drink plenty of water. It’s always important to stay hydrated, but it’s especially important when you’re on the road. Traveling can be stressful, and drinking plenty of water helps prevent headaches, fatigue, cranky moods, and more.
• Pack the best foods for sleep. Most of us like to grab a bite to eat before boarding a plane or heading out on a long road trip. However, if you’re not smart about it, your pre-trip meal can hinder your potential shut-eye. Skip greasy, heavy food, and choose foods that will help you sleep better , such as almonds, bananas, and whole grains.
• Wear comfortable clothes. You wouldn’t put on your tightest pair of jeans to go on a road trip, would you? Set yourself up for comfort by dressing in your favorite clothes for lounging around. Loose-fitting clothing helps promote healthy blood flow, too— which is necessary when you’re sitting for long periods. Additionally, don’t forget to wear layers. Airplanes are usually cold, and a sweater or a good travel blanket can help mitigate discomfort.
• Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best travel pillow for long flights?

There’s no one travel pillow that’s right for everyone. An inflatable travel pillow might be the right option for you if you need to save on space; if not, you might want to choose a pillow that’s going to be more comfortable. A side sleeper might want a wrap pillow, while a back sleeper might want an hourglass pillow. Finding the right travel pillow for you often requires you to consider what size and shape you want, and how much care you want to invest in the pillow.

Are memory foam travel pillows good?

Memory foam can help you sleep better while you travel, just as the material can help you sleep better at home in bed. Memory foam conforms to your head and neck, supporting you without adding pressure. However, you might not be able to machine wash your memory foam pillow, which can make keeping the pillow clean much more difficult.

Do neck pillows help you sleep on a plane?

A neck pillow can help some travelers catch some much needed rest. Others may find that a neck pillow pushes their head too far forward for them to feel comfortable. For optimal comfort, you should look for a travel pillow that lets you mimic how you would sleep at home in bed.

Do pillows count as a carry-on?

Pillows normally don’t count toward the usual limit of one carry-on and one personal item. It’s a smart idea to check with an airline or travel service before you fly, however. Some airlines may impose size regulations on pillows.

What should I look for when buying pillows?

When you’re choosing a new pillow, you want to consider its materials, loft, firmness, and your sleeping position. Back sleepers often prefer a U-shaped or hourglass travel pillow, while side and stomach sleepers might want to look at wrap pillows. Side sleepers may also enjoy a J-shaped travel pillow.

It’s also a good idea to think about how you would clean and take care of your new pillow—many customers love a pillow that they can just throw in the washing machine.

• Did You Find Your Next Travel Pillow?

Traveling can be a burden, especially if you do it often. A good travel pillow is a perfect companion for long trips, helping you get peaceful, sound sleep and make the most of some of the most comfortable mattresses found in hotels and similar places.

We hope our guide has steered you towards the most comfortable travel pillow for your sleep needs. However, if you still need more information, read our other guides for better sleep tips and advice on how to choose the best sleep accessories for you.

Meg Riley is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and a full-time writer focused on sleep and mattresses. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Sleep Junkie.

Meg started to focus on the sleep industry in 2018. Since then, she has written over 70+ articles on sleep hygiene, product reviews, and the newest trends in the mattress and bedding industry.

A non-exhaustive list of some of the topics she has written on: the effectiveness of alarm clocks, how to prevent jet lag, the NREM & REM Sleep Cycle, and causes and treatments of Restless Legs Syndrome.

Meg Riley has her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University where she studied Advertising and Public Relations and wrote articles on the student experience for College Magazine.

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• Introduction

The 9 Best Travel Pillows for Sound Sleep On-the-Go

Say goodbye to that sore neck.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

What to Look for in a Travel Pillow

How we selected these travel pillows, pick the perfect travel pillow following these tips from expert chris meehan..

So, how to make the time in the air (or car or train) more relaxing? The right travel pillow may be the ticket the next time you take off somewhere. It's a basic travel accessory that ranks right up there with great luggage and noise-cancelling headphones .

In its U-shaped form, the travel pillow dates back to 1929 when the design was first patented. Its original intent was for use to recline in the bathtub. Since then, its look and feel has changed with modern versions configured in unique shapes to address all different kinds of travelers: long-haul fliers, restless sleepers, window-seat passengers, and more.

A decent travel pillow includes a soft cover using fabrics like brushed polyester, nylon, or microfiber, while the cushioning (or fill) inside should be supportive and comfortable yet structured enough for your head and neck. The fill types commonly used are assorted types of foam, microbeads, and polyester fiber, in addition to those kinds of pillows with an inflatable bladder

Whether you’re a side slumper, leaner on the seat-back, or nose-to-the sky snoozer, there is a pillow here for you. In our review and testing of travel pillows, we’ve found options in a variety of designs, weights, and shapes from under $20 to well over $60. Read on to find the best one for you!

Best Travel Pillows

• Best Overall Travel Pillow: Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow
• Best Hot-Sleeper Travel Pillow: Cabeau Evolution S3 Memory Foam
• Best Bargain Travel Pillow: Cloudz Dual Comfort Microbead Travel Neck Pillow
• Best Splurge Travel Pillow: Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow
• Best Side-Sleeper Travel Pillow: Trtl Pillow Plus

The Expert: Taking multiple plane, train, and bus rides every year, I’m familiar with necessary on-the-go accessories like a travel pillow. For instance, I am based in Colorado and last year I flew to Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. My car travels included a road trip to Zion National Park with a buddy. My average trip takes about seven hours between the trains to and from the airport and the plane ride itself. After using quite a few travel pillows, I’ve found that I enjoy a side-sleeping pillow like the J-Pillow for plane rides since I tend to loll off to one side, and I like the traditionally shaped rectangular pillow, the NEMO Fillo, for other types of excursions like bus and car rides as well as car camping. Its combination of padding and inflate-ability make it versatile for many types of trips.

Many of the travel pillows below don’t look like the traditional U-shaped ones with microbeads—and for good reason. The U-shape doesn't work for everyone as it has a tendency to push the neck forward. Also, if the cushioning isn’t high enough on each side, it may cause your head to flop from left to right instead providing a stationary space. Any neck wobble may result in kinks, stiffness, and soreness.

Those designs that are squared or have flat cushioning behind the neck with more coverage under the chin help keep the head upright. Contoured areas to accommodate the shoulders and help keep the pillows properly aligned.

Depending on how you prefer to rest, the right pillows will ensure some shut-eye on the plane, in the car, or on the train. Here are some factors to consider.

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While many are compact, this will be a factor depending on how light you like to travel. The most compact of all neck pillows is one that’s inflatable. These can deflate to a size smaller than a baseball. Bulkier memory foam pillows, on the other hand, will compress down to about the size of a football.

Most travel pillows weigh under 1 pound, so they’re manageable enough to bring along and to use without putting downward pressure on your shoulders.

U-shape is most common, but it’s not the only form factor out there. Some travel pillows are mini-sized traditionally shaped pillows. Others are coil or donut-shaped to allow for better chin support for slumping sleepers, and at least a few, like the J-Pillow, are designed to offer extra head support for those of us who love to sleep with our head against the wall of a plane or train.

Just like your pillow at home, travel pillows have a range of different fills. Microbeads are likely the stiffest and least compressible while memory foam offers solid support and adjusts to the shape of your head. Inflatable pillows also offer customized cushioning but are sometimes cheaper in design.

Most travel pillows have a soft, fleecy fabric made of polyester, nylon or micro fleece that’s designed for comfort against the face. The fabric of the pillow can also go a long way to describe its washability. Some have covers that are easy to take off and wash. Even some with integrated covers are still machine washable.

The recommendations below are based on my own travel experiences in the air, car, bus, and train. I also looked at customer reviews to gauge what pillows have performed well for most people. Additionally, I considered the work of Paige Szmodis , who investigated pillow options for the previous version of this article.

Overall, these pillows made their way onto red-eye flights, along for road trips (in cars and buses), camping, and even lounging on the couch. Neck support and comfort were factored in as well as portability, durability, washability, and usage. I also considered if pillows came with a storage bag, how well each pillow retained its shape, and what the packed dimensions were versus overall size.

These pillows represent the top options for travelers who go by car, plane, bus, train, or even those who need a good lightweight pillow for laying horizontal in the airport while waiting for their next flight.

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

With limited space for a bulky pillow when on-the-go, packability is key. The Travelrest Nest packs an amazing amount of memory-foam cushioning into the smallest stuff sack. Even after being compressed in its bag for over a week, the pillow immediately puffed right back into its original shape.

While compact, it doesn’t compromise on support. With 5-inches of thermo-sensitive memory foam on all sides, it conforms to the shape of your neck and shoulders and keeps your head in place no matter if you tend to loll to the front, back, or sides. Unlike many U-shaped pillows, its angled back sits flush against any seat surface without pushing your head forward. Bonu: the nonslip panel helps prevent it from sliding off airplane seats.

At a reasonable price—Travelrest even throws in a travel bag and memory foam earplugs to sweeten the deal—its removable cover retains its velvety softness after cycles in the washer and dryer, though it’s a bit of a tight fit to pull the cover back on over the foam’s contours. The dense foam also makes it a little challenging to fold up into its bag, but once you get it in there, it can compress down to a quarter of its original size. On the down side, its high cushioning could pinch earrings or interfere with larger headphones.

Cabeau Evolution S3 Memory Foam

The Cabeau Evolution S3, which has many of the same top features as our Best Overall, is ideal if you sleep a bit on the hot side. Its breathable, moisture-wicking fabric helps to keep you cool and comfortable.

With its U-shaped design, this memory foam pillow prevents lateral movement—your head falling to either side—and features a slimmed flat back so it won’t push your head forward. While the back surface isn’t angled and grippy like the Travelrest, the Cabeau comes with straps to loop around your headrest to keep it in place. Note: These straps may not be compatible with all seat designs and might possibly disturb the person behind you on a flight. Also, with its thick cushioning, the Evolution's height may interfere with certain headphones.

The dense memory foam will take a few seconds to roll up into the travel case but it will hold its shape well after packing away many times. Plus, the polyester cover was easy to slip on and off to wash and dry. A bonus is the travel case which can easily be clipped onto the outside of your bags and luggage.

Cloudz Dual Comfort Microbead Travel Neck Pillow

One of the most well-known neck pillows out there, Cloudz is the one you’re most likely to find in an airport. It’s inexpensive and will do the trick for most flights and other travel, but isn’t as comfortable or as well designed as some of the other picks in our roundup.

The spandex fabric on one side allows the pillow to conform to your shoulders and keeps you cool, while the cozy plush on the other side helps you drift off to sleep. The snap in front keeps the pillow properly oriented while traveling. It’s not machine washable, and over time the small polystyrene beads will compress, ultimately reducing cushioning. As such, it’ll do in a pinch but won't have the durability as some of the other choices here.

Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow

The makers of the Ostrichpillow Go believe resting shouldn’t require any effort, which is why they pride themselves on designs that are minimalist and easy to use as well as sustainably made. The ergonomic and sleek Go neck pillow promotes 360-degree comfort with a memory foam core, yet it packs down into a stuff sack just over half of its original size. Even after being stored away for a week, it easily expanded back to its circular shape.

While other options may compress into slightly smaller packs, I like this pillow's dense memory foam padding and the Velcro fastener, which allows for a custom fit. Since its cushion height is higher on one side than the other, the taller side may interfere with headphones. For comfort, the cover is luxuriously soft and holds up after machine washing.

Trtl Pillow Plus

Trtl might have the most unconventional looking travel pillow—loop, wrap and nap, as the company says—but plenty of people—especially side sleepers—swear by it. Inside the fleece fabric that gets wrapped around your neck is a cushioned plastic brace that rests on one shoulder and props your head up. Some may find the fleece gets a little too warm, but if you’re always cold on the plane, this could work for you. The fleece wrap also detaches easily from the plastic brace for washing.

While the Trtl Plus is expensive (the costliest of the ones recommended here), it does offer a custom fit courtesy of two plastic knobs that adjust both sides of the plastic panel. It comes with a travel bag which is handy if you don’t want to lug it around on the outside of your bag when traveling.

If you’re still intrigued, but put off by the price, the original Trtl costs about $40 less and is a bit more subtle in styling than the Plus. It looks more like a fleece scarf than a neck brace. There’s no case but it folds almost flat with a Velcro latch, to about the size of a large book, so you can fit it in your bag.

Bcozzy Chin Supporting Travel Neck Pillow

If your head tends to fall forward when you try to sleep upright, the Bcozzy keeps your head up by curling around your whole neck with the ends overlapping under the chin. There are also a few more ways you can wear it, such as folded in half to elevate just one side of your head.

The Bcozzy, available in children's and extra-large sizing, doesn’t come with a removable cover, but the whole pillow is machine washable. A travel case is included.

Sunany Inflatable Neck Pillow

According to some studies, passengers shift positions on a plane every 15 minutes, so this travel pillow is ideal for anyone who changes it up frequently on a flight. It works for forward slumpers, side sleepers, and even couples who want to position it between themselves. It's also perfect for those who want to read or watch a program in privacy.

To make the most of this unique pillow, you'll need a tray table to rest it on. The Sunany pillow can be used at either 19.6- or 11.8-inches high depending on how it is oriented. One downside, considering its inflated size is so large, is that it can be cumbersome to reposition.

AirComfy Ease Inflatable Travel Pillow

This dog bone-shaped, inflatable travel pillow is as ideal for the skies as it is for the roads. Take it in the plane or the car since its adjustable strap easily fits around most headrests, and thanks to its basic shape and adjustability via inflation, you can customize how soft or firm it is depending on your needs.

The foam backed bladder helps reduce the balloon-like feel of some inflatable travel pillows. Use it behind the neck and shoulder or behind the lower back for lumbar support. Extra points for the plush cover that is machine washable.

With so many travel specific pillows and U-shaped design styles, why pick a traditional rectangle option as the most versatile? It’s simple—you can’t reinvent the wheel. With foam and an inflatable bladder, travelers can adjust its firmness, roll it up for neck support on a plane, press it against a wall or window, use it as a normal pillow, or take it along for car travel or camping.

This is the versatile pillow I bring on trips when I am doing multiple types of adventure and know I will need a pillow that can handle the travel itself and anything after. I appreciate the use of both the foam and the air bladder, which means I can adjust the cushioning and the support. With NEMO’s combination, it creates a pillow that doesn’t feel like you’re sleeping on a balloon like some inflatable pillows do. It also easily stuffs down into a sack—about the size of a big Chipotle burrito—that’s integrated into the removable, machine washable cover.

J-Pillow Travel Pillow

The J-Pillow diverges from the traditional U-shape, co-opting another letter for its design. The curve of the “J” cradles your chin while the rest of the pillow supports one side of your head.

While this design is best-suited for passengers at a window seat, I found the J-Pillow didn’t slip off my shoulder even when I wasn't leaning against a window. There is plenty of cushioning, so it's comfortable, but its biggest flaw is its slightly awkward and bulky shape.

Though it comes with a travel sack, it doesn’t compress nearly as much as other travel pillows. Because it didn’t fit into my backpack, I had to carry it separately—not exactly ideal for frequent fliers—though you could use its snap loop to attach to luggage or tie the bag’s drawstring to a gear loop.

What is typically the best way to clean a travel pillow? Should I look for one that is machine-washable?

Always follow the manufacturers’ recommendations. Many inflatable and foam pillows aren’t designed for machine washing and can get damaged in the process. Some of my favorite travel pillows have removable covers that are machine washable.

If given the choice of an inflatable, microbead, or memory foam travel pillow, what do you prefer and why?

If I'm not worried about packing space and my travel plans include a flight, I like memory foam since it cradles the head softly. If you’re traveling and doing multiple things while away, an inflatable pillow might be best since it takes up less space while packed and can be customized for different types of resting.

How do you know if a travel pillow is the right fit?

Think about how you rest while traveling and look for a pillow that fits those needs. You’ll want one with enough support to cradle your head as you nod off, whether that’s off to the side, straight back, or slumping forward.

Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience. He has authored multiple adventure guidebooks with Falcon Guides and his work focusses primarily on the nexus between sustainability and outdoor adventure. He is an experienced gear reviewer, tester, and travel writer who has explored multiple continents. 

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The 8 best neck pillows for travel.

Avoid a literal pain in the neck with these expert-approved travel pillows.

The Best Neck Pillows for Travel

Courtesy of Cabeau

The Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow is one of the best neck pillows for travel.

Just like the pillow you use at home , the best neck pillow for travel is the one that makes you feel most comfortable, allowing you to relax, rest and ultimately fall asleep on the go. The difference, however, is that a travel pillow is typically used when sitting up, which means it needs to provide enough support to keep your head from bobbing.

Based on recommendations from travel experts and advice from physicians, these are the best neck pillows for travel.

Best Overall: Cabeau Evolution S3

Best affordable: mvloc travel pillow, best for long flights: trtl travel pillow, best multipurpose: huzi infinity pillow, best inflatable: sunany inflatable travel pillow, best silk: slip jet setter travel pillow, best for backpacking: marchway ultralight inflatable camping pillow, best for kids: bcozzy double support neck pillow.

Frequent travelers praise the design of the Cabeau Evolution S3, which is made of a special dual-density memory foam. "My pillow at home is made with memory foam so it's like bringing a piece of home on my travels," says travel blogger Jasmine Cheng of The Wandering Girl . "The sides are also raised, which prevents my head from moving when I'm sleeping." Travelers also appreciate the patented seat strap system that attaches the pillow to a seat or chair headrest as well as the slim flattened back, both of which prevent the head from bobbing.

A handy storage pouch on the side of the pillow allows you to keep your earbuds or other small items close by, and the pillow comes with a clasp that attaches to carry-on luggage . The removable pillow cover, which comes in a variety of colors, is machine-washable. What's more, this travel pillow can be stored in an included carry bag that condenses it to half its size.

Price: $39.99 or less Shop now: Amazon | Cabeau

Travelers appreciate the support (and the price tag) of this memory foam travel pillow. An adjustable rope lock allows you to secure the pillow to your neck for maximum support and comfort. The breathable and machine-washable cloth exterior prevents overheating. This travel pillow also comes with earplugs and an eye mask for ultimate relaxation.

Price: $29.99 or less Shop now: Amazon

Courtesy of Trtl

The patented design of the Trtl Travel Pillow – with a hidden internal neck support surrounded by soft, hypoallergenic fleece – makes it a favorite among travelers, particularly for long flights. "Something about it just hits right in a travel accessory category where nothing previously worked for me," explains Meaghan Clawsie, luxury travel advisor at Elated Escapes . "I no longer have any back or neck pain when resting on long-haul flights." Simply wrap the pillow around your neck like a scarf, secure it in place with its built-in fastener and rest your head on the support.

If you tend to overheat easily, there's also the Trtl Pillow Cool , made with Tencel fibers to keep you at a comfortable temperature; a mesh panel makes the pillow particularly breathable as well. Both pillows are machine-washable.

Price: $59.99 or less Shop now: Amazon | Trtl

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Courtesy of Huzi Design

If you're not sold on the classic U-shaped neck pillows for travel, consider this snake-like option instead. Able to be twisted into a variety of positions, the versatile Huzi Infinity Pillow provides whatever support feels best – even if that means resting your head on the tray table for a bit. You can also wear it around your neck like a scarf for neck and back comfort (even when you're not snoozing), use it as an eye mask, or drape it over your head if you get cold or want to block out noise.

Travelers love the pillow's bamboo fabric, describing it as soft, smooth and cool. Since it's filled with polyester, the whole pillow can be tossed in the washing machine , unlike its memory foam counterparts. The Infinity Pillow is available in nearly a dozen different colors, including gray, navy and pink.

Price: $45 or less Shop now: Amazon | Infinity Pillow

Read:  What to Pack in Your Carry-on Bag

Courtesy of Sunany

Travelers love the H-shaped design of this inflatable pillow because it allows for use in multiple directions and supports both sides of the head and neck with a flat back. A removable hood on the pillow is a bonus: It encourages a cozy feel and prevents cold drafts from too much air conditioning. For optimal comfort, it is recommended to inflate the pillow about 80% to 90%.

A pocket for your earbud case on this travel pillow provides convenient access for listening to music, and the removable velour cover is machine-washable. The lightweight inflatable pillow can be stored in the included waterproof drawstring bag, which can also be attached to luggage. This travel neck pillow is available in black, gray and blue.

Courtesy of Slip

Travel pillows don't get softer than this luxurious new option by Slip. The Jet Setter Travel Pillow is made with the highest-grade long fiber mulberry silk, which helps to prevent skin creases and bedhead. It also comes with a carrying case with handles. The Jet Setter Travel Pillow is available in three prints and a pretty solid blush color.

Price: $99 or less Shop now: Amazon | Slip

While you can often bring your pillow from home for tent camping, backpacking requires something more lightweight, such as this inflatable option by Marchway. "An inflatable pillow is a game-changer when it comes to backpacking, and an ultralight pillow can't be beat," says Leilani Osmundson , digital producer for travel at U.S. News. "The Marchway pillow fits the bill: It's comfortable, packable and extremely lightweight." This pillow is designed for both back and side sleepers, and doubles as a lumbar support for everyday travels and needs. Once it's deflated, you can machine-wash the cover before folding the pillow into an included drawstring bag.

Price: $13.99 or less Shop now: Amazon

Courtesy of BCOZZY

The BCOZZY neck pillow is ideal for all travelers – including kids, with small sizes for youngsters between 3 and 7 years old, and medium options for ages 8 and 12. Travelers like the ergonomic design of the patented pillow, which supports the head and neck by propping the chin up. Overlapping pillow arms, which wrap around the neck and under the chin, can be tightened based on the level of support you need.

If you or your child is a side sleeper, fold the pillow in half, double up the sides and place it on your shoulder, leaning your head to the side. An elevated side option allows you to overlap the pillow arms on top of each other and rotate it 90 degrees to the side for double support for the neck and chin.

This travel pillow is available in a variety of colors and patterns, including light blue and pink hearts. A snap strap attaches the included travel bag to your child's luggage , and you can throw the pillow in the washing machine after your trip.

Price: $44.97 or less Shop now: Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

Experts agree a supportive pillow is essential for travel. "The biggest issue many travelers experience when sleeping on a plane is that the seats don't recline enough," explains Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a sleep/wake and performance specialist who is dual board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. "This often results in the head being just on the brink of tipping forward – which is not a comfortable sleeping position. Because of this insufficient recline, it is important to keep padding behind the head and neck minimal to reduce the tendency for the head to tip forward."

Most travel pillows are designed to be worn around the neck, providing enough support to prevent the head from tipping forward.

When shopping for a neck pillow for travel, experts recommend considering the following factors:

Proper head support:  What's most important is ensuring your head is supported in the right places by your travel pillow – and, in particular, not being pushed forward by excessive padding. "A good pillow would provide support for side sleeping, rather than a lot of padding behind the head, which just pushes the head forward too much," says Dimitriu.

Material: Consider both the external and internal material of the pillow:

External: Chiropractic physician Eric Smith advises to make sure the material of your travel pillow is breathable and won't subject you to an overheated sleep, since one of the main reasons for moving around a lot as you sleep is getting too hot. "When your face gets too hot on one side, even if you're sleeping, you're going to move from it because it's too warm," Smith explains.

There's no real consensus on which material is best for a cool, comfy sleep – and different people will have different preferences – so Smith's advice is to try before you fly (and don't hesitate to request a refund if your chosen pillow isn't working out).

• Internal: Memory foam pillows tend to offer more firm support – something Smith recommends for anyone, but especially older travelers. "The majority of patients I have that get older, we actually need a more firm pillow, we need a more firm bed, we need more support," Smith says. Pillows filled with microbeads mold more to the neck and head, while inflatable pillows can be adjusted to your preferences based on how much air you use to blow them up.

A travel pillow for your neck isn't considered a carry-on or personal item (and the same generally goes for small, loose items like jackets and umbrellas). That said, it's always best to review your airline's carry-on luggage size restrictions before traveling.

A good neck pillow for travel isn't the only key to achieving a decent sleep while in transit. "From the standpoint of evolution, we're kind of hardwired to be a little bit more on high alert in those situations," explains Rebecca Robbins, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and scientist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. "We're a little bit more in fight or flight mode; our brain is subconsciously scanning the environment for threats and there are new sounds and new smells."

She recommends finding elements that are relaxing to you, which might include some of the following:

• Travel blanket: Look for something lightweight, such as the EverSnug Travel Blanket on Amazon. This blanket comes with a carrying case, which can double as a pillow when the blanket is stored inside.
• Essential or aromatherapy oils: Scents like lavender and peppermint can be especially calming.
• Earplugs: Choose headphones that block some or all external noise. The Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Headphones are especially well rated.
• White noise app: There are a variety of free apps, or you can try a paid option like Calm (which offers a free trial).
• Eye mask: An eye mask like this cotton option on Amazon helps to block out the bright light on planes.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Compression Socks for Travel
• The Top Walking Shoes for Travel
• The Top Carry-on Backpacks
• Can I Use My Own Airplane Seat Belt Extender?
• The Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans

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Catch some Zzz's on these expert-loved (and award-winning!) travel pillows

Shop TODAY independently determines what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, we earn a commission. Learn more .

If you're anything like us, you're familiar with some of the stresses that come with traveling: arriving on time at the airport, checking in bags , and securing transport to and from the airport, for instance. But for some reason, we seem to skimp on comfort while traveling.

The most common result? Arriving at your destination groggy and with a sore neck — not an ideal way to begin a vacation. You may be familiar with those mediocre airport neck pillows that you end up begrudgingly buying, but did you know that there are actually great travel pillows that can help make your travel experience enjoyable ?

Travel pillows come in a variety of shapes, but they're all designed to accommodate your upright position when traveling, according to Dr. Alex Dimitriu , founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. Specifically, “the goal of any travel pillow is to stabilize the head. As in most cases, when the seat does not recline far enough, people's heads will tend to drop forward,” he explains.

That said, there's a wide range of styles on the market for a broad range of needs. For example, travel expert Misty Belles has an entire collection of travel pillows: This includes memory foam options, which she says is the most comfortable but also the bulkiest to transport, and an inflatable option, which she loves for its packability and ease of cleaning.

That's why we compiled our list based on a wide range of needs, paying attention to details like material, functionality and price. We also tried a bunch of top-rated options as part of the 2024 Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards , crowning a couple picks that truly impressed us as winners. Read on or navigate using the links below to see the best travel pillows, based on expert guidance, extensive research and personal experience.

Award winner | Best budget | Best multipurpose | Best for neck support | Best silk | Best for long flights | Best for back support | Easiest to pack | Best mini | Best inflatable | Best set | Best splurge | What to look for | How we chose | Meet our experts

2024 Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards travel pillow winner

Travelrest all-in-one ultimate travel pillow.

All-in-One Ultimate Travel Pillow

• All-in-One Ultimate Travel Pillow $ at Amazon
• All-in-One Ultimate Travel Pillow $ at Walmart
• All-in-One Ultimate Travel Pillow $ at Travelrest

Award: Best travel pillow | Quality: 5/5 | Value: 3/5 | Satisfaction: 4/5 | Overall score: 4/5

If you want to arrive at your destination well-rested, a truly excellent travel pillow is a must-pack. This option quickly became our editors’ favorite because it can be worn across the chest and leaned on, which we found to be way more comfortable than other options that wrap around your neck or head. Plus, this one won’t take up much room in your bag (since it can be deflated), and it only took us about a minute to easily blow it up. Sweet dreams!

Best budget travel pillow

Napfun neck pillow for traveling.

Neck Pillow for Traveling

Neck Pillow for Traveling $ at Amazon

Material: Polyester, spandex | Fill: Memory foam | Features: Flat back, breathable, concave design, carry bag | Care: Machine-washable removable cover

NapFun’s Neck Pillow is proof that you don’t need to break the bank to get some decent shut-eye on a flight or road trip . It features resilient memory foam that is equal parts comfortable and durable. Additionally, it includes a designated groove on both sides to place your chin to prevent your head from falling forward. Lastly, the back is intentionally thicker to provide added support for back sleepers , while a flat-back design helps to prevent your head from falling forward.

This affordable option also includes a travel bag that allows you to compress it when not in use.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: People with shorter necks may find that this option is too large for them.

Best multipurpose travel pillow

Ostrichpillow light versatile pillow.

Light Versatile Pillow

Light Versatile Pillow $ at Ostrich Pillow

Material: Viscose, elastomer | Fill: Polystyrene microbeads | Features: Soft fabric, reversible, doubles as eye cover | Care: Spot clean

For an multipurpose pick, go for OstrichPillow’s Light Versatile Pillow, which enables you to not only comfort and support your neck but also cover your eyes. The microbead filling works in tandem with the integrated fit adjuster so you can easily tailor the pillow to your needs. You can even use it to block out light while cushioning your head against a window. Or, wear it around your neck like a more standard travel pillow.

It doesn’t hurt that this pick comes with a two-year warranty and 100-day return window.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: It cannot be machine-washed.

Best travel pillow for neck support

Coop original travel and camp pillow.

The Original Travel & Camp Pillow

• The Original Travel & Camp Pillow $ at Amazon
• The Original Travel & Camp Pillow $ at Target
• The Original Travel & Camp Pillow $ at Coop Sleep Goods

Material: Polyester, viscose rayon, elastomer | Fill: Memory foam, microfiber | Features: Adjustable fill, water-resistant nylon stuff sack | Care: Machine-washable cover

For someone looking for added neck support when traveling, we highly recommend Coop’s Original Travel and Camp Pillow. It takes all of the qualities of the brand’s Original Pillow but adapts it for the traveler. It features a hypoallergenic fill of cross-cut memory foam and microfiber that provides excellent support. Additionally, you can add or remove the filling to create the ideal loft for your neck’s particular needs.

The pillow has both GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certifications, and it also comes with a nylon sack that allows you to compress your pillow to half its size for ease of travel.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: Some people find this pillow to be a bit too small for them.

Best silk travel pillow

Portofino jet setter travel pillow.

Jet Setter Travel Pillow

• Jet Setter Travel Pillow $ at Amazon
• Jet Setter Travel Pillow $ at Revolve

Material: Silk | Fill: Polyester | Features: Added protection of your skin, carry bag | Care: Hand-wash and line-dry pillowcase

For a bit of added luxury during your trip, Portofino’s Jet Setter Travel Pillow is the way to go. It's made with the highest-grade long-fiber mulberry silk, resulting in a pillow that has the perfect combo of shine, durability and thickness. And with a silk pillowcase, you can expect benefits like: reduced appearance of fine lines, skin hydration, skin texture and smoothness, and skin radiance.

This option also features a hook and loop fastener, as well as a reusable carry bag. Plus, it's available in four sleek and fun color options.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: More expensive than similar choices on our list and cannot be machine-washed.

Best travel pillow for long flights

Dot & dot bendable memory foam travel pillow.

Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow $ at Amazon

Material: Cotton | Fill: Memory foam | Features: Folds into different shapes, snap closure | Care: Machine-washable cover

On longer flights where you'll likely be adjusting your sleeping position more often, we recommend a versatile pillow that has multiple functions. Enter: Dot & Dot’s Bendable Memory Foam Travel Pillow. The twistable shape enables it to contour to your specific needs, and you can use it for neck, back, shoulder or cervical spine support. Additionally, the memory foam provides cushioning while relieving pressure points.

The casing on this pillow is made with cotton and should be breathable and machine-washable. While longer than other options, this one can be folded into a smaller shape and closed with a snap enclosure. This same feature allows you to secure it around your neck.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: Some people with longer necks found this option to be a bit too thin for them.

Best travel pillow for back support

Tuft & needle anywhere travel pillow.

Anywhere Travel Pillow

Anywhere Travel Pillow $ at Tuft & Needle

Material: Viscose, polyester | Fill: Adaptive foam | Features: Sewn on pouch to fold into | Care: Machine-washable cover and sack

Tuft & Needle’s travel pillow, which uses the brand's proprietary adaptive foam, is highly breathable, soft and supportive. Its material and shape is great for someone looking for added back support while traveling. The foam contours but doesn’t sink, and unlike the memory foam in other pillows, it doesn’t leave impressions. The result is a pillow that will keep your back comfortable without collapsing and will withstand the test of time.

This durable pillow also comes with a sewn-on pouch to fold into, as well as a metal carabiner. Additionally, the foam used is CertiPUR-US Certified to be free of harmful chemicals and gasses.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: May be a bit too small for some users; pillow itself is not machine washable

Easiest travel pillow to pack

Travel r est nest the ultimate memory foam travel pillow.

The Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

• The Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow $ at Amazon
• The Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow $ at Walmart

Material: Velour | Fill: Memory foam | Features: Stuff sack with drawstring bag | Care: Machine-washable cover

With its stuff sack and collapsible design that makes it a quarter of its size, Travelrest’s Nest pillow is a great choice for anyone looking to optimize space when on the go. Plus, the drawstring can attach to a luggage handle for added convenience. And in terms of comfort? This pillow uses a thermo-sensitive memory foam for what's said to be excellent shoulder, head and neck support. It also includes a non-slip backing to keep it in place.

Bonus? This pillow comes with a pair of ear plugs, and the velour cover can be removed and machine-washed.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: The manufacturers advise against storing it in the stuff sack when not traveling.

Best mini travel pillow

Avocado organic mini pillow.

Organic Mini Pillow

Organic Mini Pillow $ at Avocado Green Mattress

Material: Cotton | Fill: Kapok, latex | Features: Resilient yet soft filling | Care: Machine-washable cover

Measuring at 20 x 12 inches, Avocado’s Organic Mini Pillow is just the ticket for someone looking for a downsized version of a standard pillow. While a slightly higher price point than similar counteparts, you'll get premium materials. Those include: GOTS-certified organic cotton that's soft and breathable; GOTS-certified organic kapok fiber, a soft, light and vegan alternative to down; and GOLS-certified organic latex, a material known for its support, while still providing resilience and durability.

This option also comes with an extra half-pound bag of fill, so you can get just the right amount of support for your needs.

SOMETHING TO NOTE: While packable, this doesn’t compress into any sort of carrying case.

Best inflatable standard travel pillow

N emo fillo pillow.

Fillo Backpacking & Camping Pillow

• Fillo Backpacking & Camping Pillow $ at Amazon
• Fillo Backpacking & Camping Pillow $ at Backcountry
• Fillo Backpacking & Camping Pillow $ at REI

Material: Polyester micro-suede | Fill: Foam | Features: Adjustable air fill, collapses to size of russet potato | Care: Machine-washable cover

Nemo’s Fillo inflatable pillow is not only a breeze to transport — its inflatability also leaves it in your hands to decide how much support you want it to have. It weighs just 9 ounces; when deflated, it folds down to the size of a russet potato. Despite being inflatable, it still features a luxury foam inside that provides flexible comfort. It also has a baffled air cell that's designed to ensure it feels like a pillow, not a balloon.

We also appreciate that this product has a lifetime warranty and a machine-washable micro-suede cover.

SOMETHING TO NOTE : Some people note an off, gas-like odor upon purchase, but say it should dissipate.

Best travel pillow set

Slip frequent flyer set.

Frequent Flyer Travel Set

Frequent Flyer Travel Set $ at Amazon

Material: Silk, cotton | Fill: Memory foam | Features: Carry bag, hook and loop fastener | Care: Hand washable

This travel set includes Slip’s silk travel pillow that we listed above, plus a pure silk eye mask and a pure silk face covering that's reusable and features a cotton liner. It’s perfect for the person who wants to get on the plane and just knock out for the entire flight — without having anything abrasive brushing against their face.

As listed above, these products should be hand-washed and not put through a machine.

SOMETHING TO NOTE : This bundle is more expensive than other options and doesn’t include a blanket.

Best splurge travel pillow

Quiet mind the original weighted pillow.

The Original Weighted Pillow

The Original Weighted Pillow $ at Quiet Mind

Material: Polyester | Fill: Glass beads, polyurethane foam, polyester fiber pad | Features: Multiple weight choices | Care: Machine-washable cover

Quiet Mind’s Original Weighted Pillow takes the benefits of a weighted blanket in the form of a travel pillow. But unlike traditional options, this weighted pillow is said to help travelers manage stress levels — in fact, it's specifically designed to help children with ADHD and people with stress and anxiety, as well as children with autism, to help them cope.

The Original Weighted Pillow is available in 6-, 9- and 12-pound options to make sure you get the ideal weight for you. Plus, it's shipped free and has a 30-day return window, so you have a chance to see if it’s for you. Despite its higher price tag, the brand offers multiple payment plans.

SOMETHING TO NOTE : The heavier nature of this option makes it more cumbersome to travel with.

What to look for in a travel pillow

Dimitriu recommends avoiding pillows that drop your head too far forward, or one that takes up too much space between your head and the seat. On the flip side, if you're side-sleeping, something that's too unsupportive could lead to neck pain and a lack of stability, he says. Instead, focus on your particular needs and dimensions; for maximum comfort, aim for something that doesn’t bend your neck and that keeps your head stable.

The traditional travel pillow that comes to mind is a wraparound that supports the neck and ties in the front. However, many of these are too thick and encourage the head to fall forward. Other options include smaller versions of standard bed pillows that can be used to support your head, or to take pressure off of your lower back. More unique options, like Best Overall pick Trtl, enables you to lean over and side-sleep without overly stressing your neck.

It helps to look at a travel pillow as an investment in your health and wellness, according to Belles. “If you travel often and favor night flights, definitely look at buying a travel pillow that fits you. Sometimes the opening is too wide to be supportive, [and] some pillows can be too high or too thick, so you need to find one that fits.”

Travel pillows can be made from a variety of materials, such as memory foam, latex and even beads. Memory foam options offer great contouring but can be bulky and tricky to travel with if not designed to collapse. Shredded foam options tend to be more easily compressible. Latex pillows tend to be better for people who need more support and want a natural alternative to foam.

Portability

Belles prefers inflatable options because they tend to be easier to pack than other types like memory foam. They also tend to be the easiest to adjust in terms of thickness. It is important to note, though, that there are some memory foam pillows that can actually be compressed and put into carrying cases for easy transport. Make sure to take a close look at a pillow's product description before purchasing.

Ease of use

You’ll want something that is intuitive and doesn’t require much adjustment. Certain products will require more work to get the perfect fit, such as those that offer removable fill, but should otherwise be fine if you don’t mind these extra steps.

Ease of cleaning

Many options on the market (and many on our list) come with removable covers that can be machine-washed for hassle-free cleaning. Other options will only be able to be spot cleaned or hand-washed, but we recommend going for pillows that can be washed in some capacity.

How we chose the best travel pillows

In order to find the best travel pillows on the market, Shop TODAY tapped sleep expert Dr. Alex Dimitriu and travel pro Misty Belles for their expert insights and guidance. From there, we researched extensively and even tried a handful of the products ourselves, taking special note of each one's comfort, support and convenience. We also took into account the number of verified star ratings and positive reviews, and items that are atop bestseller lists at online retailers.

We also sorted through hundreds of new launches, editor recommendations, trending products flooding our social media pages and tried and true products to curate a list of must-have travel items worth reviewing for our Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards. We tried a selection of these products in our studios, putting them through practical experiments to see if they meet requirements when it comes to durability, function and quality for travel gear.

Meet our experts

• Dr. Alex Dimitriu , MD , is a doctor who's dual board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. He is the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine .
• Misty Belles is a travel expert and the Vice President of Global Public Relations for Virtuouso , a global network of travel agencies.

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Best Travel Pillows of 2024 For Maximum Comfort

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Traveling can be exhilarating and exhausting (often at the same time). The right travel pillow can help you catch some shut-eye while on the red-eye (or any other flight), train, bus, or car, so you can enjoy your destination when you arrive. Forget about using a rolled-up sweatshirt (the way I used to snooze while traveling in my youth) shoved against a window. These travel pillow picks are a step up for sleeping on the go.

What to consider when buying travel pillows

Packability .

The problem with any kind of travel accessory is stuffing it back into a carry-on bag after you have used it. Personally, I try to pack as lightly as possible, which means I want a small pillow if I’m using one at all. Thankfully, these days, travel pillows come in all shapes, sizes, and materials, and some are easier to wrangle than others. You can find that pillows deflate after use; others can snap onto the handle of your bag for easy carrying, and a few you may need to make room for. 

Travel pillows can also be used for relieving sore backs, like a travel-sized lumbar, which I’ve used on occasion for long car rides. However, if you’re carrying a pillow versus tossing it into the trunk of a car or a travel tote on arrival, consider how much space you want to designate for your travel pillow. 

U-shaped, flat mini-sized, and wrap-around are three of the most common shapes for a travel pillow, and all have pros and cons. These pros and cons depend on your sleep position (front versus side) while sitting upright, comfort level with having something around your neck, and if you prefer to lean against a more traditional flat pillow. A front sleeping position is when your chin drops forward as you sleep upright. The side position is just what it sounds like—your head falls to the side while sleeping upright. Some people find themselves using both.

Fill and cover

Like most, travel pillows have different fills including memory foam (some have shredded foam, others use a block), microbeads, or air (if the pillow is a blow-up). Make sure the cover will keep you warm but not overheated while traveling—microfiber and fleece are good options. If you’re allergic to latex or any other material, always check the label before purchasing. Some travel pillows call for hand wash and line drying, while others can be tossed into a washing machine. 

Our top picks for best travel pillows

Best travel pillow for large headphones and best for chin support: bcozzy neck pillow.

Bcozzy Neck Pillow

This looks like a stuffed animal snake to me, but that's because it provides double ergonomic support designed to prevent neck pain and sore shoulders. I love that it’s adjustable, so you can sleep with your chin propped up if you’re a front sleeper or sleep with your head to the side or both because you can manipulate the pillow (it’s foldable). This travel pillow comes in two sizes, large and x-large making it perfect for many sized bodies. 

It has a snap loop and its own carry bag so you can attach it to your luggage or hang it up. You can also simply keep it wrapped around your neck as you traipse through the airport (although you might elicit stares and giggles). Throw it in the wash and air dry to keep it clean. It works great on an airplane, but you can use it anywhere you need to rest sitting up. 

Specifications

• Fill and material: Polyester microfiber
• Machine washable cover: Yes
• Size: Up to 15 inches (large) over 15 inches (extra large)
• Color: Multiple
• Price on publish: $44.97

What we like:

• Can be wrapped in different ways depending on your position.
• Multiple color options

What we don't Like:

• Wraps around your neck (some people and children may not be comfortable with that)

The bottom line: 

This wrap-around travel pillow is suitable for nearly every kind of upright sleeping position, but if you don’t like something wrapped around your neck, this isn’t for you. 

Get it here: Bcozzy Neck Pillow

Best lumbar support pillow for air travel: Tempur-Pedic Travel Lumbar Cushion

Tempur-Pedic Travel Lumbar Cushion

Temper-Pedic makes excellent pillows to support your back and spine and this travel lumbar pillow made from memory foam is no exception. It’s made from the same materials as their award-winning mattresses, meaning it will conform to your middle and lower back as you sit upright on an airplane for hours at a time. The molded shape is designed to distribute your weight evenly and relieve pressure. It’s no fun (I speak from experience) to arrive at your destination in back spasms, and a lumbar pillow of this caliber may make all the difference for proper back support. 

You can keep it clean by throwing the case in the washing machine or spot clean it on the go. Plus, you don’t have to limit using it to travel; it works great for any situation (work or home) that calls for sitting upright for long periods of time. One downside: It weighs two pounds, which will add to your overall allowed carry-on weight, and you may need to put it on top of your bag or squash into the side. 

Specifications:

• Fill and material: Memory foam and allergen-resistant cover
• Size: 10 inches x 11 inches x 2 inches
• Color: Navy
• Price on publish: $59
• Conforms to your body
• Offers plenty of support
• Can use anywhere, not just for travel
• Adds weight to your carry-on bag
• A little bulkier than a smaller pillow

A well-designed lumbar pillow from Tempur-Pedic memory foam that will help prevent back strain on long flights.

Get it here: Tempur-Pedic Travel Lumbar Cushion

Best compact travel pillow: DYNMC YOU Small Memory Foam Travel Pillow

DYNMC you Small Memory Foam Travel Pillow, Camping Pillow with Bag - Modern, Firm Memory Foam Pillow - Perfect Neck Support Pillow, Neck Pillow Travel, Car Pillow, Backpacking Pillow

This compact travel pillow made with memory foam is easy to tote and throw into your bag. It rolls up easily and stuffs into its one nylon bag that you can clip or tie onto your luggage. The pillow weighs only 1.3 pounds and fits easily into carry-on luggage . I like that it’s odorless and OEKO-TEX certified. 

• Fill and materials: OEKO-TEX®-certified fabric (95% viscose from bamboo, 5% spandex) and memory foam
• Size: 7 inches x 9.8 inches x 15.7 inches
• Color: Gray
• Price on publish: $27.00
• Lightweight
• OEKO-TEX®-certified materials
• Doesn’t accommodate front position sleepers

A simple compact lightweight travel pillow made of memory foam that comes with a small nylon carrying case. 

Get it here: DYNMC YOU Small Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Best kid’s travel pillow: Trtl Pillow Junior

Trtl Pillow Junior

This is a kid-sized version of one of my (and hundreds of others’) favorite neck pillows that wraps around your child’s neck to keep their spine aligned on long trips. Suitable for ages eight and older, this wraparound travel pillow has built-in head and neck support due to its flexible ergonomic design—plus, it was co-designed with kids, for kids, according to the brand’s website. You wear it like a scarf or bandana, but it offers a flexible, strong structure to keep your child’s head comfortable. 

Weighing less than 4 ounces and being foldable means this travel pillow can come with you in a small travel backpack , purse, or carry-on without sacrificing space for anything else. This kid’s travel pillow pops off with its quick-fit and release action. It will also fit into your child’s carry-on or even your purse (or maybe even a pocket!), but it also has a loop, so you can simply clip it onto any piece of luggage, or even a travel stroller . 

• Fill and material: Supersoft fleece and other materials
• Machine washable cover: Yes but it’s advised to remove the inner support structure
• Size: One (dimensions not available)
• Color: Three pattern choices (aqua, zebra, blue camo)
• Price on publish: $39.99
• Extremely lightweight
• Easy for kids to use themselves
• Scientifically engineered and tested for supporting kids growing bodies
• Only comes in three patterns, one of them zebra striped, that may not appeal to every kid (or parent)

An extremely lightweight, simple, and scientifically engineered (for head and neck support) scarf-like travel pillow that helps kids snooze through the skies, especially during long-haul international travel. 

Get it here: Trtl Pillow Junior

Best silk travel pillow: Lunya Washable Silk Travel Pillow

Lunya Washable Silk Travel Pillow in Waning Night Size OS

If you love the feel of silk against your skin and don’t mind using a travel pillow without a lot of structure, this one from Lunya is a great choice. It’s made from washable silk and easily attaches to a suitcase or carry-on for maximum portability. Plus, it comes with extra filling so you can plump it up to the perfect size whether on a plane, train, or automobile, and its straps mean it will stay put without sliding off a headrest. Throw on your travel shoes and slip this silk pillow into your carry-on for maximum comfort. Shopping tip: If you’re looking to enjoy that luxurious feeling 24/7, check out our list of the best silk sheets .

• Fill and material: Recycled polyester and washable silk/spandex blend
• Size: 17 inches x 11 inches x 5 inches 
• Color: Navy or tan
• Price on publish: $128
• Pretty dark blue color
• Bluesign®-approved dyes
• Slips onto a headrest
• Expensive (although it is silk)

This washable silk travel pillow attaches to any regular sized headrest to provide soft support and has extra padding so you can decide how firm you need it to be. 

Get it here: Lunya Washable Silk Travel Pillow

Best travel pillow for long flights and best travel pillow for neck support: Trtl Travel Pillow for Neck Support

Trtl Travel Pillow for Neck Support

Yes, you bet the Trtl travel pillow comes in an adult size—why let kids have all the comfort during travel? This scarf-like travel pillow is extremely soft (thanks to the fleece) and its internal support system keeps your head and neck upright. It may look like a fashion statement, but there’s no need to wear it through the airport; it’s so light that you can toss it into your bag or simply clip it onto your purse. 

It's easy to wash the wrap by hand or in a machine, and it has over 19K five-star ratings on Amazon. Personally, my family will all be wearing ours (kids and adults) on a long-haul flight this summer for maximum sleep comfort that we can easily shove into a small carry-on. 

Specifications: 

• Fill and material: Supersoft hypoallergenic fleece
• Size: One size (dimensions not available)
• Color: Four colors (gray, black, red, coral)
• Price on publish: $59.99
• Super lightweight
• Easy to stow away
• Clips onto a bag
• Wish it came in more colors

The bottom line:

 A scarf-like pillow that keeps your neck and head upright and aligned, easily fits into a carry-on or purse, and weighs less than half a pound. 

Get it here: Trtl Travel Pillow for Neck Support

Best inflatable travel pillow and best travel pillow for side sleepers: Travelrest All-in-One Travel, Neck & Body Pillow

My son said this looks like a blue banana, but I was reminded of a rolled-up yoga mat. This sling-like inflatable travel pillow attaches to the seat of an airplane or car (or, for that matter, could attach to a train or bus seat) and is worn like a sling across your body. 

This wins my vote for “best for side sleepers” as well, who need to lean their head to one side for maximum comfort while sleeping on a road trip or flying through the skies. The unusual shape provides lateral support to the upper body and allows you to lean into it while keeping your head and neck in alignment. Best of all, it inflates and deflates easily for portability—roll it up and snap it to the outside of your bag. It may not be the most attractive pillow on the market, but users swear by its comfort. Best of all, you can wash it by hand or on a gentle cycle and line dry while on the road. 

• Fill and material: Velour cover with memory foam
• Size: 3.5 inches x 10 inches rolled up
• Color: Blue or gray
• Price on publish: $36.95
• Easy to pack
• May not provide enough support for some sleepers

A soft sling-like pillow that inflates and deflates for easy packability, working extremely well for side sleepers with its lateral support for the upper body. 

Get it here: Travelrest All-in-One Travel, Neck & Body Pillow

Best travel and memory foam pillow for side sleepers: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller Inflatable Neck Pillow

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller Inflatable Neck Pillow

Side sleepers have somewhat of an advantage when it comes to sleeping upright because of many U-shaped travel pillow designs, and this one is no exception. Side sleepers can tilt their head to either side of this pillow while keeping their neck and spine in alignment. Plus, this highly-rated travel pillow deflates, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up too much space in your carry-on or purse. It has a narrow center to better fit airplane seats and headrests, too. 

• Fill and material: Air and brushed 50D polyester knit cover
• Machine washable cover: No (hand wash only)
• Size: 15.3 inches x 11.4 inches x 4.3 inches (inflated)
• Price on publish: $49.95
• Only weighs 3 ounces
• Good for side sleepers
• Includes its own zippered case
• May not be good if you don’t typically rest your head to one side

An ultra-soft cover on an inflatable and durable air-pillow with a traditional U-shaped opening that works well for airline travel if you don’t mind a firm headrest. 

Get it here: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller Inflatable Neck Pillow

Best memory foam and best U-shaped travel pillow: Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow Memory Foam Neck Support

Evolution S3® Neck Pillow

The Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow is a great U-shaped pillow design with a flat back that lays against your seat. The memory foam doesn't feel like a pillar of stone in density and it compresses down for an easy fit into its carry bag that you can clip onto your carry-on. The cover for this travel pillow is breathable, so you don't overheat, and it comes with an adjustable front strap and a seat strap. If you’re looking for a U-shaped memory foam travel pillow, this one comes highly recommended by users for its affordable price, neck and head support, and ability to squash down to half its size so you can pack it away. 

• Fill and material: Memory foam and moisture-wick fabric
• Size: 10 inches x 9.5 inches
• Color: Six choices (black, blue, gray, red, aqua, and a black snakeskin pattern)
• Comes in several colors
• Slightly bulky

An affordable U-shaped, memory foam travel pillow that’s easy to carry on, and has thousands of positive ratings on Amazon.

Get it here: Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow Memory Foam Neck Support

Best travel pillow for car trips: Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow

Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow

Soft and flexible memory foam makes this a great choice as a passenger pillow in a car or in the air. It wraps like a neck brace providing ergonomic comfort and support to your head and neck, and the flat back allows you to rest without having your head jutting out, which could be uncomfortable for long periods of time. Instead, your head is cradled in a 360-degree upright position. 

This one is pricey, and for some, a car ride calls for your favorite bedroom pillow, not a special travel one, but if you can afford the splurge, it can make road trips more pleasurable when you are at rest. If you need to take it with you, pop it into its carrying case and clip it to your carry-on or luggage because it compresses down to 60% of its size. 

• Fill and material: BASF memory foam core and OEKO-TEX® 95% viscose, 5% elastomer
• Size: 9.8 inches x 6.7 inches x 2.7 inches
• Color: Four color combos (soft gray and teal, soft gray and navy, and soft gray and black, dark gray and black)
• Price on publish: $60
• Has hundreds of five-star reviews
• Memory foam core for comfort and stability
• Carrying case and compresses down in size
• Adjustable velcro to fit most-sized necks
• On the expensive side

A soft, flexible memory foam pillow that keeps the head and neck in alignment for rest on the road (or skies) and compresses down for easy storage in its own sack that clips onto your carry-on. 

Get it here: Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow

How to maintain and clean travel pillows

Like all pillows, read and follow the label directions for cleaning. If you have a blow-up pillow, you may be able to simply wipe it down with a disinfectant cloth. Many travel pillows come with removable and washable covers that can be hand-washed with soap and air dried during your trip or thrown into a washing machine on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent if you have access to a laundry. 

Portability and storage solutions

When you travel, especially by air, keeping bags and things to a minimum may be at the top of your list of priorities—it’s definitely on mine. Travel pillows may come with their own case, but often that’s to help keep your travel pillow clean and secure, and unfortunately, it may just end up as another thing to schlep around with you. 

There are a few portability and storage solutions you can consider. Some travel pillows deflate and lay flat. Others can be squished into a compact ball you can stuff into your carry-on. A memory foam or cotton travel pillow may be stored in a vacuum-sealed or compression bag to minimize space. Other pillows have attachable clips that allow you to simply clip it to the exterior, often the handle of your bag. If you’re using a large travel pillow, consider stuffing it into a sling-style bag (if it will roll up, maybe a yoga bag) and wearing it as a cross-body. 

What are the different types of travel pillows available?

There are a few different types of travel pillows available on the market, including U-shaped ones that wrap around your head and neck, small bean-bag type pillows (usually filled with microbeads), and long lumbar pillows that can be used for travel. 

How we tested and selected the best travel pillows

I’ve personally used some of these or very similar travel pillows on air and road trips. I polled my friends and colleagues, researched many types of travel pillows at multiple price points, and conducted a deep dive into reviews of each product, including ratings by travel specialists. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Are memory foam travel pillows comfortable for long flights.

Yes, according to travelers I spoke with. And according to online reviews of various memory foam travel pillows, memory foam—either shredded or in a block—does work well on long flights. You can find many highly-rated memory foam travel pillows on the market—several are on my list! 

Are travel pillows suitable for use in cars or trains?

Yes! Travel pillows aren’t limited to airplane use. You can use a travel pillow any time you need to sleep during a trip. Some people like to use their travel pillows, depending on the shape and size of it, in a hotel room, too. 

Can travel pillows help prevent neck pain during travel?

The right travel pillow for you may help prevent neck pain during travel because your posture can take a hit when you fall asleep in an upright or semi-upright position like in an airplane seat. Of course, there is no guarantee that a travel pillow will save you from a stiff neck, but most quality ones are designed to protect you against neck pain or strain caused by long hours in a seated position. You can also look for a travel pillow that’s designed by, or recommended by, chiropractors.

Do travel pillows come in different sizes?

Absolutely! While most are on the smaller size, you can find larger ones. There’s a wide range of travel pillows on the market. If you want a large pillow, consider simply bringing one from your bedroom—these work fine, I’ve found, when taking a road trip and you just need to rest by squashing a pillow behind you (or depending on their tolerance, leaning it against a sibling or cousin, in my case). 

Do travel pillows come with carrying cases?

Yes. Many travel pillows (and most of the ones above) come with a carrying case that can help keep the pillow clean and separate from your other carry-on items. Of course, you don't have to use the case, if it takes up room, but if it is included, it’s nice to use.

The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.

Travel Pillow Protectors (with Zipper)

$ 2.90 – $ 5.80

Our Travel Pillow Protectors are available in; 200 and 308 thread count, white, quality, down proof ticking. The 200 thread-count  is back-fill and calendar,  resulting in a much better finish than the “regular” 200tc fabrics. The 308tc,  Combed Cotton fabric,  has had all the short fibers ‘combed’ out of it, leaving only the longest fibers, making for a softer and stronger fabric. The 308tc has an exquisite soft finish and shine,  giving pillow protector a great feel,  we also use the same fabric in the high end pillows.

Description

Additional information.

Our pillow cases and protectors are available in; 200 and 308 thread count,  ALL are white, down proof ticking. The 200 tc  is back-fill and calendar,  resulting in a much better finish than the “regular” 200tc fabrics. The 308,  Combed Cotton fabric  has had all the short fibers ‘combed’ out of it, leaving only the longest fibers, making for a softer and stronger fabric. The 308 has an exquisite soft finish and shine,  giving protector a great feel,  we also use the same fabric in the high end pillows.

We manufacture pillow cases for all our pillow sizes, as well custom sizes… Call

Related products

Pillow Cases (Bed Pillows)

Body pillow protectors (with zipper), travel pillow cases, body pillow cases.

7 Best Lumbar Support Pillows so You Can Sit Comfortably

Reduce back pain and correct your posture in an office chair or driver's seat with these cushions.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall

Everlasting comfort lumbar support pillow.

OPTP The Original McKenzie Lumbar Roll

Best for the Car

Tempur-pedic lumbarcushion.

Cushion Lab Back Relief Lumbar Pillow

Best for active posture correction

Bearaby bolster pillow.

Best for Sweaty Backs

Purple back cushion.

Best with seat cushion

Comfiworld memory foam seat back cushion.

Slouching or slumping in a chair for a prolonged period can increase discomfort and pain in the lower back, according to one study. A lumbar support pillow can provide back support and help correct your sitting posture , leading to less lower back pain and allowing you to stay physically active and pain-free throughout your life.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab test all sorts of seat cushions , sleeping pillows and mattresses for back pain to help you stay pain-free in your daily life. To find the best lumbar support pillows, we had testers of a variety of ages try different options and provide their feedback on factors like comfort, ease of use and back support during their nine-to-five.

This highly-rated lumbar support pillow is a favorite among Amazon shoppers and our Textile Lab. Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab Senior Analyst Emma Seymour used this pillow for two years and loves the lower back support it provides. "The foam was both comfortable and supportive," Seymour said. "I noticed less neck pain as it encouraged me to not hunch over while working."

The curved shape promotes better posture while the memory foam is firm, yet comfortable to lean against. While the foam can trap heat, the mesh cover (available in five colors) is breathable and can easily be removed and thrown in the washer. The cushion easily slid over Seymour's office chair, but she noticed it shifted a bit over time, requiring her to occasionally readjust it.

Material: Polyester mesh cover and memory foam fill | Shape: Wedge | Straps: Yes

A cylindrical, oblong pillow may not be the first shape you think of when picturing a lumbar support cushion, but this pillow is surprisingly a popular choice among physical therapists for its ability to support proper spine alignment. Karena Wu, P.T., D.P.T. , physical therapist and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy , says she "always recommends the McKenzie lumbar roll."

The GH Institute's textiles analyst Grace Wu was coincidentally recommended this pillow by her physical therapist too. She used this pillow without the strap on her office chair so that it would slip down if she began to slouch: "It helped encourage me to actively correct my posture," she said.

The pillow comes in standard and firm density options, with a single strap that can fit around chairs or car seats and a removable cover for easy washing — all impressive features for such an affordable option. There's also an inflatable version for traveling that Dr. Wu shares "works wonders on airplanes."

Material: Polyester cover and foam fill | Shape: Cylinder | Straps: Yes

Whether you have a long commute to work, you're prepping for a road trip or your job involves driving, sitting in a driver's seat can be just as uncomfortable as sitting in an office chair all day. This cushion from Tempur-Pedic is thinner than other options, has a longer shape and is strapless , making it a great option for those looking to add lumbar support to their long drives.

GH Textiles Analyst Grace Wu rated this cushion at a medium firmness level. "It conforms to your body just enough to feel comfortable while also encouraging proper sitting posture," Wu says. One tester loved the "sink-in soft" material. While the memory foam is comfortable, our textile experts say this material traps heat, and Wu found herself overheating after several hours of use.

If you're on the shorter end, the Travel Lumbar Pillow size may be a better fit. Wu and another tester preferred it for fitting perfectly on their chairs and being "easily portable."

Material: Foam | Shape: Rectangle | Straps: No

The unique butterfly shape of this pillow is designed to support your spine and multiple areas of the back, and one tester said she liked that the shape "hugged" her sides a bit. The extended upper wings of the pillow provide support to the top half of your back, while the bolstered bottom of the pillow supports your lower back. The contoured shape creates an ergonomic spine crevice.

Testers liked how easy the pillow was to put on their chair and appreciated that it did not shift, saying the straps kept it perfectly in place. Multiple testers found the pillow to be hard and firm, but most agreed that it ultimately corrected their posture and alleviated back pain. Seymour thought it had a good balance between firmness and comfort, noting that she sat up straighter and taller than she did without it.

The outer fabric is a knit material and that Seymour says feels a little hot and sweaty at times. "My old one was mesh, which felt a little cooler to the touch," she says. Luckily, the cover is removable, so a quick wash will do the trick to keep it fresh.

Complete the set with the brand's Pressure Relief Seat Cushion (which our testers loved) and the Ergonomic Foot Cushion for better alignment of the body and maximum back support.

Material: Polyester cover and Hyperfoam fill | Shape: Butterfly | Straps: Yes

This bolster pillow is similar to the Original McKenzie Lumbar Roll but without the straps. The design promotes a more active and mindful correction of posture. Rather than a large rectangular wedge forcing you to sit upright, this pillow encourages you to engage with your core and back muscles to sit upright and prevent the pillow from falling.

One tester found the pillow to be squishy enough to lean back into, but firm enough to correct her posture. "I was surprised that the pillow rarely fell or budged, despite how much I fidget and move in my seat," she shared. That said, if you slide down your seat or move too much, the pillow will roll down. Another tester brought the pillow home and said it "did a good job of supporting [her] back" while sitting on a couch, but wishes it were slightly smaller.

Made from latex rather than memory foam, Grace Wu says the pillow will not trap heat and is more resilient — a feat that's rare among lumbar support pillows.

Material: Latex | Shape: Cylinder | Straps: No

Purple boasts the best cooling mattress according to our textile pros and one of our favorite mattresses in a box . The brand also sells a back cushion made of its GelFlex Grid, a unique grid-shaped elastic that is supportive, breathable and pressure-relieving. One tester who has experienced lower back pain for years thinks this squishy-yet-firm cushion would be helpful if she were having a flareup. She said, "This was very comfortable to use. I love the additional amount of support on my back, but also the almost massaging cushion that the purple insert provides."

Testers disliked the setup process, which involves fitting a floppy gel insert into a cover. One tester said the process was "a bit cumbersome" and another said the adjustable strap was difficult to fit around their chair.

Testers praised the "cushiony" pillow and our experts love the GelFlex Grid's breathability to reduce sweating and keep your back cool.

Material: GelFlex Grid fill and Hyper-Elastic Polymer fill | Shape: Rectangle | Straps: Yes

Lumbar support cushions are not the only pillows that can reduce lower back pain — seat cushions can also provide some relief, especially if your pain is in your lower back. "[This cushion] has lumbar support for the sacral area and conforms to your bottom and upper thighs,” says Klee Bethel, M.D. , director of interventional pain management at the Neil Riordan Center for Regenerative Medicine in Tempe, Arizona.

Sitting in an office chair or for hours in a car will be much more comfortable with this all-in-one cushion made with gel-infused memory foam. The contoured seat cushion will provide relief to your tailbone, hips, thighs and legs, while the back cushion will encourage correct posture and support your lower back. Available in four colors, this cushion is pricey and a bit bulky if you're trying to travel with it, but the support it provides to your bum and back makes it worth it. Plus, the non-slip cover on the bottom prevents the cushion from shifting and sliding on your chair.

Material: Memory foam with gel pad | Shape: L-shape | Straps: No

How we chose the best lumbar support pillows

The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab evaluates mattresses, pillows and seat cushions with the help of our experts and feedback from consumer testers . To find the best lumbar support pillows, our analysts recommended products they've tested. We also researched brands and evaluated customer reviews.

After narrowing down options, we gave our testers lumbar support pillows to try in their office chairs and homes. T hese testers responded to a detailed survey about their experience so that we could evaluate the comfort, ease of use, back support, quality, breathability and pain relief of the pillows.

On top of that, we spoke with physical therapist Dr. Wu about she recommends in a lumbar pillow.

What to look for in a lumbar support pillow

The material, shape, firmness, size and more can affect which pillow is right for you and your chair.

✔️ Material: Our top picks feature memory foam, gel and latex fills. These materials support the back, but some are better at relieving pressure or correcting your posture. The fill will also affect the firmness, with memory foam feeling firmer than its bouncier counterparts, gel and latex. A mesh cover may be more breathable and less sweaty than knit covers. You can read more about the best material further down in this guide.

✔️ Shape: Popular shapes of lumbar support pillows tend to be cylinder/roll, curved wedge/rectangle and contoured. Grace Wu recommends speaking with a physical therapist or medical professional to evaluate your sitting position to decide what pillow shape to buy. "There’s unfortunately no 'one size fits all' in my opinion," she says. Factors to consider when picking a pillow shape and size are the setting (car vs. office), the type of chair, your frame and your height.

✔️ Straps: Some pillows strap onto the backrest of your chair, which can help ensure it is positioned properly and does not move. Pillows without straps can be easier to bring from one chair to another, and they may promote active posture correction. Wu says both options have their benefits: "Those with straps are likely meant to sit higher on a chair and can be adjusted based on your frame, but straps won’t always keep the support in place, as desk chairs can vary greatly in size and shape."

✔️ Size: The thickness of the cushion can affect the support, contour and firmness. Contoured options like Cushion Lab's Back Relief Lumbar Pillow are quite bulky and may be too big for smaller chairs. Small rectangular cushions like Tempur-Pedic's Travel Lumbar Cushion may be too thin and small for someone tall or a large office chair. The Cornell University Ergonomics Department's suggestion for backrests states that the depth of the lumbar curve of the backrest should be 0.6 to 2 inches and the height should be between 5 and 9 inches.

Do lumbar support pillows work?

Studies show that sitting slouched or slumped for a long time can lead to discomfort in the lower back. L umbar support pillows that effectively improve your posture while sitting at a desk or in the car for hours should relieve discomfort and reduce back pain. "The point of the lumbar support pillow is to remind you to sit up with good posture and to force you to use your postural muscles to work in maintaining this good upright posture," Dr. Wu says.

In one study of male participants with a "lumbar support pillow with a cut-out for the posterior pelvic tissues," there were multiple benefits found in the results : the center of pressure measure improved, the lumbar region was closer to neutral and the amplitude of the postural difference in the lumbar region slightly improved.

Dr. Wu says a lumbar support pillow helps prevent back pain because it forces your lower back to retain its normal curve. Future research is needed to definitively determine the long-term benefits of lumbar support pillows, but the correction of posture and reduction in pain for most users make them a useful tool in aiding back pain.

How do you use a lumbar support pillow?

Dr. Wu advises placing the lumbar support pillow in the space of the lower back, above the pelvis. "If you have your bottom flush against the back of the chair, lean forward and place the support pillow in the 'crook' of the low back," she explains. It should not be placed between your buttocks and the back of the chair, so aim to place it a little higher up if it is a smaller pillow with straps. When you first set up the lumbar support pillow, Dr. Wu says it should immediately make you feel like your lower back has a slight arch.

Who should use a lumbar support pillow?

Anyone who sits in a chair can benefit from a lumbar support pillow — and Dr. Wu says there are no downsides to using a support pillow long-term (so, it doesn't hurt to try). Those who sit for prolonged periods of time can benefit the most from lumbar support because it will prevent slouching and consequently, less back pain. This may include corporate workers at a nine-to-five job, truck drivers, people on a road trip and college students studying for hours at a time.

While it's safe to try a lumbar pillow, it's best to see a doctor if you are experiencing chronic pain in your back. The pain may be caused by a more serious factor or injury, especially if your lifestyle does not include tons of sitting.

What material is best for lumbar support pillows?

Most lumbar support pillows are made of memory foam or gel and each has its pros and cons. While memory foam is firm, it notoriously traps heat and conforms to your body (causing your back to slowly sink into it). Latex and gel cushions have a bouncier, squishier feel. "Gel is a dense liquid, similar to what you would find in gel shoe inserts, while memory foam is a solid foam that displaces its cells as opposed to moving the fluid around,” explains Dr. Bethel.

Wu says most lumbar support pillows on the market are made of foam. "While foam, particularly memory foam, is known for conforming to your body and providing pressure relief, too much 'give' defeats the purpose," she explains. "I would recommend looking for a medium to firm lumbar support pillow over anything soft."

A lumbar support pillow will encourage you to mindfully correct your posture. "The idea is to train your body to develop better posture," Wu says. Ultimately, the best material is whichever material you find the comfiest that effectively corrects your posture .

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab use specialized equipment to test apparel, mattresses, pillows and cushions. We distributed multiple lumbar support pillows to real-life testers to gain user feedback and spoke with experts to consider recommendations.

Isabella Cavallo , the Assistant Commerce Editor at the GH Institute, has experience reporting health topics and commerce content relevant to health and wellness. She has interviewed physical therapists and medical professionals to write stories about stretches, roundups of compression clothing and sneaker reviews. She never sits in a chair correctly but tested multiple lumbar support pillows to see which corrected her posture best.

For this story, she read through multiple scientific studies and interviewed Karena Wu, P.T., D.P.T. , physical therapist and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy to gain more insight on the benefits of lumbar support for posture and back pain. Cavallo also consulted Grace Wu , Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab Product Analyst. Wu evaluates fabric-based products at the GH Institute and has a background in fiber science, materials science and engineering.

Isabella (she/her) covers commerce and product-related content in the home, lifestyle, fitness, technology and beauty. She graduated from Binghamton University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in English: Literature & Rhetoric. Before joining GH, she was an editorial assistant at Prevention, where she covered health topics and celebrity news. 

Grace Wu (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.

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