Whether you commute frequently for work or are able to trod the globe, travelling can be exhausting. Anything you can do to make the trip more comfortably and (hopefully) get a little rest while you’re in transit can greatly improve your quality of life during your trip. A telltale sign of a frequent flyer is their ownership of a travel pillow.
Are travel pillows worth it? Yes, travel pillows can provide the neck support to allow you to comfortably sleep while seated in a commercial vehicle, like a plane, train, or automobile. They can also improve the quality of sleep you have while staying away from home.
If there were a simple solution to how to comfortably rest while traveling, there wouldn’t be such a wide variety of travel pillow designs available.
Different designs prioritize different features, trading the softness of the material for the convenience of deflating the pillow for easy storage, for example.
Of course, different people also have different sleeping habits, so what works best for one person might not work well for another. However, in my years of trying dozens for different options, both cheap and expensive, these are the 19 best travel pillows to use.
What Neck Pillow Should You Choose?
The list might seem a bit overwhelming but the choice of neck pillow mostly comes down to personal preference.
The prices on neck pillows vary, but will usually not exceed the $50 mark. You can easily buy a neck pillow for $20 that will do the job fine.
If you are a passionate about traveling like me, this guide Is built to help you find this absolute must-have companion. For every option I have put a link to help you find more information about it and the possibility to buy it from there.
#My Favorite
Cabeau Evolution S3
I hope you can find yours and take it with you on your travels!
The 19 Best Travel Pillows
I hope this table with the top 19 best travel pillows will give you an easy overview.
| Product | Price | Dimensions | Weight | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow | $$$ | 9.5 x 10 x 5 inches | 11.7 ounces | Great neck support |
| AirComfy Ease Travel Pillow | $$ | 14 x 3.2 x 8.5 inches | 6.2 ounces | Neck or lumbar support |
| Trtl Pillow | $$ | 2.9 x 2.9 x 1.5 inches | 3.52 ounces | Half the size of U pillows |
| Travelon Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Neck Pillow | $ | 13 x 4 x 13 inches | 0.64 ounces | Prevents head falling forward |
| AERIS Travel Pillow for Restful Sleep | $$ | 11.6 x 10.9 x 3.6 inches | 12.3 ounces | High quality memory foam |
| BCOZZY Chin-Supporting Travel Pillow | $$ | 9.8 x 11 x 4.7 inches | 7.4 ounces | Available in 3 sizes |
| Eagle Creek Exhale Neck Pillow | $$ | 4.2 x 13 x 12 inches | 2.56 ounces | Buckle to close gap |
| Clöudz pillow | $ | 12 x 12 x 4 inches | 6.4 ounces | Warm and cold sides |
| Comroll Travel Pillow | -currently unavailable- | 8 x 3.7 x 3.7 inches | 9.6 ounces | Darkness |
| Everlasting Comfort Travel Pillow | $ | 11 x 6.7 x 5.4 inches | 14.4 ounces | Raised lobe design |
| Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow | $$$ | 4.7 x 9.1 x 10.6 Inches | 13.4 ounces | Flat back design |
| Travelrest Ultimate Travel Pillow | $$ | 2.2 x 4.8 x 10.8 inches | 5.6 ounces | Full body support |
| Huzi Design Infinity Pillow | $$$ | 10 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches | 2.4 ounces | Foldable into many shapes |
| J-Pillow Chin and Neck Travel Pillow | $$ | 9.7 x 9.2 x 2.8 inches | 7 ounces | Compact support |
| Daydreamer Inflatable Neck Travel Pillow | $$ | 11 x 11 x 3.5 inches | 8.8 ounces | Push button inflation |
| Ostrich Pillow GO | $$$ | 10.5 x 9.5 x 6 inches | 14.9 ounces | Not the original Ostrich pillow |
| Lucy RealCushion | currently unavailable | 9 x 5.3 x 5.1 inches | 10.4 ounces | 2 pillows in 1 |
| Hoodie Pillow | $$ | 7 x 4 x 0.5 inches | 4.8 ounces | Hood |
| Twist Memory Foam Pillow | $$ | 13.2 x 7.3 x 3.9 inches | 16 ounces | Knee or lumbar support |
1. Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow
This pillow has a little taller and thicker memory foam core than inferior models so that your neck is fully supported with your spine in perfect alignment, while still allowing you to lean slightly to any side.
Straps in the front adjust the size to fit your neck, and straps in the back can be used to secure the pillow to the seat. The soft and breathable polyester cover doesn’t trap heat to cause you to sweat and is removable and machine washable. The included pouch compacts the entire thing to half its size and can clip onto the outside of your luggage.
2. AirComfy Ease Travel Pillow
The benefits of an inflatable pillow are that you can easily adjust the firmness and when deflated it doesn’t take up much space. This pillow has a removable, plush velvet cover and can be strapped to your headrest or used as a lumbar support pillow.
3. Trtl Pillow
Pronounced “turtle,” this pillow provides neck support in a different way. While traditional U pillows wrap around the entire neck and rely on increasing pad thickness to increase support, the Trtl has a strengthened internal rib that is secured in place with a scarf.
The result is a uniquely shaped pillow that provides the same amount of support at half the size. Of course, the cover is machine washable.
4. Travelon Deluxe Wrap-n-Rest Neck Pillow
Traditional U-shaped pillows provide nearly 360-degree support, but often leave a gap under the chin. This pillow wraps fully around the neck and in fact overlaps another 180 degrees to keep your head from dipping in any direction. It’s also cheaper and lighter than most comparable options.
5. AERIS Travel Pillow for Restful Sleep
Your pillows at home are probably filled with memory foam, so why would you put up with anything less from your travel pillow?
The core is made of the highest quality visco-elastic foam, which reacts slowly to pressure and compacts to half its size when stuffed in its pouch. The plush velour cover is removable and machine washable.
6. BCOZZY Chin-Supporting Travel Pillow
Versatility is important, and this pillow offers it. It’s available in 3 sizes, child, adult, and XL adult, so you can pick what is the best fit for you. The overlapping ends can be positioned under your chin or on either side of your head, depending on which way you like to lean.
It can also be folded in half to double up the support, or the ring shape could be used as a seat cushion.
7. Eagle Creek Exhale Neck Pillow
An inflatable pillow packs away neatly and offers variable stiffness. This design features a buckle to keep the two ends of the U shape together, closing the gap your chin would otherwise fall into. This little feature makes a world of difference.
8. Clöudz pillow
This pillow is filled with micro-beads, so your head is essentially resting on its own personal bean back. The top has a warm, felt-like fabric, while the bottom has a cooler spandex-like fabric, so you can choose based on personal preference or the temperature in the plane.
9. Comroll Travel Pillow
Sleeping while sitting straight up, looking like an insurance fraudster isn’t for everyone. This inflatable pillow rests on your tray table and allows you to lean forward to rest.
The design allows you to bury your head in darkness while still being able to breathe, and to cross your arms in front of you. It’s great for anyone who feels vulnerable sleeping in front of strangers.
10. Everlasting Comfort Travel Pillow
What makes this pillow stand out from other U-shaped memory foam pillows is the ergonomic raised lobe design that offers additional support on the sides where you need it. It also has a pocket perfect for holding your cell phone, ear plugs, and/or sleep mask.
11. Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow
Offering 360 support can result in thick padding where you don’t need it, specifically in the back of your neck. Your headrest is already designed to cradle your head and adding a thick U-shaped pad around your neck can push your entire head forward.
The flat back design of the pillow ensures you get the needed support on the sides of your neck, while keeping your back flush to your seat.
12. Travelrest Ultimate Travel Pillow
Most designs focus only on neck support. This pillow, when fully inflated, can be worn as a strap down the side or across the body. When partially inflated in can be fashioned into a traditional U shape.
13. Huzi Design Infinity Pillow
Just like the infinity scarves this pillow invokes; it can be folded in many ways to accommodate many different sleeping positions. The bamboo fabric is machine-washable, hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, and noise-cancelling when worn over the ears.
14. J-Pillow Chin and Neck Travel Pillow
This unique design provides the same neck and chin support as a U-shaped pillow, without wrapping around the whole neck. Unlike the other design that accomplishes this feat, the Trtl, the J-Pillow doesn’t have a rigid support rib, so it can be squished down to conserve space.
15. Daydreamer Inflatable Neck Travel Pillow
The biggest drawback of inflatable neck pillows is huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf to blow them up. This pillow can be inflated in less than a minute just by repeatedly pushing a button. It also has support spines to assist neck and head alignment.
16. Ostrich Pillow GO
In 2013 the Ostrich company released a pillow that covered your entire head like a mascot head and was summarily ridiculed on the internet. Since then they’ve released various versions that are essentially very thick hats, hoods, mittens, or blindfolds. The latest version is an extra plush neck pillow that’s worth it if you have the extra space and money.
17. Lucy RealCushion
This is essentially 2 pillows stacked on top of each other, adding a pillow to rest your head on in addition to the one supporting your neck. The bamboo cover has a half inch of extra cushion, so it feels more like a foam pillow than the inflatable pillow it is but can still deflate to decrease the space it takes up.
18. Hoodie Pillow
It’s an inflatable U-shaped pillow with an attached hood. It’s that simple. But the added privacy and darkness might make all the difference.
19. Twist Memory Foam Pillow
This long memory foam pillow has a bendable metal core that allows you to twist it into whatever shape you need to get comfortable. This versatility also means you can shape it to support your knees or spine while resting, providing support traditional travel pillows cannot.
…
