Written by Julia Forbes, Lead Product Tester
While traveling is something that opens up new horizons and shows you the beauties of the world, the process itself can be quite stressful and uncomfortable. This is especially true if you are stuck on a plane for six to eight hours.
Sleeping seems to be one of those things that make time fly by as we are on a long journey. As such, you need to make sure that you bring along a pillow to help you ease the stiffness and to possibly prevent strain when resting in a position that’s unnatural to your sleeping patterns.
Unfortunately, when it comes to it, the market is overly saturated with an abundant amount of neck pillows, from memory foam travel crescents to inflatable headbands, making it quite difficult to pick the best travel pillows for your needs. That’s where we step into the picture. Hopefully, after going through the following, you’d be able to make a swift decision, identifying the best travel pillows that cater to your needs in less than 5 minutes.
My Video Review of The Best Travel Pillows
 |
Memory Foam
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Chin Support
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Super Soft Fleece
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Ideal for Adults and Kids
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Adjustable Thickness
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Soft Velvet Material
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Ergonomic
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
Easy to Inflate and Deflate
|
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
 |
| CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
Top 9 Travel Pillow Reviews
Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Memory foam
- 360° head & neck support
- Washable cover
This is one of the most appropriate traveling pillows. It took advantage of proprietary and patented technology which involves the usage of high-quality memory foam.
This neck pillow is intended to deliver a great sleeping sensation.
The solution is fully adjustable, and you can make sure that you receive full 360 degrees support.
This means that it doesn’t matter whether your head would lean to the right, left or forward, it will capture the motion and carefully handle it.
This is a great solution, regardless of whether you’d be flying or traveling by bus or train. It’s an excellent and fairly affordable neck pillow.
BCOZZY Chin Supporting Travel Pillow
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Neck, head and chin rest
- Double adjustable loop in the front
- Washable cover
This is a unique travel pillow which comes with a thoroughly interesting design.
It’s intended to capture all sorts of movements of your head while sleeping in a sitting position by wrapping itself around your neck.
This is something that brings ideal comfort for airplane flights.
You can easily conform and also twist the pillow in a few different positions, and you are also able to control the overall tightness of the same.
It’s also perfect for home usage – you can take advantage of it to enhance your neck support while watching TV or while you are spending the rainy Sunday afternoon reading your favorite book.
It’s convenient to care, and it is machine washable for easy maintenance.
Trtl Pillow
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Fleece combined with a hidden internal support and cushioning
- Scarf-like design
- Velcro fastening
The Trtl Pillow claims to deliver scientifically proven long-haul support for your neck while sleeping on a red eye flight, bus or train ride.
The main intention of this compact neck pillow is to deliver ergonomic positioning of your neck throughout the resting period.
It is also claiming to be better than the traditional u-shaped neck pillow that’s made of memory foam and specifically designated for traveling.
It is much more compact – it’s approximately half the size of a regular travel pillow, and it weighs merely 148 grams. It is easy to carry and won’t take much space in your hand luggage.
Travelrest – Ultimate Travel Pillow
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Full lateral support for the upper body
- Inflatable model
- Multi-use
- Washable
This one claims to be the only travel pillow on the market that’s designed in a specific manner, bound to deliver full latter support for your entire upper body.
This should make it a lot easier for you to fall asleep, stay asleep and get a nice and relaxed sensation out of it.
It is specifically designed to enhance your head and neck alignment.
With this said, it’s intended to capture the involuntary movement of your head forward and sideward.
It is adjustable and could be used for different purposes. It is easily inflated and instantly deflated, allowing tremendous convenience.
Travelmate Memory Foam
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Memory foam
- Adjustable thickness for better support
- Washable cover
This is a traditional u-shape memory foam travel pillow, and it’s one of the most commonly used solutions out on the market.
It’s a newly released unit from the company, and it is patent-pending. The main difference is that it has a removable insert.
In other words, you’d be able to adjust the thickness of the pillow based on your requirements and personal preferences as well as the different sitting positions.
The idea is to prevent your head from being pushed in any unnatural direction.
It’s made of high-end molding memory foam that wraps around your neck extremely well.
Purefly Soft Velvet Inflatable
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Inflates with a button
- Raised neck support at the back
- Soft washable velvet cover
Purefly brings a new design that delivers enhanced support to your neck throughout the entire time you are resting on it.
It is a unique inflatable solution that takes advantage of modern inflating technology.
There is a button on the lower part of the pillow that you have to press continuously until you reach your very own desired inflation.
The design is innovative, and it’s intended to deliver raised neck support.
This means that it should feel comfortable, regardless of the sitting position you prefer and it should capture the overall tilting of your head, regardless of the direct.
Everlasting Comfort Airplane Travel Kit & Pillow
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Memory foam
- Washable velour cover
- Raised Lobe Design
This is a pillow that comes with a raised lobe design and a comprehensive new shape which is specifically intended to capture the different tilting movements of your head throughout travel.
This is quite comfortable.
The material that’s used is memory foam, and the pillow delivers a rather plush feel to it that’s particularly comfortable.
Homesky Inflatable Traveling Pillow
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Inflatable model
- Designed for face forward napping
- Multi-use and adjustable
- Eco-friendly PVC Flocking material
This is a head travel pillow which allows you to face forward and get a great nap regardless of the means of transportation you’re using.
It is extremely portable as it is inflated, but its size is rather bulky.
However, it’s made out of soft materials which are eco-friendly, and they bring an incredible touching feeling.
It is very easy to inflate it and to deflate it, allowing for quick on-flight setup.
You can do so with the press of a single button.
Futone Inflatable
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Inflatable model
- Designed for face forward napping
- Multi-use and adjustable
- PVC flocking material
This is another convenient forward facing travel pillow which is appropriate for all of you who prefer this sleeping position.
It has a convenient small packaged size, making it overly easy to carry around. It’s inflated, and it won’t take much space in your luggage.
It’s great for napping, but it’s questionable for longer sleeping sessions.
The design is ergonomic, and the materials that the pillow is made of are very soft and plushy.
Why You Need an Airplane Travel Pillow
An airplane pillow could make the difference between a relaxed sleep throughout your flight and an uncomfortable struggle which will leave you with nothing but a headache, strained neck and utter disappointment and a feeling of tiredness.
You need an airplane neck pillow to help your body adjust to the otherwise unnatural sleeping position of your body. Obviously, your body is used to sleeping in a regular, lying position. When you are on a plane or any other form of transportation where a bed isn’t available, you’d be sitting.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but as soon as you start to fall asleep, your body begins to fall into a relaxed feeling, and your neck would naturally bend towards the direction that your weight pulls it to. If you don’t have a neck pillow to restrain this movement, you are most likely going to end up waking up with an unpleasant strain, stiffness, and even a nasty headache. That’s why an appropriate travel pillow could truly make the difference.
We’ll guide you through the process of choosing the best travel pillow for your needs, evaluating the benefits of everything from the best memory foam travel pillows to supportive neck pillows.
Our Plane Pillow Buyer’s Guide
Inflatable or Not?
Now, this is one of the first things that you’d likely have to consider when you’re making your choice. The difference between both types is substantial. Inflatable travel pillows tend to be far more convenient in terms of portability as they take little to no space in your luggage or backpack.
This is the main reason for which a lot of people prefer them. At the same time, though, they tend to allow air to get out and flatten out quickly upon applying continuous pressure.
Non-inflated solutions, on the other hand, tend to be bulkier and more challenging to carry as they take more space. However, the wide majority of them are made of conforming memory foam which is particularly comfortable and supportive.
In other words – it’s a trade-off based on your preferences. If you want to get something portable and you’re willing to sacrifice some of the stability, go for an inflated unit and vice versa.
Material
This would depend on the neck pillow that you’d want to get. Inflatable travel pillows are usually made of some polyurethane-based materials which are easily folded and packaged. They are soft and very comfortable.
On the other hand, the wide majority of non-inflated airplane travel pillows are made out of conforming memory foam. They deliver better comfort and support to your neck, and most of them are going to capture the unintentional tilting of your head in every direction when you sleep in a sitting position.
Airplane Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position is going to be determined by the type of travel pillow you decide on. Some people prefer to rest their head on the back headrest, and they would benefit the most from a regular, u-shape neck pillow.
Others tend to tilt their head quite a lot and could be better off with a pillow that’s capable of capturing forward tilting motions as well – this is definitely something to consider.
Ultimately, if you’re aiming to catch a nice nap, you might be better off with a specific front-facing pillow that’s intended exactly and only for this occasion.
Neck Support
This is the single, most important thing that you would have to take into account when you are purchasing a airplane pillow. Unless you have the luxury which comes with expensive first-class exclusive tickets to have a bed on board, you would have to sleep in a sitting position.
This is going to make your head tilt with the natural movements of the plain or any other type of transportation method. As such, the most pressure throughout your sleep would be forced on your neck. That’s why you should be looking for a pillow that’s going to deliver enhanced neck support.
If you also need this at home, check out our top quality pillows for neck pain.
Long or Short Flight?
If you’re going on a longer flight, you might benefit more from an inflated neck travel pillow as it would take little to no space in your baggage. The assumption is that you’d have to take quite a lot of personal items and the last thing you’d want is to get half of your suitcase filled with a sleeping pillow.
On the other hand, if the flight’s shorter and you can afford to take less luggage, you might consider a non-inflated and bulkier neck pillow.
All in all, it’s a matter of personal preference and whether or not you can afford the luxury of carrying a bulkier travel pillow with you. If you can – even better as non-inflated travel pillows are generally preferred.
Frequently Asked Questions about Travel Pillows
Are travel pillows a good idea for kids?
Yes, they are even highly recommended. Kids should receive extremely enhanced neck support as strain and neck-injury could lead to some more serious conditions. You should put extra thought into picking the best travel pillows for your kid.
Of course, this would depend on the type of pillow but be aware that there are specifically designed ones which cater to the needs of younger kids.
What seating position is the best for airplane sleeping?
Generally, you’d be staying in an upright sitting position, and you wouldn’t have much of choice. If that’s the case, you should consider a position which limits the movement of your head as much as it’s possible. If you can rest it on the side – that’s great.
However, if you are a middle-seat, you should rely on a regular u-shape traveling pillow.
Can airplane travel pillows cause neck pain?
Yes, if you purchase an inappropriate or low-quality travel pillow for your flight, you can experience serious neck pain as a result. You should put some thought into purchasing a pillow – that’s for sure.
Conclusion
Failing to get the most appropriate pillow for you might result in some serious strain and stiffness. This is something that you ought to account for. With this in mind, if you pay attention to what we’ve mentioned above, you’d have absolutely no issues with your pillow.
There are a few key considerations to account for, and we’ve listed all of them for your convenience. This is something quite important.
Additionally, we’ve also presented you with some of the best travel pillows on the market. They include different types and materials so you can choose the one that’s most appropriate for you.
Julia Forbes
Lead Product Tester
About Author
Julia is the Lead Reviewer at Sleep Advisor, specializing in testing out mattresses and sleep accessories – she’s in the right line of work, because she loves to sleep.
Stomach Sleeper
Sources & References:
- How To Travel the World Without Jet lag – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov