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The 10 best travel pillows for long flights and commuting in 2024, tried and tested
The market is surprisingly varied, with travel pillows for long flights, camping and inflatable options – but which is best for you?
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If you’ve ever sat on a long journey and woken yourself up with a lolling head and a sore neck then you might want to invest in a travel pillow. They come in all shapes and sizes, some cosy, some cooling, but the best travel pillows support your neck 360 degrees around, to prevent the over-flexing of muscles on any one side.
That all round support is particularly crucial for middle or aisle seats, where you have nothing to rest your head against. Many neck pillows for travel also clip onto your backpack or suitcase, so you don’t need to worry about taking up precious room in your luggage.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to get it right. The best value pillow I tried, from Go Travel, cost just £20. Trtl, Cabeau and Bcozzy pillows are more expensive around the £60 mark. “For those who often struggle to find a comfortable sleeping position while in transit, investing in a quality pillow can be a game-changer for achieving restful sleep during long journeys,” says Alex Kallen, founder of travel blog Leap Local.
If that sounds like you, or if you just love a travel accessory, read our in depth reviews of popular travel pillows below. You’ll also find advice on how to use them effectively at the bottom of this article. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:
Which is the best travel pillow in 2024? At a glance
- Best travel pillow overall - Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow
- Best value travel pillow - Go Travel Memory Foam Dreamer Travel Neck Pillow
- Best travel pillow for the middle seat - Trtl Pillow Original
- Best travel pillow for long flights - Bcozzy Neck Pillow
- Best inflatable travel pillow - Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller Pillow
What are the different types of travel pillows?
“There are various types of travel pillows available, from traditional U-shaped pillows to more innovative designs, such as inflatable travel pillows or memory foam pillows. The usefulness of a travel pillow ultimately depends on the individual traveller’s preferences and comfort needs,” says Kallen.
If you are going away, you may also be interested in our reviews of the best sleeping bags. If it’s improving your sleep quality you’re interested in, we also have a review of the best silk pillowcases.
How I tested the best travel pillows
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I tested these travel pillows over the course of two months (at the same time as my review of the best packing cubes). I rotated them on flights to Venice and Edinburgh and on my hour-long train commutes to and from work. It doesn’t take much for me to fall asleep in transit, although I often wake myself up with a tipping head.
I considered affordability, design and quality of materials. I was also looking for 360 degree support, firmness while still being comfortable, any additional features like straps to tie around seats and how small they folded down. Here is what I found, starting with my favourite...
Best travel pillows
1. Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow
Best travel pillow overall, 10/10
We like: the straps mean you can tie the pillow to an aeroplane seat to stop your head nodding forwards
We don’t like: it doesn’t fold down particularly small
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- 329g
- Carry case included
- Patented Seat Strap System
- Polyester with memory foam fill
- Machine washable cover
Supporting every side of your neck is quite a hard task for a travel pillow. As you read this, see if you can completely relax and still hold your head upright: it’s impossible without a neck brace. The Cabeau Evolution S3 travel pillow is the next best thing.
The travel neck pillow has a contoured shape designed to comfortably support the neck. The clever part comes with the patented Seat Strap System. It sounds fancy but it’s just a strap at the back of the pillow which attaches around the headrest behind you to keep your head from rocking forwards. I’m quite tall, but I imagine this would be slightly uncomfortable for petite people where the neck might not quite align with the headrest.
There’s a clip at the front which attaches both sides together so the neck is supported, although there’s still a small gap, which you notice.
The travel pillow doesn’t fold down as small as others but it comes in a handy carry case which can be carabiner-clipped onto bags and suitcases. Despite a few small faults, the Cabeau Evolution S3 was still my favourite and I had the best nap while wearing it on a train.
2. Go Travel Memory Foam Dreamer Travel Neck Pillow
Best value travel pillow, 9/10
We like: unbeatable support with a clip to secure it around your neck
We don’t like: it’s a little too firm and doesn’t fold down
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- 355g
- No carry case
- Front clip to support neck
- Polyester with memory foam fill
- Not machine washable
If you tremble at the thought of spending more than £60 on the Cabeau, I don’t blame you. I found this Go Travel pillow to be excellent value for money at just under £20. It’s basic but effective. The material is memory foam, with a clip at the front, and it really does secure your neck in place – a little too well, I found.
I tried it out while on a train journey with a friend. Each time they spoke to me I had to turn my full upper body to pay attention because my neck was secured in place. It’s perhaps better for lone travel, when you can guarantee you’ll be left to your own devices.
There’s no carry bag and it doesn’t collapse at all, but if you’re after a travel pillow that just does the job, then this is it.
3. Trtl Pillow Original
Best travel pillow for the middle seat, 9/10
We like: the completely unique design which is very strong
We don’t like: it’s not cosy and the brace slightly dug into my shoulder
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- 140g
- Carry case included
- Internal brace for neck support
- Fleece wrap with a velcro strap
- Machine washable
It might be quite strange looking, but the Trtl Pillow is definitely the most innovative I tried. There’s no memory foam. Hidden inside the soft fabric is an internal support system, essentially a brace, which curves inwards towards the neck and holds your head up.
Even with the soft fleece covering, I didn’t find it quite as cosy as a u-shaped travel pillow and the bottom of the brace slightly dug into my shoulder. But it’s definitely the most supportive I tried. It’s just the thing to prevent you waking up a couple of hours into a nap to find your head resting on the stranger next to you’s shoulder.
4. Ostrichpillow Go Travel Pillow
Best memory foam travel pillow, 9/10
We like: the ergonomic design works wonders
We don’t like: the memory foam could be a little firmer
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- 227g
- Carry case included
- Memory foam
- Cotton wrap with a velcro strap
- Machine washable wrap
If a travel pillow can be called elegant, this Ostrichpillow certainly is. The ergonomic design wraps around the neck, reaching up to the middle of the ears. The best part? The back sits flat against the seat behind - a usual irritation with travel pillows is that they bulge and force you to sit slightly forward.
I tested this over the course of a weekend trip to Copenhagen - on the train to Gatwick Airport and during the flight, there and back. I was incredibly grateful of this travel pillow on the flight back, which landed near midnight thanks to a delay. Concerns about being in the office the next morning on little sleep were all but banished after drifting into a deep sleep in my aeroplane seat - a window seat, nonetheless.
That said, I’d trust this peculiarly shaped Ostrichpillow in a middle seat. The wraparound design conceals a hidden chin pouch which reduces head bobbing. The soft memory foam is comfortable and cooling and the pillow folds down into a convenient carry case.
5. Bcozzy Neck Pillow
Best travel pillow for long flights, 9/10
We like: the pillow doubles up under the chin for extra support
We don’t like: it’s quite thin
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- 210g
- Carry case included
- Front doubles up for neck support
- Polyester with memory foam fill
- Machine washable
My main problem when sleeping while travelling is my head lolling forwards (I have quite a big head). The Bcozzy pillow solves that by creating a wrap around pillow with velcro at the front. One side then sits on top of the other so you have a double layer of pillow underneath your chin, so keeping your head up. Genius.
The only reason this pillow isn’t higher up is because the rest of the pillow isn’t quite so supportive. The back and sides are quite small so you only really feel the full support from the front. Personally, I found that was enough to lock my head in place, but I imagine others would want more secure support all the way around.
6. Tempur Transit Travel Pillow
Best travel pillow for car journeys, 9/10
We like: comfort of Tempur mattresses in a tiny package
We don’t like: unsuitable for travelling with lots of bags - no clip or carry case and heavy
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- 700g
- No carry case
- Tempur’s memory foam
- Removable cover is machine washable
As with Tempur’s more famous mattresses, this Transit Pillow is filled with Tempur’s special version of memory foam - a patented formula so secret that supposedly only 10 scientists in the world are privy, first developed by NASA for astronauts. What we do know is that the Tempur material is a form of memory foam that’s better at absorbing and distributing pressure, which is basically everything you want from a travel pillow.
There’s a distinctive sinking feeling as you lean into this neck pillow which is decidedly calming, like being lulled to sleep. The filling supports yet comforts, I’d have just appreciated a little more height to the pillow to lean against. The downside to the superior filling is that the pillow doesn’t fold down and doesn’t come with a travel case - there’s not even a clip to attach to a bag as with the Go Travel Pillow further up - it’s perhaps best suited to car journeys where volume of luggage isn’t an issue.
7. Snugl Travel Pillow
Best travel pillow for clipping onto backpacks, 8/10
We like: the fact it comes with a carabiner clip
We don’t like: the back doesn’t sit flat against the seat
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- 440g
- Carry case and carabiner clip
- Memory foam filling
- Polyester cover
- Machine washable
If my complaint about the Tempur pillow above was a lack of loft height, Snugl more than doubles it and the back is probably more like three times higher. This travel pillow is huge once it’s unravelled from its carry case (which receives bonus points for coming with a carabiner clip) but it’s able to fold down so small because the internal memory foam is far softer than the likes of Tempur.
That said, it still provides a surprising amount of support predominately because of the structure. The ergonomic design offers support around the neck while the clip at the front ensures your neck stays upright. My only niggle is that the back only presses down flat if you apply pressure from your head to the back of the seat, but it’s not enough to be a dealbreaker. All in all, a great value option.
8. Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Traveller Pillow
Best inflatable travel pillow, 8/10
We like: it folds down to a tiny size
We don’t like: it’s not the most supportive
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- 50g
- Carry case included
- Front clip to support neck
- Polyester and spandex
- Not machine washable
It’s hard to describe just how tiny this travel pillow folds down to. It’s smaller than the palm of my hand, about half the size of my iPhone 11. Inside the tiny carry case is a travel pillow which inflates in a couple of breaths.
Of course, there’s that awkward bit of blowing up a travel pillow in close quarters with a lot of strangers and having to release it to a rather trumpy sound at the end of the trip. (Is it still socially acceptable to publicly expel this much breath post-Covid? We’re not sure.)
It’s also not cosy because the material is polyester – although the quality still feels excellent and it is supportive. This is the travel pillow I’d keep in my bag in case of emergency naps, if not my choice for a long haul.
9. Infinity Travel Pillow
Best soft travel pillow, 8/10
We like: it’s cosy and wraps around you like a small duvet
We don’t like: it lacks support and is bulky in a bag
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- 550g
- No carry case
- Bamboo and polyester fill
- Machine washable at low temperature
If stiff travel pillows aren’t for you, perhaps this wrap around Infinity Pillow might suit you better. Designed by Amsterdam based BCXSY, the Infinity Pillow is made with sustainably grown bamboo fabric which is breathable when hot but warm when needed.
Its beauty is that you can arrange it as you’d like. Loop twice around your neck for all-around comfort, wear it cocooned around your head for window support, around your ears for noise cancelling or even behind your back for lumbar support.
I get a sore back during my commute, so I like the versatility of the Infinity Pillow. I just wish it was a little more supportive when just used as a neck pillow, which should be its main use.
10. Therm-a-Rest Pillow Compressible
Currently £22.10, Cotswold Outdoor
Best camping pillow, 8/10
We like: the cinch cord makes it easy to fold down
We don’t like: it’s not so great for travelling by car or plane, unless you have a window seat
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- 200g
- No carry case
- Cinches with pull cords
- Recycled polyester and foam
- Machine washable
If it’s more of a camping travel pillow you’re looking for, look no further than Therm-a-Rest. The soft pillow is far more comfortable than a regular inflatable camping pillow, instead made from recycled polyester. It’s still compact, stuffing into itself with pull cords for easy packing.
I’ve also been trialling this on the train, and found it to be rather comfy for when I’m sitting in a window seat.
This pillow is definitely better than most camping pillows but if you’re anything like me and are really quite fussy about where you lay your head, I fear you won’t be impressed.
Travel pillow FAQs
How do you use a travel pillow?
The usual way is to rest it at back of your neck, rotated to just the right spot for maximum support. There’s a lot of debate online about whether you should actually wear it backwards, with the gap at the back, to provide more support for your chin and allow your head to lay flat against the chair behind.
For us, the traditional method works best – so long as you find a travel pillow with good support at the front as well as the back, like the Cabeau Evolution S3 which is our Best Buy.
What should you look for in a travel pillow?
Look out for good neck support, comfort and low weight. Because you’re travelling with it, you’ll want it to be compact and washable. While most use synthetic fibres and fillings, some are more sustainable – for example, using recycled polyester or natural bamboo fibre. Bonus points if it can be carabiner clipped to the outside of a bag.
Are travel pillows worth it?
Yes, travel pillows are worth it, as long as you invest in the right one for you. Ensure you’re buying a well-thought out, 360-degree support pillow like the Cabeau Evolution S3 rather than a half-hearted attempt sold at a service station. It could be the difference between being able to sleep or not on a long haul flight.