.jpg?w=696&resize=696,0&ssl=1 "The Best Travel Pillows for Sound Sleep (and Spinal Alignment) at 30,000 Feet")
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For anyone who travels frequently—or has arrived at any destination with a neck crick and a creased face—the best travel pillows are a non-negotiable accessory. Take it from (very) frequent flier LaDell Carter, founder of luxury travel agency Royal Expression Travels. Passionate about in-flight wellness, Carter says that her rituals for “maintaining peak performance at 30,000 feet” include Ayurvedic oils, 111Skin eye patches, and—always—a travel pillow. “As someone who spends her life in the air, I can say with certainty that the right travel pillow can make or break a trip,” she says. “It’s the difference between arriving ready for a champagne lunch meeting in Paris or stumbling off the plane looking for the nearest bed.”
Medical pros also endorse the plushy travel gear. “A good travel pillow can save your neck, literally,” says board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Hooman Melemed. “I’ve actually seen patients come see me after a flight who’ve suffered pinched nerves from sleeping the wrong way—it can happen!” No one, of course, would want that, whether they’re landing in Pittsburgh or Paris. To help stave off everything from poor sleep to pinched nerves, we’ve rounded up the best travel pillows below.
These picks meet experts’ standards for comfort, head-and-neck alignment, portability, and more. Safe travels!
- Why We Love It: Vogue editors have been known to stash Slip’s silky hair ties at their desks and take them on runs. For home, the brand’s pillows and sleep masks, famous for supporting beauty rest, are also editor-approved. When you’re on the road, there’s Slip’s Jet Setter Travel Pillow: Swathed in 100% mulberry silk, the pillow makes it possible to hop off a crowded red-eye flight with dewy skin and soft, shiny hair. The secret is in the silk, which glides across the skin and hair instead of pressing into it, keeping creases, wrinkles, and breakage at bay. It’s designed for convenience at every step—the lightweight pillow comes with a TPU carry-on case for easy portability.
- Fabric: Mulberry silk
- Fill Material: Cotton
- Colors: 3
- Size: 9.8 inches (length) x 4.9 inches (width)
- Care Instructions: Machine wash pillowcase; spot-clean pillow
- Why We Love It: Ostrichpillow’s design adjusts to the contours of the spine to prevent your head from tilting or nodding mid-catnap. It also has an adjustable, hook-and-loop closure for a customizable fit, and comes with a travel pouch. “This has a minimalist design that looks more like a chic accessory than a clunky U-shape,” Carter says. “It compresses into its own bag, has a washable sleeve and breathable fabric, and a BASF memory-foam core that adapts to your neck.” She adds that the adjustable enclosure ensures a perfect fit, even for petite necks.
- Fabric: Spandex
- Fill Material: Memory foam
- Colors: 6
- Size: 27 inches (length) x 6.5 inches (widest width)
- Care Instructions: Machine wash removable pillowcase
- Why We Love It: Jaunty green and white stripes rendered in buttery silk make Gingerlilly’s pillow stylish enough to gift. But it’s not all form over function: Filled with memory foam for a plushy feel, the pillow has a press-stud fastening to keep it secure. The mulberry silk also has its inherent perks. Not only does the fabric keep the skin and hair smooth, but it’s also hypoallergenic and helps with temperature regulation.
- Fabric: Mulberry silk
- Fill Material: Memory foam
- Colors: 1
- Size: 30 cm (height) x 30 cm (width) x 9 cm (depth)
- Care Instructions: Hand wash
Best Travel Pillow for Winter Travel: Buffy Nook Pillow
- Why We Love It: This fuzziest, coziest of pillows deserves space in your carry-on for wintertime trips (or for layovers in overly air-conditioned spots.) With a recycled sherpa cover that feels like a warming snuggle on the neck, the pillow has eco-friendliness in its DNA. Its recycled PET fill is GRS-certified and BPA-free—and according to the brand, each pillow uses up approximately 25 recycled bottles. Buffy’s travel pillow comes in three earthy hues, each created with water-saving dyes.
- Fabric: Sherpa
- Fill Material: Sateen-weave TENCEL lyocell shell, GRS-certified, BPA-free recycled PET fill
- Colors: 3
- Size: 20.5 inches x 18 inches x 6 inches
- Care Instructions: Cover: machine wash cold, lay flat to dry; Insert: dry clean only
- Why We Love It: In for the long haul? Buckle up (literally) with Cabeau’s precisely engineered travel pillow. Designed with the brand’s Strap Seat System, the pillow has a seat strap to prevent head drop and keep the airways unrestricted. It also includes an adjustable clasp for a customized fit—plus a memory-foam fill that contours to the neck. For yet another convenient plus, the product has a built-in storage compartment to hold earbuds and other teeny travel essentials that are otherwise easy to lose. “What sets this apart from every other travel neck pillow is that set of straps that loop around the back of an airplane or car seat. This lets you attach it securely, preventing your head from flopping forward or bobbing from side to side while you catch some sleep in the upright position,” says Dr. Leah Kaylor, a licensed clinical and prescribing psychologist and sleep expert. “This is a lifesaver on long flights! It also has a drawstring in front to keep your neck from falling out of the pillow. It’s worth its weight in gold in my opinion.”
- Fabric: Memory foam polyester
- Fill Material: Memory foam
- Colors: 4
- Size: 9.5 inches (length) x 10 inches (width)
- Care Instructions: Removable, machine-washable cover
- Why We Love It: Friendly on the budget—and the neck—Napfun’s versatile pillow comes with a carry case and an adjustable string closure. Designed to accommodate any type of sleeper (in any type of liminal setting), the pillow has head support for those prone to nodding, raised edges for side sleepers, and a thickened back to cradle the neck of back sleepers. What’s more, its machine-washable cover is made with a breathable, polyester-spandex hybrid that’s soft and gentle on the skin. “This one is great because it’s not too pricey and it’s a memory-foam option that provides chin and neck support to keep your neck aligned,” Dr. Melemed says. “It’s also easy to travel with because it’s lightweight.”
- Fabric: Polyester and spandex
- Fill Material: Memory foam
- Colors: 15
- Size: 10 inches x 10 inches 4 inches
- Care Instructions: Machine wash removable cover
- Why We Love It: Trtl’s nontraditional pillow has a patented internal support system, made of hard plastic, that’s wrapped in a cozy swath of hypoallergenic fleece. Lighter than an iPhone, the pillow wraps around the neck like a scarf with adjustable tightness and holds the spine in an ergonomic position to prevent strain. It’s packable and easy to carry; but if you want to go hands-free, the pillow comes with a carry-on bag.
- Fabric: Hypoallergenic fleece
- Fill Material: Patented, hard plastic internal support
- Colors: 4
- Size: 8.7 inches x 9.5 inches x 3.6 inches
- Care Instructions: Machine wash removable cover cold
- Why We Love It: Lunya’s silky travel pillow supports beauty sleep in any kind of vehicle. With straps that fasten onto headrests in cars or planes, the versatile pillow is made with skin-and-hair-loving fabric and filled with cushy, recycled polyester. (It also comes with additional filling you can tweak to your preference, lest your travels call for a firmer nap.) The pillowcase zips up for easy removal and filler insertion, and—in case you can’t tell from the name—it’s easy to wash, by hand or machine. “This is part of a full travel set we often gift to clients,” Carter says. “The silk is gentle on skin and hair, the cover is machine-washable, and paired with the PJ set and silk eye mask, it turns any flight into a personal wellness retreat. It’s as functional as it is indulgent.”
- Fabric: Washable mulberry silk
- Fill Material: Recycled polyester
- Colors: 2
- Size: 17 inches x 11 inches x 5 inches
- Care Instructions: Handwash or machine-wash the removable pillow cover, lay flat to dry
- Why We Love It: Complete with cashmere socks, a cashmere travel pillow, and a sleeping mask in the same sumptuous fabric, Zegna’s set wraps you in a cloud of soft luxury… even in less-than-luxe settings, like a middle seat or a plane stranded on the tarmac. This alone makes the giftable set worth the splurge, and the appeal of its contents doesn’t end after the flight. Even at home, a night of sleep with a cashmere mask is bound to make dreams silkier and sweeter. “Zegna is a personal and family favorite—my son loves the brand as much as I do,” says Carter. “The craftsmanship, texture, and even the packaging are exquisite. Cashmere is an entire mood in the air. The only caveat is that it requires special care when cleaning, so travelers should keep that in mind.”
- Fabric: 100% cashmere with calf-leather details
- Colors: 2
- Size: Not disclosed
- Care Instructions: Do not wash or dry-clean, use any solvent except tetrachloroethylene; do not tumble dry, dry flat
Best Customizable Travel Pillow: Infinity Pillow
- Why We Love It: Shaped like a Möbius strip, the Infinity Pillow has an octopus-like ability to shapeshift based on its environment. Whether you need neck and lumbar support in an aisle, middle, or window seat, the customizable pillow can twist to accommodate your go-to sleeping position. It can also be used as an eye mask, or (in the case of loud seatmates) as a noise-muffling pillow. (Just wrap it around your ears, and voila.) Available in 10 peppy hues, including bubblegum pink and robin’s egg blue, the pillow’s bamboo fabric is breathable, soft, and temperature-regulating.
- Fabric: Bamboo
- Fill Material: Polyester
- Colors: 10
- Size: 33.5 inches x 6 inches unfolded; 7.5 inches x 7.5 inches x 6 inches folded
- Care Instructions: Machine wash in a low temperature in a mesh laundry bag; do not tumble dry
Everything You Need to Know:
What features should I look for in the best travel pillows?
“A good travel pillow can support your neck, prevent stiffness, and help you actually get some rest,” says Dr. Kaylor. She recommends seeking out a travel pillow with neck and chin support, with an ergonomic that successfully stops the head from flopping forward and a material that feels comfy against the skin. “I personally like to look for removable and washable covers and compact storage for when I’m not using the pillow, too,” Dr. Kaylor adds.
Are travel pillows worth it?
Not merely worth a bit of expense, travel pillows are “critical” for any trip, Dr. Melemed says. “Your neck and spine health are incredibly important, especially if you’re traveling,” he explains. “Just think of being in pain on a business trip or a vacation. It won’t be pleasant.”
And, the consequences of a no-travel-pillow voyage can be even more dire than passing unpleasantness. “Keep this in mind: invest in the right pillow, and a few bucks will save you a lifetime of pain,” Dr. Melemed says. “Sleeping or even slouching in the wrong position can lead to surgical intervention in the future.”
Are memory foam or inflatable pillows better?
“Memory foam pillows tend to be softer, more supportive, and mold to your neck shape, but they take up more space and can be harder to pack,” says Dr. Kaylor. “Inflatable pillows are lightweight and compact when deflated, making them great for saving space, but they may feel less cushioned and supportive.” In short, she says, the “better” option depends on one’s personal preference. “Try both and go with what feels best for you,” she suggests.
How do I care for and clean my travel pillow?
All the travel pillows in this edit come with care instructions, and many of them have removable covers that can be hand-washed or machine-washed. (Unless it’s Zegna’s set, which needs to be treated with particular solvents.) Whatever the cleaning instructions are, though, make sure to use them: “Airplanes, lounges, and even private transfers expose you to more surfaces [and germs] than you realize, so being able to remove and wash the slipcover is non-negotiable for me,” Carter says.
How the Best Travel Pillows Were Chosen
The travel pillows in this piece were selected with insight from the pros, including those with medical, sleep, and travel expertise. The pillows were also chosen based on a variety of factors that make them practical—including portability and washability—and functional for supporting proper alignment. In our opinion, the best travel pillows also have aesthetic appeal–and we’re partial to pillows swathed in fabrics that feel good against the skin.