Just like the best pillows are essential for a good night’s sleep, the best travel pillows are vital for travellers. Whether it’s an overnight long-haul flight or a European short-haul, these pillows are your comfortable and cosy companion on any journey – yes, even the commute.
Providing support for your head and neck so you can get some shut-eye wherever and whenever you need it, a good quality travel pillow is an investment that’s worth buying before you get to the airport. As a travel writer who has travelled across the globe, I’ve tried my fair share of pillows (both good and bad).
Travel pillows have come a long way. Gone are the days of bulky U-shaped, foam models; now, some pillows are designed so that they can be wrapped around your head to cover your eyes and ears (testing this particular model did earn me the odd stare, but was wholly worth it).
I always recommend thinking carefully about the materials. You shouldn’t dismiss a travel pillow because it’s made of nylon, polyester or recycled plastic bottle, as innovative manufacturing techniques mean these can be as soft as some of my favourite Egyptian cotton bedsheets.
Extra features are also worth considering – I personally love a travel pillow with a stash bag (ideally one with a keyring that enables it to be clipped to backpacks), and a washable cover, to keep it germ-free. After months of testing on trips around the world, keep reading to find my pick of the best travel pillows.
The IndyBest team also offer their expertise on other travel essentials, from best carry-on luggage to the best travel-size toiletries so that you can be as ready for your flight as possible.
Read more: I tried the Trtl travel pillow on a long flight – is it worth £40?
The best travel pillows for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Infinity pillow: £42, Infinitypillow.co
- Best budget buy – Mountain Warehouse memory foam travel pillow: £12.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
- Best for kids – Trtl pillow junior: £31.99, Trtltravel.com
- Best for hi-tech support – Cabeau evolution S3 travel pillow: £37.32, Amazon.co.uk
Infinity pillow
Best: Travel pillow overall
Material: Bamboo fabric 60% nylon, 40% bamboo rayon; lining 95% polyester, 5% cotton
Filling: 100% polyester
Weight: 500g
Dimensions: Unfolded 85cm x 15cm; folded 19cm x 19cm x 15cm
Why we love it
- Super soft
- Customisable shape
Take note
- Not ideal for travellers short on space
I love it when a brand breaks with tradition. Case in point is this soft, serpentine travel pillow, which can be bundled up or wrapped around your neck, and used in the car, on planes or in hotels where the pillows on offer have more in common with a lump of granite.
I preferred to use this one bunched up, while my travel companion twisted it around his neck, adding more bulk beneath his chin, to prevent the dreaded head-bob.
While this particular pillow probably isn’t ideal if you’re travelling light (it’s somewhat chunky), when it comes to comfort, this pillow knocks it out of the park.
Buy now £42, Infinitypillow.co
Mountain Warehouse memory foam travel pillow
Best: Budget travel pillow
Material: Memory foam and polyester
Filling: Memory foam
Weight: 315g
Dimensions: 35cm x 29cm
Why we love it
- Generous use of ultra-soft polyester (it even covers the neck strap)
Take note
- On the chunky side (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, to be clear)
Sometimes, the little things make a world of difference. Take the small fabric hook on the rear of this travel pillow, which allowed me to dangle it from my suitcase and backpack. The ultra-sturdy press stud on the neck strap also ensured the pillow stayed in place no matter how much I twisted and turned during a particularly long flight. It’s a memory foam pillow with just the right amount of mouldability.
Buy now £12.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
Lifeventure inflatable pillow
Best: Travel pillow for stashability
Material: Polyester and TPU-bonded fabric
Filling: Inflatable
Weight: 77g
Dimensions: 360mm x 510mm x 100mm
Why we love it
- Great value
- Compact
- Squashable design
- Provides neck, shoulder and head support
This doesn’t have the softness of some of the other pillows I’ve featured, but all is forgiven because the pillow is the epitome of portable perfection. Easy to inflate, it’s sold with its very own stash bag, and its curved shape did a fantastic job of cushioning not only my head but my neck and shoulders, and the logical placement of the easily accessible valve made it a breeze (excuse the pun) to add or release air when I needed to tweak this pillow’s firmness.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon.co.uk
Trtl pillow junior
Best: Travel pillow for kids
Material: Hypoallergenic fleece
Filling: N/A
Weight: 111g
Dimensions: 18cm x 22cm x 9cm
Why we love it
- Fully customisable
- Colourful designs
Why aren’t there more travel pillows designed specifically for kids? I love Trtl’s colourful creations, and the ridiculously soft fabric won’t chafe or scratch. I also found this pillow incredibly easy to adjust. Although the blurb states this travel pillow is designed for children aged between eight and 14, during testing, I found it’s also suitable for slightly younger children, as well as adults of smaller stature.
Buy now £31.99, Trtltravel.com
Cabeau evolution S3 travel pillow
Best: Travel pillow for hi-tech support
Material: Polyester and memory foam
Filling: Memory foam
Weight: 329g
Dimensions: 24.1cm x 25.4cm
Why we love it
- Brilliant breathability
- Great all-round support for head, chin and neck
- Free earplugs in carry case
Think of this as the Lamborghini of the travel pillow world – a precision-engineered support system for your head, chin and neck. It also comes with an ingenious added extra: a tiny pouch, attached to the rear that contains a pair of earplugs to help you block out unwanted noise. The memory foam is top-quality, and I loved the shape – the raised section on the inside hugged my neck in all the right places. I appreciated the extra-long strap, too – all too often, these are ridiculously short.
Buy now £34, Amazon.co.uk
Sierra Designs animas pillow
Best: For pillow-style support
Material: Polyester
Filling: Inflatable
Weight: 65g
Dimensions: 38cm x 25cm x 10cm
Why we love it
- Incredibly easy to inflate
- Silicone imprint on either side ensure it stays put
- Drawstring carry sack attaches easily to backpacks
Take note
- Expensive
This compact pillow provided great support for my neck, due to its curved shape. The slight indent did a great job of cushioning my head without allowing it to sink too far back, and the large valve made it quick and easy to inflate. I also loved the design of this particular component – all too often, the valves are raised or unwieldy to blow into, but this one was generously sized and incorporated into the pillow in a way that meant it didn’t snag or catch.
Buy now £45, Decathlon.co.uk
Snugpak butterfly neck pillow
Best: For travellers short on space
Material: Nylon
Filling: Inflatable
Weight: 100g
Dimensions: 37cm x 15cm x 8cm
Why we love it
- Stashes into the smallest of pockets and pouches
Take note
- Butterfly shape might not appeal to all
This pillow’s outer material was wonderfully soft, with a thickness that did a fantastic job of ramping up the comfort. It’s a great option for jet-setters who don’t gel with traditional travel pillows worn around the neck – I loved the way its butterfly shape meant it could be jammed into awkward corners and used as a headrest against aeroplane windows. It inflated and deflated incredibly quickly, and bonus points were awarded for its handy stuff sack, which can be dangled from buckles on backpacks.
Buy now £31, Amazon.co.uk
Cabeau evolution earth deluxe memory foam travel neck pillow
Best: Travel pillow for eco-friendly materials
Material: RPET fabric
Filling: Memory foam
Weight: 349g
Dimensions: 24cm x 25cm x 13cm
Why we love it
- Great neck support
- Use of RPET fabric (made from recycled plastic bottles)
Take note
- One of the more expensive travel pillows
Another hi-tech offering, Cabeau’s memory foam pillow is wrapped in an ultra-soft fleece-like lining and has a raised section that is brilliant at reducing the sideways head wobbles I’m prone to on long journeys. I also loved the fact that the lining (despite its incredible softness) is made from recycled fabric, and although I was sceptical about how easy it would be to wrangle it back into its carry case, the drawstring design made this a breeze.
Buy now £24, Amazon.co.uk
Ostrichpilow light versatile pillow
Best: Customisable travel pillow
Material: 95% viscose, 5% elastomer
Filling: Polystyrene microbeads
Weight: 125g
Dimensions: 31.5cm x 16.5cm x 7cm
Why we love it
- Multipurpose design
Take note
- Expensive
Now for something really different: a circular travel pillow filled with microbeads rather than foam. I initially baulked at the thought of a microbead filling, but the plush thickness of the outer material meant it still had a wonderful softness, as well as enough mouldability to provide adequate support where I needed it most. I should flag that there are plenty of places where this particular pillow can offer support.
While the photos on Ostrichpillow’s website suggest it’s intended to be worn around the centre of the head, allowing it to cover the eyes and ears while also providing cushioning, I also loved bunching it up and wedging it between my head and whatever surface I was resting against. I also liked the fact that the design is reversible.
Buy now £49, Ostrichpillow.co.uk
Slip jet setter travel pillow
Best: Luxury travel pillow
Material: Silk
Filling: Foam
Weight: 785g
Dimensions: 25cm x 25cm x 12.5cm
Why we love it
- Soft outer cover
Take note
- The filling is not memory foam
- Expensive
This pillow is ridiculously comfortable – a thick curve of foam covered with top-quality mulberry silk. The silk not only felt great on the skin but also kept my hair frizz-free. An integrated zip allows the cover to be removed and washed (because, let’s face it, we’re all prone to the odd mid-snooze dribble).
Buy now £126, Selfridges.com
Go Travel memory dreamer travel pillow
Best: Travel pillow for lumbar support
Material: Polyester
Filling: Memory foam
Weight: 355g
Dimensions: 26cm x 25.5cm x 12.5cm
Why we love it
- Memory foam core provides great lumbar support
- Thick lining
Take note
- No hook to hang it off backpacks
The memory foam core and cushioning of this pillow provide great lumbar support for the head and shoulders. The lining has a surprising thickness – one which suggests that it is more than capable of standing up to some serious wear and tear. There is no hook to hang it off backpacks, but I loved the buckle-style clip, which meant I could quickly and easily tweak the fit (something that press studs don’t allow).
Buy now £19.99, Go.travel
Outwell dream boat ergo pillow
Best: Multipurpose travel pillow
Materials: Polyester
Filling: Memory foam
Weight: 300g
Dimensions: 50cm x 29cm x 10cm
Why we love it
- Large size makes it versatile
- Top-quality memory foam construction
- Provides great support
This pillow is one of the largest I tested, but I can confirm it’s still perfectly suitable for plane journeys, thanks to its amazing squishiness. The upside to its supersized design is it can be used for camping holidays, too, and its versatility is ramped up due to a number of factors.
Firstly, the low-flat valves, which are easy to inflate but won’t snag when the pillow is squashed into small spaces or stashed into backpacks. Add a top-quality memory foam construction, super-soft fabric and a shape designed to support not just the head but the back and shoulders, and you’ve got a one-way ticket to the land of nod.
Buy now £18.17, Deporvillage.co.uk
Your travel pillow questions answered
What is the best travel pillow?
Would I ever have imagined the Infinity pillow, which resembles a snake (albeit a very soft one) would top my list of the best travel pillows? No, but it’s certainly worthy of the top spot, thanks to its customisable design and quality materials. Lifeventure’s inflatable travel pillow is proof that the best things really can come in small packages (and offer unexpected levels of comfort), while the Therm-a-rest compressible pillow cinch is a brilliant example of a travel pillow that can be used in a wide range of situations.
How I tested travel pillows
I tested these travel pillows over thousands of miles in a variety of vehicles. I tested them on long-haul flights to Japan and Singapore, short-haul flights to France, a car journey from Surrey to North Yorkshire, and a train journey from London to Scotland. In other words, I had plenty of opportunity to put these pillows to the test. If I’ve recommended a travel pillow here, you can be sure it’s up to scratch. I was looking for many factors when testing each travel pillow. These included:
What is the best travel pillow shape?
If you’re lucky enough to be one of those few people whose in-flight discomfort doesn’t come from head bobbing but the displeasure stemming from resting your head against hard surfaces, opt for a travel pillow with a traditional shape, rather than a looping design (another benefit of these is that they’re more versatile, and double as great camping pillows when space is at a premium).
What is the best travel pillow filling?
Don’t make the mistake of insisting on memory foam – although memory foam is usually best for support, there are plenty of other fillings (such as lightweight microbeads) which work just as well, while inflatable pillows are handy if you’re short on space.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Tamara Hinson is a travel writer with experience testing and reviewing myriad travel essentials, from packing cubes to cabin bags and hand luggage. As an avid flyer and frequent globetrotter, Tamara knows the features that actually matter when it comes to the products to take on your next trip. Here, she has featured only the travel pillows that she would recommend buying.
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