The Best Travel Pillows For Long Flights
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Our Picks For The Top Travel Pillows
- 1. Trtl Ergonomic Adjustable Travel Pillow
- 2. MLVOC Sweat-Resistant Support Neck Pillow
- 3. BCOZZY Children’s Cozy Travel Pillow
- 4. Dot&Dot Twist Customizable Easy Clean Travel Pillow
- 5. SAIREIDER Ultra Soft Zippered Neck Pillow
- 6. World’s Best Machine Washable Recycled Fibers Neck Pillow
- 7. napfun Ergonomic Side-Sleeper Travel Pillow
- 8. TALLGO Velour Ergonomic Travel Pillow
- 9. Crafty World Perfect Nap Thermo-Sensitive Neck Pillow
- 10. Cloudz Original Dual Comfort Travel Pillow
- 11. MyPillow Roll & Go Cotton Lumbar Support Travel Pillow
- 12. J-Pillow Head Elevating Easy Carry Travel Pillow
- 13. Travelmate Plush Adjustable Neck Pillow
- 14. Therm-a-Rest Foam Compact Travel Pillow
This machine-washable travel pillow comes in tons of fun colors and two sizes — adult and junior. It promises to keep your head in an ergonomic position while you sleep upright, and can easily be adjusted to make your trip more comfortable.
Adjustable DesignThis travel pillow will help you stay comfy during your next long trip. And when you get home, simply tosh it in the washing machine.
Designed to reduce neck pain while traveling, this travel pillow has an adjustable rope for a snug fit. There's no need to worry about your new pillow collecting germs during your trip, as the pillow is machine washable. As an added bonus, the pillow comes with earplugs, an eye mask and a handy travel case.
Easy to CleanThis neck pillow comes with a few extras, like a cute carrying case and a set of earplugs.
No matter what your sitting position, this travel pillow will help you feel comfortable enough to catch some ZZZs. The pillow is made to wrap completely around your neck to provide both neck and chin support. It's also ergonomically designed to reduce pressure on your spine and shoulders, so you wake up without any aches or pains.
Added Chin SupportAdults will love this travel pillow, which promotes a healthy posture while sitting in an office chair, a home sofa or a seat on an airplane.
With this travel pillow, you'll get more uses than just resting your head during a flight. The pillow is malleable, so you can fold it to fit under your leg or straighten it out to put behind your back. At the end of your flight, you can utilize the handy snap closure to hang the pillow from your carry on.
Multiple UsesThis versatile travel pillow wins high marks for its easy of use and soft outer fabric.
Buying Guide
Whether you travel by plane, train or automobile, chances are your journey is going to last at least a few hours. As long as you aren’t the driver, you’ll be able to rest your head and catch a few ZZZs. Travel pillows are the perfect solution, as bed pillows are just too big to realistically transport. When shopping for a comfortable travel pillow, there are a few things to look for.
Determine who you’re buying the pillow for. There are pillows for adults, as well as children. A good choice if you plan on bringing your kids along is a pillow that resembles the children’s bedtime pillow that they have come to know and love. It’s nice if it is also machine washable.
Look to see what type of support the pillow offers. You want a pillow that is going to prevent your neck from getting stiff and your muscles from getting sore. There are also models that have added chin support to keep your head from falling over as you drift off to sleep.
Ask yourself what type of material you prefer? The two most common types are cotton and memory foam. Cotton is soft and comforting, while the memory foam is able to conform to your specific body shape.
MORE: The Best Travel Blanket
Review the travel pillow’s uses. Some pillows are simply made for the neck and head, while others can also be used to support the back or to prop up a leg.
Consider a travel pillow that comes with a few extras. The MLVOC Memory Foam Travel Pillow also offers customers a handy set of earplugs and an eye mask for quieting the senses. It also includes a travel bag to keep all of the pieces together.
What to Look For
- Always read the product label to locate the cleaning instructions. Many travel pillows are safe to throw in the wash, but some aren’t. You don’t want to accidentally damage the pillow and have to shell out money for a new one.
- Make sure the travel pillow doesn’t take up too much space so you have room in your luggage for more necessities. Another option is to choose a travel pillow that can be attached to your luggage.
- When it’s time to replace your travel pillow, consider a few alternative uses for it. You can use the pillow as a knee guard while gardening, a pet bed or even simply use the outer fabric as a rag for cleaning.
- When comparing the price of travel pillows, you’ll need to take into account size and extra features. One that comes with a travel case, earbuds and an eye patch, like the MLVOC pillow, will cost more than a pillow that doesn’t have all these features. Others that have more of an intricate design may also be higher in price.
More to Explore
We’ve been wearing travel pillows wrong this whole time
Taking an in-flight nap is a real treat — if you can pull it off.
Most of us fly in the economy cabin, where reclining your seat can be seen as an act of malice and people literally fight over armrests. Some folks rock the travel pillow around their neck, but even that can be awkward and uncomfortable.
TikTok to the rescue! User @sidneyraz caused a stir recently when he pointed out that “travel pillows go in front”:
@sidneyraz you can actually sleep on a flight #traveltipsandtricks #inmy30s
Mind officially blown. And apparently I’m not alone, since the video racked up over 34.3 million views, 5 million likes and hundreds of comments.
How did we miss this? It makes total sense. With the neck opening facing your back, the bulky pillow doesn’t smoosh against the seat and force your neck into an awkward position.
Instead, as @sidneyraz demonstrates, you’ve got 360-degree support for your noggin. Snoozing is a snap!
A quick spin through @sidneyraz’s profile reveals dozens of little tips and ideas he dubs “things I should’ve known before I was in my 30s.” Like this one: You can erase permanent marker with dry erase marker.
@sidneyraz well this was terrifying #inmy30s #permanentmarker
What? Wow.
Or, you can keep a cut avocado fresh and not-brown by storing the unused half in a little bowl of water.
@sidneyraz testing how to keep an avocado fresh over two days #avocado #inmy30s
Which makes sense — exposure to oxygen is what causes the unsightly-but-harmless brown discoloration to appear. Still, I had never even considered this! (And I am, uh, no longer in my 30s.)
Finally, there’s an incredibly easy trick to properly line a bread tin with aluminum foil. Brace yourself:
@sidneyraz first time trying this #bakingtip #cookingtip #inmy30s
Of course, you can always just stick the foil in there and poke and prod it into place. But when I’m worried about a sticky loaf, I’ll do any little thing I can to take the pressure off.
Much like @sidneyraz here, I find myself exasperated by my own ignorance at basic “adulting” skills. Perhaps I need to grab my travel pillow and take a newly comfy nap.
– by Kathleen St. John
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