The best travel pillows for planes, trains and car travel this summer

Unless you’re lucky enough to fly first class, sleeping on a plane is no easy feat. Seat buckles, a lack of neck support and meagre legroom all contribute to a less than ideal sleeping environment, which is why a travel pillow – as well as the best carry-on luggage – should be high up on your list of priorities when travelling long haul.

So, whether you’re on board a transcontinental flight, or travelling cross-country on a night bus, having the best travel pillow at hand to suit your environment will not only help you sleep better, but it can help prevent neck pain and avoid awkward sleeping positions.

So which type of travel pillow is the best for you? To help you answer that, The Recommended scoured the internet to find the best travel pillows to ensure you have a good night’s sleep, regardless of how you travel.

The best travel pillows at-a-glance:

• Best for neck support: BCOZZY Neck Pillow
• Best budget travel pillow: Life Hall Travel Pillow
• Best travel pillow for side sleepers: Travelrest Ultimate Travel Pillow & Neck Pillow
• Best accessories: Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Travel Pillow
• Best portable travel pillow: SNUGL Travel Pillow
• Best cylindrical travel pillow: Dot&Dot Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow
• Best for comfort: Huzi Store Infinity Pillow
• Best travel pillow for camping: Trekology Camping Pillow
• Best premium travel pillow: Wilford & Sons Neck Travel Pillow

The best travel pillows

Best for neck support: BCOZZY Neck Pillow

Chin rest stops your head from dropping

This travel pillow wraps fully around your neck, providing extra support to your chin when you sleep. It can also be customised to suit three sleeping positions.

Made from a breathable micro-fleece and micro-suede material, this travel pillow is designed to promote comfort and support. It also has a flat-back design, which is said to prevent your head from hanging forward when you sleep.

Best budget travel pillow: Life Hall Travel Pillow

Ideal for aisle and middle seats

Made from 100% pure memory foam, this U-shaped travel pillow features raised side panels designed to support your neck and promote comfort.

This travel pillow is available in four colours: grey, red, black and navy. It features an adjustable rope design for altering the pillow to fit different shapes and sizes and comes with a handy travel bag.

Best travel pillow for side sleepers: Travelrest Ultimate Travel Pillow & Neck Pillow

Ideal for side sleepers

This travel pillow wins full marks for creativity. It can be worn like a sash across your body, which is perfect for when you’re stuck in a middle aisle or if you’re a side sleeper.

Great for all the family, this travel pillow is inflatable and rolls down into a compact shape that you can easily attach to luggage. It is designed to promote proper head and neck alignment and to keep your head from falling forward when you sleep.

Best accessories: Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Comes with earplugs and a sleeping mask

With a set of memory foam earplugs, sleeping mask and carry bag, this neck rest and air travel accessory kit includes everything you need for a solid night’s sleep when travelling.

The travel pillow itself is made from memory foam and is designed to support your head and body position when sleeping. There is also a drawstring that enables you to alter the tightness of the pillow around your neck.

Best portable travel pillow: SNUGL Travel Pillow

Packs into an included carry bag

This travel pillow is great if you are low on space in your hand luggage. Its size can be reduced by up to 70% to fit in its carry bag and comes fitted with a handy clip for attaching to luggage.

This travel pillow is made from a skin-friendly cationic fabric, which is breathable and soft and prevents overheating and sweating. The shape of the pillow is designed to mould around the contours of your neck and shoulders, which is said to help maintain your body’s natural alignment when sleeping.

Best cylindrical travel pillow: Dot&Dot Twist Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Impressive versatility

This twistable memory foam travel pillow is highly versatile. It can be folded into a range of shapes and positions to help you find a comfortable position when travelling.

The pillow itself is made from memory foam and is covered in a removable cotton cover which is machine washable. It also features a snap closure clip, which is great for attaching the pillow to the outside of carry-on luggage.

Best for comfort: Huzi Store Infinity Pillow

Unique design

Named the Infinity Pillow after its unique design, the shape of this travel pillow can be altered and manipulated to suit the space you’re in, whether you’re on a plane, in a car or relaxing at home.

Machine washable, this travel pillow is made from bamboo fabric, which claims to be softer and more breathable than high-thread-count cotton fabrics. It can be configured to accommodate any sleeping position, including as a traditional neck pillow, for general 360° comfort, as a window pillow, and as a back support.

Best travel pillow for camping: Trekology Camping Pillow

Lightweight and ultra-compact

The perfect travel pillow for adventure camping, trekking and backpacking, this inflatable pillow weighs just 95g and folds away into a compact case that’s smaller and lighter than a can of pop.

This travel pillow is made from a combination of down and polyester and is available to buy in eight colours. It is ergonomically designed to provide neck support and features a patented air valve system designed to prevent air from escaping during the night.

Best premium travel pillow: Wilford & Sons Neck Travel Pillow

With a side pocket for storing accessories

Made from premium viscoelastic memory foam and featuring a patented ergonomic design, this travel pillow is designed to adjust to the shape of your neck.

This travel pillow comes with a set of earplugs, a facemask and a mesh bag for storage. The exterior of the pillow is made from a ‘velvety-soft’ fleece cover that can be removed for machine washing.