Best travel pillows to provide neck support while you snooze

Frequent flyer or summer jet-setter? Gruellingly long bus journeys or a couple of nights’ festival camping on the cards?

Whatever plans fill your diary, we know all too well how important it is to have a good night’s sleep - even if that’s in the form of an afternoon nap, or a comfortable kip on-the-go. Why should travelling mean we have to compromise on the quality of rest we get? It shouldn’t! Enter the travel pillow.

Yes, it would be great to be able to take your plumpest comfiest best-friend pillows with you in tow, but you might not be the biggest hit with your fellow passengers, and let’s be honest it’s not that practical.

Travel pillows on the other hand have come a long way – there’s everything from lightweight blow-up ones to wrap around temperature regulating ones, meaning you can be up in the sky or huddled in a field and still feel the comforts of home sweet home. There really is no need to compromise.

What to look for when choosing a travel pillow?

Every travel hopper is different, so really it comes down to trial and error and finding what is best for you. Look at the material, texture and firmness – do you like soft and spongy or more firm and solid? Is memory foam for you? Is how it packs down important too – do you want to squeeze into your hand luggage or attach to your bag? Can you deflate it easily or squash it to the bottom of your rucksack? Pick carefully to avoid extra weight or any cumbersome inconveniences.

See our pick of the best travel pillows for every type of sleeper

Trespass memory foam travel pillow

A reliable option for both comfort and convenience. The memory foam filling provides snug cushioning and good neck support, while the snap button fastening makes it easy to carry around – attach to your backpack or luggage to keep your hands free. The fleece covering can also be removed so cleaning and drying after a long journey is made simple.

Buy now £14.99, Trespass

Simba travel pillow

Drift off to dreamland with Simba’s home-from-home travel pillow. Created using the brand’s special Simbatex cooling foam, it will make sure you stay cool, calm and refreshed as you nap on the softest and temperature-regulating cushioning. Roll it up and pack it away into its own compact bag to keep travel light and simple.

Buy now £60.00, Simba

Infinity Pillow travel pillow

Wrap it, loop it, twist it – you can almost do anything with the infinity travel pillow and use it in any resting position for the ultimate comfort. Its signature bamboo fabric has temperature regulating properties to keep you cool and is ultra-soft for the optimum cocooning conditions. Choose from one of the eight colours, from sunset orange to pine green, and be the envy of your fellow travellers.

Buy now £39.99, Infinity Pillow

Aeros ultralight traveller pillow

This is great for travellers tight on space as it packs flat into a compact sack and weighs just 50g – win-win. Not only is it super light, but its adjustable neck closure offers more support than other travel pillows to ensure the most comfortable kip wherever you are.

Buy now £19.95, Amazon

Travelrest Nest ultimate memory foam travel pillow

Sink into a slumber against this spongy pillow with its thermo-sensitive memory foam that moulds to the shape of your neck and shoulders. It features Velcro straps which fit around most necks to help maintain natural alignment when sleeping and rubber non-slip grips on the back to hold the pillow in place for the comfiest resting positioning.

Buy now £34.99, Amazon

Trtl Pillow Plus

‘Loop, wrap and nap, it’s that easy’. Simply undo the Velcro and fit to you. The Trtl travel pillow is fully adjustable to all sizes and is covered in a super soft fleece material for a first-class sleep experience. It’s nice and lightweight too so you don’t have to lug it around with you between stopovers and stations.

Buy now £54.99, Trtl Travel

Bcozzy double support neck pillow for travel

Your next adventure needs this plush travel pillow from Bcozzy. Designed to prevent any neck pain or strain when travelling around, sit back in any upright or compromised position and get some quality rest on the bouncy pillow. Available in two sizes for adults and with a selection of fun designs for kids, ranging from a green frog to a light purple unicorn.

Buy now £39.97, Amazon

Go Travel Memory Dreamer travel pillow

Relax into the velvety topped memory foam pillow for a homely feel on the move, providing a smooth resting spot while looking out for your precious neck and shoulders. Its fully adjustable front closure will give a personalised fit to keep your upper body securely in place with 360° neck support. Choose from a variety of colours to suit every traveller.

Buy now £19.99, Amazon

Kierain memory foam travel pillow

This is one of the top sellers on Amazon for a reason. 100 per cent memory foam covered in a navy blue or grey velour cover, Kierain’s pillow is soft yet supportive. Slip into your hand luggage (it’s fairly small in its own little bag so won’t take up much space) and recline back during your journey, using the adjustable rope fastener to suit your neck and shoulder shape and provide the ultimate comfort.

Buy now £13.59, Amazon

J Pillow chin supporting travel pillow

The J Pillow travel pillow is unique in its design – a U shape with a ‘trunk’ curling under the chin to support the head from the front as well as its back and the neck. Nod off without falling forward and prevent strains to the upper body. Pack it up into its compression bag and clip on to the side of your luggage for a hassle-free journey.

Buy now £22.95, Amazon

Go Travel hybrid memory foam pillow

Packing down into a pocket-size pouch makes this a super handy pillow to have on your travels. Blow it up and sink into the memory foam moulded shape for a homely feel on the move while also looking out for your precious neck and shoulders.

Buy now £19.99, John Lewis