The 10 Best Neck Pillows for Travel and Neck Pain

When managing neck strain or stiffness, you’ll want a firm, supportive pillow that helps keep your neck in alignment. The Tempur-Pedic All-Purpose Memory Foam Travel Pillow is our top pick for those seeking a pillow to ease neck strain. It features a curved shape and firm texture to keep the neck upright and prevent head bobbing during use.

It also features a versatile peanut shape that means it can work as a travel pillow, neck roll, lumbar cushion, or leg spacer between the knees. “A peanut-shaped pillow has been shown to be more comfortable than a traditional flat pillow and may provide greater relief from neck-related symptoms,” says Tara Phaff, DPT, founder of Re-Store Physical Therapy in Suffolk County, New York.

This memory foam pillow is made from the quality Tempur-Material the Tempur-Pedic brand is known for, offering reliable pressure relief. It also comes with a five-year warranty for peace of mind. Note that this pillow is on the firm side and that you can’t adjust the loft.

If you want a neck pillow that is highly adjustable for different uses, the HEST Pro Travel Pillow offers a lot of versatility. With its three-in-one design, it can serve as an aligning neck pillow, a simple body pillow to support the back or knees, or a portable, small travel companion pillow. It’s also easy to take anywhere you need, as it comes with a clip to transform it for its various uses.

If you’re seeking a supersoft memory foam neck pillow, the Ostrichpillow Neck Pillow is a plush, luxe option, says editor Olivia Campbell, who tested it. “It’s super soft and high quality, and would be a great gift for a travel lover,” she says.

This neck pillow is made of BASF memory foam, a high-performance foam often used in premium pillows. It is known for its slower recovery and response to pressure, as well as its ability to return to its original shape. This pillow also features an asymmetrical design, offering different levels of support that you can adjust depending on where your head is facing. You can also use it upside down to account for which way your head tips when you sleep.

“This pillow also provides structured support that keeps the head from tilting forward,” says Kaylor, which can keep the neck aligned no matter where you’re using it. Of note, the size may be too large for those with smaller necks or bodies, and it can sometimes be a bit tricky to fit the pillow back into its travel pouch.

To support your neck while leaning back or lying down, the Sleep Number Adjustable U Pillow is a firm and useful option for keeping your neck in place. I tested this pillow and found that it worked better when leaning back to watch TV or lying down on my side.

The wraparound support can also reduce lateral head movement and help maintain a neutral neck posture.

I found this pillow to be easy to use, and it folds in a compact way for storage and travel. It’s also on the firm side, which can be good for someone with a stiff neck to lie down with. It’s firmer than other neck pillows I’ve tried, which is key when you want to keep your neck in place when lying down. It’s not the most comfortable for sitting up, but it can be more fitting for reclined positions.

Proper neck support is essential when spending long hours at your desk. This is why we chose the Cabeau Evolution X Travel Neck Pillow as the best for computer work, as it features cradled head support to keep your head and neck in place when sitting upright.

“The right thickness is everything — too high or too low, and you’ll wake up more sore than when you started, so look for adjustable or size-specific options,” says Okubadejo. This neck pillow comes with an adjustable neck strap for personalized support, and it can be customized in three ways to fit your neck circumference, height, and support needs. The manufacturer notes that there may be a brief adjustment period as you get used to the level of chin support (which they equate to breaking into a new shoe).

It also comes with cooling vents that circulate air flow and let excess heat out, which can help keep you comfortable when you’re hard at work. If you have a smaller neck, you may want to test this one out first, since it’s on the larger end.

If you tend to sleep hot, opting for a neck pillow with quality cooling features can help keep your body temperature comfortable even in places that tend to get stuffy, like airplanes. The Cabeau Evolution Cool Neck Pillow is our top pick for a cooling neck pillow, thanks to its patented cooling side vents that allow heat to escape, keeping you cool no matter where you are. Editorial director Simone Scully tested multiple Cabeau neck pillows, and she finds the brand to be a reliable source of functional, comfortable products.

This pillow is made with a unique dual-density memory foam that combines two layers of foam — a high-density, supportive base to keep your neck in place, and a lower-density, softer top layer for comfort. It can also be worn both upside down and backwards, featuring a pivot toggle that ensures a custom fit no matter which option you choose. It also offers raised sides that you can pull up over your ears to keep headphones or earbuds in place.

This neck pillow is probably best for someone with a medium- to large-size neck, and it can result in head-bopping in those with smaller necks.

The Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow holds its shape well, making it great for prolonged use on long trips. Okubadejo says that this one’s a go-to for long flights, as the Tempur material adapts to your neck’s shape and temperature, making it feel more personalized for longer-lasting comfort. “It’s compact and lightweight enough to fit in a carry-on, and it delivers the same neck support as Tempur-Pedic’s full-size pillows,” Okubadejo adds.

This pillow features a horseshoe shape that cradles and supports the neck on long flights and car rides, and it is a small, portable size for travel. It is also great for those with allergies, as it comes with an allergen-resistant cover that can be tossed in the wash.

However, many men (or women with larger necks) note that this pillow is too small and tight around their neck, so it may be best for those with smaller frames.

For the most compact and travel-friendly neck pillow, our pick is the Coop Adjustable Travel Neck Pillow. It can be easily inflated and deflated with a simple nozzle in under 30 seconds, and it can compress down to fit into a small, portable travel bag. It is also CertiPUR-US certified, a voluntary certification program that ensures that pillow foams are made with nontoxic, eco-friendly materials.

Campbell tested this pillow and says, “This will likely become my new go-to neck pillow on flights or trains. It’s soft, you can wear it in different positions, and you can adjust its air settings to make it perfectly comfortable in any headrest shape.” There are six different ways to wear it, and it has a soft, cooling fabric cover and an adjustable cord for a custom fit. “It also doesn’t feel like it’s choking me, like the wraparound neck pillows,” she adds.

It can be a bit bulky for some people when fully inflated, but you have the option to deflate it a bit to release some of the air. Campbell notes that it can also be difficult to get on and off when fully inflated, but overall, she rated it as the best she’s used: “This is my favorite of the neck pillows I’ve tested or otherwise tried. I love pretty much everything about it.”

“My son tends to sleep on planes and in the car, but he always looks so uncomfortable — he looked way happier and more comfy with this, and he actually wanted to use it because it was cute,” says Simone Scully. “The plushy stuffed animal heads also help wedge their head up, which seems more comfortable than some of the other pillows I’ve seen.”

However, while many kids love this pillow, others feel that the animal heads get in the way and can be uncomfortable, depending on the size of the child and the way their neck is leaning. Opening the Velcro closure strap across the front of the pillow may allow for more room and flexibility in these cases. The strap also allows you to latch the pillow around bags when you’re walking through the airport.

If you’re looking for the best balance of comfort and value, the Sleep Number Travel Pillow is one of the most affordable ones on our list and is frequently on sale. It is softer and more comfortable than some other neck pillows on our list, at a similar price, and it is made from flexible microfiber material. It’s also more versatile, as it can also be used when lying down.

I tested this pillow, and I enjoyed its ability to contour to my neck’s shape and movement. It’s very soft and feels like good-quality material. It comes with a clasp that holds the pillow in place and can easily attach to your luggage or backpack strap when traveling.

The clasp around the neck can rest against your neck if you’re sitting straight up, so this pillow may be more comfortable when reclining back in a car or airplane seat or leaning back and watching TV. If you lean back, you can push the back of your head back down on it, which allows the strap to lift up and not rest against you.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for an affordable, comfortable neck pillow to use when lounging, reading in a recliner, or watching TV.