Best airplane neck pillow thingy these days?

February 15, 2024 12:01 AM

I'm about to start traveling by plane a lot more often than I have since, oh, 2019 or so. Now that I'm approaching 50, I need recommendations for a neck pillow thingy that won't leave me with super-strained neck muscles (migraine inducing, massage-requiring) after a long and/or overnight flight.

Please give me your best recommendations, and please describe what you like about them! I know this is super subjective, so hearing what works for you is helpful.

Basically, I think I want something relatively firm, but that doesn't feel like it might put pressure on my throat, but that also helps keep my head relatively upright. Leaning a bit to the sides is fine.

I definitely do not want anything that contains beanbag pellet type filling.

Thank you!

posted by erst to Travel & Transportation (13 answers total)

Best answer: The next time I have to fly for more than a couple of hours, I'm buying a Turtl pillow and a memory foam, velcro strap neck pillow.

I need support for my chin, so my head doesn't fall forward, and the traditional neck pillow design doesn't keep my head up. Pillows which have adjustable "press and pull" straps in the front tend to loosen with time, and the open U shape pillows don't hold my chin at all. I think velcro would be a better solution. Turtl also seems like it has good support. (I think Turtl is either love it or hate it, but I'm willing to try.)

Memory foam feels nice and you can roll it up and squish it into a small bag. The same goes for the Turtl pillow.
posted by gakiko at 2:14 AM on February 15

Best answer: I have the Turtl pillow and it's the absolute best. Actually, I'm on my second since I gave my first to an in-law when she had a super long bus ride home, and she was an instant convert.
posted by wind_up_horse at 4:19 AM on February 15 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Another vote for the Turtl. I fly internationally for work and can't sleep if the front of my throat/larynx feels compressed. Donut pillows always fail this test, and I was skeptical about the Turtl on this metric but it doesn't trigger this particular sensitivity (it feels more like a "neck hug" that you can tinker with than "directional compression"). I use the "cool" model, but the basic model is where I started and I'd have no problem encouraging people to try it first.

I'm also a backpacker, and sometimes I'll bring my Thermarest backpacking/camping memory foam pillow with me, too. I have the "regular" size and it's perfect for me but the smaller size would be great if you're only using it during travel instead of while sleeping in a sleeping bag. It's fantastic: it compresses with a cord strap when packed, and it expands over the course of a few minutes when uncompressed. Even better, there's in integrated bungee cord that you can tension to tighten the fabric cover, giving you a low of control over the size and firmness/softness of the pillow while you're using it (if I have a window seat, I'll sometimes forego the Turtl in favor of leaning against the wall with this pillow tensioned to have it fluffy and soft; if I'm on a long layover, I'll lie on the floor with this pillow tensioned to maximum firmness).

Happy travels!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:35 AM on February 15 [2 favorites]

I haven't tried the Turtl but I have that exact Travelrest memory foam pillow and it's got me through a lot of long flights. I tend to nod forward when I sleep, and the Travelrest stops that but only if I fasten it quite tightly at the front - if you are very sensitive to anything at the front of your throat you might not like it. It is nice and firm and really like how the back of the pillow is sloped so you can lean back against the seat.
posted by penguinliz at 4:46 AM on February 15

Best answer: Another vote for the Turtl here, though it's a very love it or hate it thing. My head tends to list sideways when I sleep sitting up until it falls too far and slips off whatever I was propping it up on (typically the side of the seat, or the plane wall) and wakes me; the Turtl just props it up in a way that won't slip. Meanwhile my sister tends to change positions a lot and needs a u-shaped pillow fastened with the open side at the back of her head.
posted by sailoreagle at 6:13 AM on February 15

My ideal config is one of the neck support pillows plus an inflatable pillow (OR, if you're flying in a coat, just bring an empty pillowcase for it). The pillow is good for leaning against the wall if you end up in a window seat, but also if you're a side-sleeper like me (or just a pillow-clutcher) I sleep SO much better upright if I've got my arms wrapped around something.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:16 AM on February 15 [1 favorite]

We borrowed the Turtl and the adjustable version from my in laws for our last long flight. My wife thought the classic one was good. I didn't like either. I usually have my head flop forward and that wakes me up, so I took and old inflatable U shaped pillow and sewed a strap and clip on the "front" so I could wear it backwards. The bend of the U held my chin up and the sides supported me from flopping sideways, but there was very little behind my head pushing it forwards. That worked really well for me.
posted by advicepig at 6:47 AM on February 15 [2 favorites]

Did you see this question I asked here a few years ago? I lament that I still haven't found something that works for me, so please report back when you find something great!
posted by oxisos at 10:53 AM on February 15

I bought this Cabeau one last year and really like it because of the straps on the back that attaches to the airline seat (like this: image) that keeps my head from nodding forward.
Also, the memory foam is comfortable, but my ears are sensitive and the sides are tall-ish... so I use it "upside-down" and find it to be perfect for me.
posted by Laura in Canada at 11:52 AM on February 15 [1 favorite]

I also have the Cabeau and love it. The fact that it attaches to the airline seat makes all the difference as it supports your head while sleeping.
posted by mezzanayne at 2:16 PM on February 15

I kickstarted the Sleeper Hold and have used it a few times -- it's a strap that you attach to the airline headrest, and a small pillow that sits behind your neck. It does a good job of holding my head up without any pressure on my neck.

The complaint I have is that sitting with a face mask + eye mask + over ear headphones is too cave-like, and of the three items, the pillow loses out for me. But if you only had one or two of those items, you might find it works for you.
posted by past unusual at 7:12 PM on February 15 [1 favorite]

Best answer: nthing the Turtl. Also, the inflatable "box" that helps you elevate your feet up a little was really a game-changer for me on transoceanic flights in cattle class, along with compression socks. Seriously, you cannot believe how much compression socks help with not only ankle swelling but even overall jet lag and tiredness after a really long flight. Sorcery.
posted by SinAesthetic at 10:25 AM on February 16 [2 favorites]

Pillows that hold your neck stable and/or your chin upright (like the Turtl) seem to work best. I have found that memory foam is OK for short flights, but performs badly on long haul flights, as it kind of seizes up and becomes hard (not sure if an air pressure thing or a temperature thing). The thing is, for sleeping upright, you don't actually want your head to tilt, because your neck muscles will become very sore. Pillowy things work OK if you have a window seat and can lean against the side of the plane, but you'll still get achey. I have a counter-intuitively stiff neck pillow that effectively locks my head in place so that I can just relax my neck, and I find that works better than any other neck pillow I've tried. Invest in a good eye mask and earplugs too for the best in-flight sleep.
posted by amusebuche at 2:50 AM on February 17