There is one item that always travels with me on every long-haul flight I take. That would be my trusty inflatable travel pillow.
Well, living in Australia, every overseas flight we take is a long flight! Which means we eventually nod off for a little nap, especially on those 18-hour flights. And there is nothing worse than waking up with a crook neck. Then you spend the next two days ironing out the pulled neck muscles.
There are many inflatable neck pillows for travel out there. And the only way to know what works is to test them. So, I purchased three different types of inflatable travel pillows and put them to the test over a three month period.
I may not be able to fly overseas just yet thanks to a particular virus! But as I work in Australian mining, we are flown to/from site every 2 weeks. On my last shift, I finish work at 6am, board the flight at 8.30am and promptly fall asleep for the entire flight home. So, I was able to thoroughly test each inflatable travel pillow and share the results below.
Disclaimer – I personally purchased all three neck pillows below for this test and review. Also note that some links are affiliate links. Please read the Disclaimer page for more info.
I chose to test this one as I wanted to know if a flat-back design really is better for you. They say it's more ergonomic as the back of the neck pillow doesn’t push your head forward.
Likes:
Dislikes:
I loved the soft velvety feel. But disappointed that it didn’t keep my head tilted to the side onto the travel pillow. And that it's difficult to inflate. So I give it a star rating of 3.5
I selected this inflatable travel pillow purely for its size. It’s the smallest neck pillow I have ever seen. So, I was keen to see if it was supportive too. And I was curious about their claim that you can inflate with 2 breaths!
Likes:
Dislikes:
As I’m all about light packing, I loved how small and light it was. But again, disappointed that it didn’t keep my head resting/tilted to the side onto the neck pillow. So I give it a star rating of 3.5
This is the very first inflatable travel pillow I used. As I was happy with it, I continued using it until it formed a hole. And then replaced it with the same model.
Likes:
Dislikes:
I found this inflatable travel pillow the most comfortable. It kept my head in position and didnt cause neck pain. Two reasons why I didn’t give it a 5. Firstly, the material is not super soft like the other brands but it’s not irritating. Secondly, I feel these neck pillows should last as long as my original purchase.
Which is the best inflatable travel pillow?
Let's start with a quick summary of the three reviews above.
FEATURES | Go Travel | Samsonite | Korjo |
|---|---|---|---|
Soft/Velvet Material | |||
Carry Pouch | |||
Inflation Ease | |||
Deflation Ease | |||
Head stays in position while sleeping | |||
STAR RATING | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Now lets look at them side by side.
Go Travel - Super Snoozer
Samsonite - Compact Inflatable Pillow
Korjo - Inflatable Snooze Cushion
Or you can watch a video review of all three cushions, by clicking on the image below.
Click to play
I guess its difficult to say which neck pillow is the best because it depends upon a number of factors, such as:
- Each inflatable travel pillow comes in different shapes and sizes
- Every persons physical make up (i.e.. Size and shape of neck) is different.
It is time consuming and costly to try every neck pillow on the market. But hopefully the above reviews will give you an indication whether the travel pillow could be suitable for you. Also, you can make a judgement on which to purchase based on what is more important to you. E.g. The size of the neck pillow when packed or if you want the velvet feel on your face etc.
For me, my favourite is the Korjo Inflatable Snooze Cushion. Mainly because of its ergonomic neck design keeps my head in place while I sleep. That is more important to me than the soft velvet feel.
If you have any specific questions on the products, jot them in the comments below. Which inflatable travel pillow will you buy for your next plane trip?
