Best travel pillow — A travel pillow has to be small enough to carry, supportive enough to actually work, and washable. Our team’s pick of the best travel pillows in Australia for long-haul flights, road trips and campsites.
Hannah on our team flew Sydney–London four times in 2024 and tested travel pillows on every flight. Most are useless. A few are surprisingly good. Here’s the field, sorted.
The three types (Best travel pillow)
- Inflatable — packs flat, adjusts to fit, but the valve always wants to come undone.
- Memory foam — the most supportive, but bulky in a daypack.
- Microbead — the cheapest and lightest, but offers near-zero head support.
1. Trtl Pillow Plus — Best Overall
The Trtl is a fleece scarf with an internal plastic neck-support frame. Looks ridiculous; works brilliantly. The frame holds your head sideways without letting it bob, and the scarf packs flat to about 18 cm long. $90 in Australia. The Plus version is height-adjustable, which is the one to buy.
2. Cabeau Evolution S3 — Best Memory Foam
Cabeau’s memory-foam neck pillow has a chin strap that stops your head falling forward (the actual reason most travel pillows fail). Removable, washable cover. About $80. Bulkier in your pack but the most comfortable for long-haul.
3. Ostrich Light — Best for Window Seat Sleepers
The Ostrich Light is a hood-style pillow that lets you lean into the side of the cabin. Polarising design, but if you sleep on the side of an A380 it’s genuinely effective. Around $70.
4. Sea to Summit Aeros Premium — Best Inflatable
Australian brand. Self-inflating valve, soft 50D polyester face fabric, packs to the size of a peach. $50–$60. Best of the inflatables we tested. The premium version has a proper cover; skip the basic.
5. JetRest Original — Best Budget
The JetRest is the original microbead U-pillow you see at airport newsagents. Around $30. Useless for sleeping with your head upright; fine as a lumbar support on a long bus trip.
Practical tips
- Bring a wool or merino-fleece pillow cover from home — most travel pillow covers are scratchy synthetic and trap heat.
- Eye mask + earplugs do more for in-flight sleep than the pillow itself. See our sleep mask round-up.
- If you wear glasses, the Trtl is the only option that doesn’t fight them.
How they compare
| Pillow | Type | Packed size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trtl Pillow Plus | Scarf + frame | Small | $90 |
| Cabeau Evolution S3 | Memory foam | Medium | $80 |
| Ostrich Light | Hood | Medium | $70 |
| Sea to Summit Aeros Premium | Inflatable | Tiny | $60 |
| JetRest Original | Microbead | Large | $30 |
For independent guidance on sleep and wellbeing, the Sleep Health Foundation is a good starting point.
