The best travel pillows you can buy

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.Trying to fall asleep on a plane is incredibly difficult, but having the right travel pillow can help you get some shut-eye during your epic flight across oceans and continents. The Trtl pillow is our top pick — even though it's not a pillow per se — because it is comfortable, very portable, and affordable.I love flying in business class. It's not something I can do very often, but using points and miles for upgrades and free tickets, I've gotten to fly in that front cabin a few times. (Be sure to check out Insider Picks' credit card tips and travel hacks.)The reason I love it so much is that I've always been a terrible airplane sleeper, and the added comfort of business class helps. When I sit in a regular coach seat on a red-eye flight, I have a lot of trouble getting any decent rest. That means spending much of the next day like a zombie until I can get to the hotel, hop in the shower, take a nap, and start adjusting to the jet lag.Over the last few years, though, I've been figuring out a better routine to help me get at least a bit of rest on planes. First, I eat dinner in the airport, not on the plane. I make sure to brush my teeth, and I wear earplugs and a sleeping mask once we take off. Finally, I use a travel pillow.I used to think those pillows weren't helpful. You know the ones, the U-shaped things that look kind of like life preservers. My moment of clarity came when I realized I could simply turn the pillow around and wear it backward. That meant that as my head nods forward, my neck and chin are supported.For people like me who tend to have trouble getting settled in economy seats, and who might not find the traditional travel pillow useful when nodding off, now is a great time to try a new pillow. There are a ton of fresh, innovative options today, as well as fresh takes on the classic U-shaped travel pillow.Whether it's a regular U-shaped travel pillow or something a bit more advanced, Insider Picks has you covered with the best travel pillows you can buy.Here are the best travel pillows you can buy:Best travel pillow overall: Trtl pillow Best microbead pillow: Clöudz microbead U-shaped pillowBest memory foam travel pillow: Cabeau memory foam U-shaped pillowBest inflatable travel pillow: Lewis N. Clark inflatable U-shaped pillowBest body-sized travel pillow: Travelrest inflatable body pillowBest compressible travel pillow: Therm-a-Rest Compressible Travel PillowBest travel pillow for head bobbers: Bcozzy Travel PillowBest no-slip travel pillow: Travelrest Ultimate PillowUpdated on 05/13/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices.Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.