6 Best Airplane Travel Blankets For Your Next Flight

You’ve boarded your flight, made yourself comfortable in your seat, and settled yourself in for the duration of the flight.

But what’s that? 

The airplane cabin temperature is dropping, and you feel a chilly breeze. 

You feel its coolness settles across your shoulders. 

With an involuntary shiver, you suddenly feel your chances of a comfortable flight slip away with every gust of cold air that drifts over you.

Finding the perfect travel temperature and comfort is always a challenge.

Will I be too hot, too cold, whose blanket is this, and so on. 

Then the doubts creep in, the ‘who used this before me?’ or ‘when was it last washed’ questions that pop into our minds when we eye up an airline’s travel blanket. 

But what if there was an easier way, a travel hack if you like. A compact, lightweight and most of all warm blanket you could call your own. 

Here’s how to find the best airplane travel blanket for your flying needs.

BOSA-Cozy-Soft. BOSA Cozy-Soft
Kelty-Bestie-Blanket Kelty Bestie Blanket
Kingole Kingole
EASELAND EASELAND
Vera-Bradley-Fleece-Travel-Blanket Vera Bradley Fleece Travel Blanket
World’s-Best-Cozy-Soft-Microfleece-Travel-Blanket Cozy Microfleece Travel Blanket

Finding the Best Travel Blanket

How do you find that perfect blanket for airplanes? What do you want it for, long flights, short flights, multipurpose uses?

What materials should it be made of, and do you want a small, wool, or lightweight blanket?

These are some of the questions you’ll probably be thinking about when you start to search for your ideal airplane travel blanket.

This article will explore these questions and provide you with the information needed to make your purchase.

At the end, we’ll give you a few travel blanket recommendations that we love for our flights.

Below is a list of all the points you should consider when you’re evaluating travel blankets and their suitability to your needs.

For instance, if you’re backpacking around Europe, a travel pillow that packs down easily is better than one that will be bulky and cumbersome to carry.

Equally, if you’re looking for a blanket that you can also use when camping, then flammability and water resistance probably have more importance than if you can plug it into 12v power – yeah, some of them do that!

General considerations:

  • Pilling. Fibers like wool, cotton, polyester and acrylics are more likely to pill. Whereas microfibres, microfleeces, and natural bamboo fibers are known to be pillage resistant. Fibers also have differing warmth ratings, and may be suited better to specific uses, i.e.: heavier for colder weather or outdoor use, and lighter weights for flying.
  • Pillows. Does the blanket fold down into, or come with, a pillow? Some travel blankets include a bonus inflatable pillow for your comfort.
  • Sizing. Full-size, compact or micro? All jokes aside, size does matter. Make sure the size of your blanket covers you adequately; neck to ankle, from one shoulder around to the other.
  • Storage. How do you transport it when it’s not in use? Does it come in a pouch? A carry or drawstring bag? Or does it fold into itself? Transporting and storing your blanket should be easy to use and secure.
  • Edging. Watch out here, edges that are raw will wear quicker, and degrade the usability of your blanket. Look for blankets with a sewn/hemmed or bound edge to ensure durability and prevent thread snags.
  • Additional Heating. Some travel blankets come with 12v connectors for added warmth. These blankets are not really suited to flying and are often supplied in emergency car travel kits for winter or inclement weather conditions.
  • Hygiene. Owning your own blanket offers the reassurance of cleanliness due to a known history. But, how do you keep it clean? Is it hand-wash only? Machine wash, but not dryer friendly? Check this as cleaning your blanket incorrectly could damage it. 
  • Style. Traditional square or poncho style, each option has pros and cons. Traditional square/rectangular styles are easy to fold for storage and easy to share with more than one person. However, the poncho style offers greater encompassing warmth for the wearer, many ponchos also come with a secure pouch where you can store your phone, glasses etc.
  • Colors. Some manufacturers will offer a limited range, other brands will have a variety of colors or patterns. Depending on your needs, we’d recommend choosing a color that will hide signs of wear, or stain potential, i.e.: accidents more residue if you’re taking the blanket outdoors etc.
  • Safety. Planning on taking this blanket camping? It’s worth investigating if the blanket is flammable. Some blankets are flame-retarded, making them safer. Alternatively, is the blanket water-resistant? Drink spills or rain, either could leave you cold and miserable instead of warm and dry.

Other factors you may wish to consider are; warranty, environmental impact from manufacturing – is the blanket made from green or renewable materials – and of course, availability in your area and prompt delivery. 

At this point, if you’re still unsure about what to look for, or want more real-life reviews, we’d suggest a quick search via your preferred search engine, or a trip to YouTube for some airplane travel blanket results. .

6 Best Travel Blankets For Airplanes

1. BOSA Cozy-Soft

A lightweight travel blanket made from a 70/30 mix of natural bamboo and cotton fibers. Generously proportioned at 47”x70”, this blanket will easily cover most people from neck to feet and wrap around your shoulders.

It also comes with a handy carry bag, with a sturdy #5 YKK zipper, to store the blanket in when not in use – this also doubles as a pillow if needed. This travel blanket is made from a breathable material, meaning you won’t get hot and sweaty.

It’s also free from static electricity, and resistant to both pilling and snagging – a great world-traveling blanket!

Pros:

  • Soft and warm
  • Antimicrobial and skin-friendly
  • Compact

Cons:

  • Choice of two colors
  • More expensive than other travel blankets.

2. Kelty Bestie Blanket

Is your puffy quilt-style flight blanket. Sewn pockets trap air to keep you warm and cozy. This travel blanket also comes with a sack to stuff the blanket back into when your flight is over. The blanket is made from 75D Polyester Taffeta, with 190T Poly Pungee liner filling.

The blanket is reversible, soft cotton on one, polyester on the other.

The Kelty Bestie is a sizeable 75.5” x 42.5” and weighs in at 1lbs 8oz, meaning it’s a medium-weight blanket that will handle the rigors of international travel easily. It’s machine washable in cold water, then hang to dry.

Pros:

  • Easy to wash
  • Choice of colors
  • Hard-wearing

Con:

  • Size of a football when packed away

3. Kingole

Is the plushest, fluffiest and most luxurious of our recommendations. It comes in a variety of colors and sizes, the travel size being ideal for flying at 50”x60”.

Made from super soft and durable flannel fleece, the Kingole boasts a 350GSM (Grams per Square Meter) of 100% microfiber polyester.

This blanket is suited to travel in all seasons, meaning no matter where you’re flying, you’ll be comfortably warm the entire way. It’s anti-pilling, wrinkle-free, and will not fade over time or usage.

Comes with a money-back guarantee, what more could you want?

Pros:

  • Machine wash separately, tumble dry on low.
  • Fluffy comfort and suited to a range of seasons
  • 30-day return for a full refund.

Con:

  • Bulky, it’s about comfort not space-saving.

4. EASELAND

Plushness in a convenient travel size. The EASELAND comes in a variety of colors – a different shade for every member of the family – and offers unparalleled comfort with its breathable 330GSM microfiber weight in a convenient 50”x61” size. 

Made from Microfiber Polyester, with a fully enclosed and bound edge for increased durability, you’ll never have to worry about a loose thread damaging this blanket. It is also machine washable, on a gentle cycle, and shrink resistant.

With reversible sides, one smooth the other plush, it’s a versatile blanket by offering warmth and comfort in a variety of settings outside of flying

Pros:

  • Easy care in cold water washing
  • Versatile for flying, camping, or home use
  • Variety of colors
  • Affordable quality

Con:

  • Bulky size when packed

5. Vera Bradley Fleece Travel Blanket

This pretty, patterned fleece blanket folds into a pillow for added versatility. Otherwise, the plush microfleece will keep you cozy, while the vibrant prints lift your spirits on cold, gloomy days.


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The Vera Bradley brand prides itself on its attention to the needs of real women everywhere — including the need for beauty. At 60” by 40”, it’ll keep you toasty without dragging on the floor or taking up too much space. It even comes with a strap to hang over your carry-on pull.

Freshen it up with a wash before your flight, and you’ll never have to use thin, drab airplane blankets again.

Pros:

  • Plush fleece in colorful, feminine patterns
  • Folds into a pillow
  • Has a strap that easily attaches to carry-on pulls

Con:

  • Bulky for some (not as easy to stow)

6. Cozy Soft Microfleece Travel Blanket

At 50” by 60”, this one is larger than the previous option but less bulky. It comes in six colors and four patterns in 100% polyester fleece knit fabric. This isn’t your typical flimsy airplane blanket, but it will take up less space than the bulkier, plush options.

The color options also appeal to a wider demographic. And since this blanket is 100% machine washable, it’s easy to care for.

Lightweight and compact, this blanket can be stowed as a tight roll in your carry-on or draped around your shoulders like a wrap.

Pros:

  • Roomy but lightweight
  • Machine washable (wash warm, tumble dry low)
  • Stowable
  • Inexpensive

Cons:

  • Basic color / pattern options
  • Thin material (not as plush and warm)

Conclusion

So, there you have it, travel blankets in a nutshell. By now you know what to look for in a travel blanket. How to assess what features are important to you and are able to determine which style of blanket suits your needs. 

For us, we couldn’t go past the Kelty Bestie for general travel needs, as it offers quilted comfort, a reversible and durable exterior, and a great range of color choices.

Our other favorite is the BOSA Cozy-Soft for lightweight or backpacking-style travel, it’s compact when packed up so it easily fits in your carry-on. It comes in two appealing colors, it is quick and easy to wash/dry, which is important when you’re on the go.

We also love that it can be folded into a travel pillow, and it’s made from a renewable natural bamboo fiber which means it’s better for the environment! What more could you ask for?

With this travel blanket guide and knowledge of your travel needs, we’re sure your next flight will be all the more enjoyable for being warm and comfortable.

So, buckle up, stow your seat-tray away, before breaking out your personal travel blanket, and be safe in the knowledge that you’re the only person who’s used it. We wish you a very happy and snuggly-warm next trip!

Comfort is always a challenge in traveling. When the flight gets cold, having the perfect airplane travel blanket with you is a must.

3 thoughts on “6 Best Airplane Travel Blankets For Your Next Flight”

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