The best sleep masks for travel 2024

I travel to 20+ countries a year sharing my firsthand knowledge of reward travel, travel credit card deals, travel tips and more.

This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page.

If you’re in a hurry then these are my top three picks:
1. LitBear Sleep Mask
2. Lewis & Clark mask
3. Manta sleep mask

Reader Mike in Tulsa once sent in this question via email: “Johnny, what is the best sleep mask?” Without a doubt, two of the most important products to bring on a plane are a comfortable eye mask and good earplugs. It’s the secret to a great sleep, especially when you probably just want to get on the plane, fall asleep and wake up when you’re on the ground. RELATED: The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know Of course, everyone is different, so everyone has their own personal preferences but my top choice for a travel sleep mask used to be this Lewis & Clark mask (pictured above and below). It is soft, comfortable and quite thick compared to other sleep masks so it feels like a comfortable pillow on your eyes. It does a good job blocking light out and you’ll find it useful on airplanes, in hotel rooms and even at home if you need a little extra help falling asleep. It can be washed by hand. But it’s not 100% blackout so if you’re looking for something that blocks out all light, then get the LitBear Sleep Mask. It’s my new favorite eye mask that my mother-in-law turned me on to. That’s because her guest bedroom just has white blinds and this time of year, the sun rises crazy early and yes, my window is east-facing so the sun streams right in. I was awakened every morning at 5:40am because the room lights up like a neon sign. When my mother-in-law found out, she was sweet enough to buy me the LitBear. Photo below.

Another eyemask that’s popular is the Manta sleep mask (pictured below). It doesn’t apply direct pressure on your eyes and offers total blackout. My sister-in-law says this mask was life-changing for her, not just for travel but at home, too. She suffers from migraines and says this mask gives her the complete darkness and comfort she needs when her head is throbbing. For women, it’s also worth noting that the fully adjustable eye cups are raised off the face so it won’t smudge eye makeup. RELATED: 10 Surefire Tips for Sleeping on a Plane The good folks at Manta sent me one to try, and I have to say that I really like it. Here are the main features of this sleep mask:

100% blackout: Adjustable eye cups mold perfectly to your face to block 100% of light. True blackout unlocks maximum deep sleep in any environment and any position
No eye pressure: Fully adjustable, extra-deep eye cups allow you to blink like you’re not wearing a sleeping mask
Totally breathable: The interior of the Manta sleep eye mask is made with cotton for maximum breathability. This means your face is kept cool and won’t overheat on warm nights.
Won’t tickle your nose: The adjustable eye contours mold to your face shape and won’t tickle your nose like conventional sleep masks do.
No slipping: Silicone grip pads prevent your Manta sleep mask from slipping off your face mid-snooze.
Soft elasticized headband: Manta’s headband is elasticized in two places, allowing it to stretch to fit around your head. Limiting the elastic to two small sections is a unique design, which prevents the entire band from stretching loose with use. The strap is made out of plush velour, so it’s soft and comfortable against your head and ears.
No more pain: Forget Velcro straps that rip your hair out! Manta utilizes micro Velcro, which doesn’t stick to hair.
Lightweight: Manta sleeping eye mask weighs only 30 grams.

Buy the Manta sleep mask on Amazon. The MZOO sleep mask pictured above is an Amazon bestseller with over 90,000 reviews at the time of publication. Designed with pockets for your eyes, this mask is wider and deeper than most eye masks, which lay flat on your face. Made from low-rebound memory foam, reviewers say this one is soft and comfortable.

What’s your favorite mask to travel with? Share in the comments! My buddy Dan left a comment about his favorite sleep mask, which is called the MindFold. I purchased it but didn’t love it. However, other readers have recommended it, too, so check out the reviews to see what you think. This story was originally posted in February 2019 but has since been updated.