Technically, yes, a standard-sized pillow is considered a personal item or a carry-on by most 2026 airline policies. However, there is a "traveler's gray area" for small neck pillows. A supportive peer "packing" hack: if you are wearing a neck pillow around your neck while boarding, most gate agents will ignore it and not count it as a bag. However, if you are carrying a full-sized bed pillow, airlines like United, Spirit, or easyJet will likely count it as your one permitted "personal item," meaning you can't bring another backpack. In 2026, some "budget travel" influencers have popularized "pillow-stuffing," where they fill a pillowcase with clothes to avoid baggage fees; be warned that agents are increasingly onto this trick and may ask you to put the "stuffed" pillow into the sizer if it looks suspiciously heavy or lumpy.