Airline blankets have a reputation problem: too thin to matter, prone to slipping off mid-nap, and rarely washed between flights. So when Condé Nast Traveller UK took the Trtl Mini Wrap Travel Blanket on a 12-hour flight to Vietnam, the question was simple — is it actually worth £75 when the airline hands you one for free?
The short answer, for regular long-haul flyers, is yes. Trtl made its name with the wrap-style travel pillow that stops your head from bobbing, and the blanket applies the same practical thinking. It's bigger than the standard plane fleece at 140cm x 110cm — generous coverage without swamping your economy seatmate — and it's quilted, water-resistant and noticeably warmer than what the crew hands out. The tester reported staying warm through the whole flight without the usual wake-up shiver when the freebie slides off your shoulders.
There are a couple of design details that earn their keep. A front pocket holds your phone, book, headphones or passport — handy if you've ever had that heart-dropping moment of leaving documents in the seat pocket. The blanket weighs less than a can of Coke and packs into an included pouch with a clip that fastens onto a backpack or carry-on handles. Rolled up in its bag, it can double as a pillow or lumbar support. It's machine washable, too, which is more than you can say for most airline fleeces.
Gripes are minor. No poppers to clip it around your neck if you sleep sitting up, so it can still slip — just more slowly than the airline version.
Worth £75? For the occasional holidaymaker, probably not — the free blanket will do. But for anyone flying long-haul regularly, or navigating cold airports and overnight trains, it earns its place in the bag. It's currently discounted to £60, saving £15. And the versatility is the real pitch: it works on trains, in departure lounges during late-night layovers, and as an extra layer anywhere with ferocious aircon. The tester's overnight train journey through Vietnam towards the mountains made it especially welcome. The Trtl Mini Wrap Blanket is sold via the brand's website and Amazon.
