With several travel booster seats on the market, we cover what to look for in a portable booster seat and review some of the best car booster seats for travel.
One of the challenges of travelling with kids is car safety – and in particular what to do about car seats and kids booster seats.
At home we are all very careful to ensure that our kids have top rated car seats installed, but when we travel in a foreign country – for example in a taxi from the airport to the hotel – this sense of caution can sometimes go out the window.
With several travel booster car seats on the market, however, there is no reason why we can’t be just as safety conscious when we travel as when we are at home.
In most countries, once a child is 4 years old they are able to use a booster seat instead of a 5-point harness car seat, making a portable car booster seat a great addition to your family travel accessories.
A travel high back booster car seat is the safest type of booster car seat to use as it provides back, neck and head support, in addition to ensuring correct seat belt positioning.
However, when you are travelling around town by taxi, using a hotel airport transfer, it is obviously not practical to take a high back booster seat with you.
Many countries don’t require you to use a car seat or booster seat in a taxi, and some countries in Asia and Africa don’t even have any car seat laws whatsoever. However, whenever we travel we try to ensure that we have a kids car booster seat with us.
In this article we cover what to look for in a portable booster seat and review some of the best booster seats for travel. We have chosen a selection of the top rated booster seats for travel and you can read the full reviews below.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase using one of these links, we may receive a small commission – at absolutely no extra cost to you.
Mum on the Move is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
No time to read all the reviews? Here’s some of our top recommendations!
- Best inflatable booster seat – Bubblebum or Hiccapop Uberboost
- Best foldable booster seat – mifold
- Best high-back booster seat – mifold Hifold
- Best travel vest – RideSafer
Before we get into the reviews, here’s a quick glance comparison chart of our portable booster seats to sum up.
Table of Contents
Travel Car Booster Seat Comparison
Image | Title | Product weight | Dimensions (inches) | Child weight | Buy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Top | BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Car Seat | 1.2 lbs | 5.9 x 11.8 x 3.9 | 40 - 100 lbs | Check prices |
Top | hiccapop UberBoost Inflatable Booster Car Seat | 1.25 lbs | 10 x 5.5 x 4 | 40 - 100 lbs | Check prices |
Top | mifold Original grab-and-go Car Booster Seat | 1.7 lbs | 1 x 13 x 7 | 40 - 100 lbs | Check prices |
Top | mifold hifold Highback Booster Seat | 10 lbs | 14.6 x 13.4 x 10.7 | 33 - 100 lbs | Check prices |
Top | Graco Backless Turbobooster | 4 lbs | 14.8 x 15.2 x 8.9 | 40 - 100 lbs | Check prices |
Top | Chicco GoFit Backless Booster Car Seat | 2.43 lbs | 15 x 17 x 5 | 40 - 110 lbs | Check prices |
Top | Ride Safer Travel Vest Gen 5, | 2.25 lbs | 15.5 x 12.2 x 4.4 | 30 - 60 lbs | Check prices |
What to look for in a travel car booster seat
Car Safety Standards & Legality
Obviously car seat safety is the most important thing when choosing a child booster seat for travel. You also need to ensure that your travel booster seat complies with local car seat laws in the country you are traveling to.
All countries have different requirements and laws, with many countries requiring your child car booster seat to have a label showing that it conforms to local legislation.
Some useful websites for checking approved booster seats and car seats are below:
- United Kingdom car seat information
- Australia car seat information
- USA car seat information
- Europe car seat information
Note that booster seats are not approved for use on the plane. If you would like to use a car seat on the plane, you must ensure that it is FAA Approved. Read our article here for more information and recommendations of FAA Approved car seats.
Booster Seat Weight & Size
Consider how you will be using your on the go booster seat. If you plan to take multiple taxis during a day of sightseeing and store the portable booster car seat in your bag while you walk around, a lightweight and compact booster seat is the best option.
Likewise, if you expect the kids to carry their own child car booster in their hand luggage on the plane, then the booster car seat weight is an important consideration.
However if you plan to use rental cars on arrival in your destination, then you can go for a more sturdy option, such as a foldable high back booster.
For air travel, you will still want a small booster seat that can easily be checked in with your luggage, or fit in the overhead compartment on the plane, but weight is less of a consideration than if you plan to carry it around all day sightseeing.
Ease of Use
Equally important is how easy and quick your booster seat is to set up. Again, this depends on how you will be using it.
If you are hopping in and out of taxis throughout the week, then you will want a booster seat with a simple design that is quick and easy to set up and buckle your child into.
If you are just planning on setting it up once at the beginning of the holiday in your rental car, then a more complicated, adjustable booster seat might be more appropriate.
Travel Car Booster Seat Reviews
We have selected our pick of the best travel booster seats for car use and have listed them below. We have detailed all the most important features in our booster seat reviews to help you decide which is the best travel booster seat for you.
All of these top booster seats can be ordered on Amazon and delivered directly to your door.
BubbleBum Booster Seat Review
The BubbleBum is an award-winning inflatable booster seat suitable for children aged 4 to 11 (40 to 100 lbs), and many people swear by it as the best booster seat for travel.
This backless booster seat can be inflated in just 20 seconds and is just as easily deflated and folded to fit into any handbag or kids backpack. At just 1.2lbs, you or the kids would have no problem carrying it around all day.
This blow up booster seat is made from extremely durable material, similar to that used in making life vests, making it hard wearing and long lasting.
From a safety point of view, it has side clips to ensure correct positioning of the vehicle’s seat belt across the child’s lap and a shoulder-positioning clip for an accurate fit across the chest.
The BubbleBum inflatable booster seat is small enough to enable three kids to sit side by side in the back seat, as long as you have a 3-point seat belt in the middle. The Bubblebum car booster seat is not suitable for use with a lap belt.
- Weight: 1.2 lbs
- Dimensions: 5.9″ x 11.8″ x 3.9″
- Weight limit: 40-100 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 4-11
- Suitable for children weighing 40-100 lbs
- Easily inflated and deflated
- Easily stored in a handbag or kids backpack
- Can fit three across the back seat
- Side clips for lap belt and shoulder positioning clip for chest belt
- Durable, hard-wearing material
Hiccapop Uberboost Inflatable Booster Seat Review
Inflatable like the BubbleBum, the Hiccapop Uberboost is another great booster seat that is quick and easy to set up and install.
The Hiccapop booster seat inflates in around 10 seconds, using just a few breaths and deflates quickly too. It can be rolled up and stored in its own travel bag, which can easily fit into your purse or kids’ backpack.
Its non-skid base is designed to sit on leather, vinyl or cloth seats and provides stability when riding in the car, in addition to limiting movement in the case of an accident. It is also designed to be gentle on your car upholstery.
The contoured design coupled with air-cushioned comfort makes it comfortable for the child to sit on, while the positioning clip ensures the car’s seat belt fits properly across the lap.
Nicely compact, the Hiccapop car seat can fit three across the back seat or can be fitted in between two infant car seats, making it perfect for larger families or car pooling.
- Weight: 1.25 lbs
- Dimensions: 5.5″ x 10″ x 4″
- Child weight: 40-110 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 4-11
- Suitable for children weighing 40-110 lbs
- Easily inflated and deflated
- Easily stored in a purse or kids backpack
- Can fit three across the back seat
- Positioning clips for lap belt
- Removable cover can be washed in washing machine
- Non-skid base ensures stable ride and is gently on car upholstery
mifold Review
The mifold foldable booster seat works differently from other booster seats. Instead of lifting the child up to reach the seatbelt like a regular booster seat, the mifold brings the car’s seat belt down into position to correctly fit the child.
The lap belt guides on this fold up booster seat can be adjusted to three different positions, depending on the size of your child, and the shoulder strap has a positioning clip to ensure the correct fit of the chest belt.
This foldable booster car seat is small enough to fit in a handbag or child’s backpack and weighs just 1.7lbs, making it light enough to carry around all day during sightseeing or for kids to carry in their carry-on luggage.
The mifold grab and go booster is made from super tough plastic polymers and aircraft grade aluminium, making it super durable and hardwearing.
When testing this collapsible booster seat, we found the first couple of times a bit of a fiddle to get set up – particularly if you are on your own with two kids in a taxi.
However, we use this portable booster for travel all the time now, packing them in the kids’ hand luggage so that it is easily reachable for our airport transfer.
You can read our full review of the mifold booster seat here.
Mifold Sport
For those looking for a sporty luxury version of this folding booster seat, check out the mifold Sport. With the same innovative fold-up design, this luxury version features a padded leather-style seat for extra comfort.
- Weight: 1.7 lbs
- Dimensions: 1″ x 13″ x 7″
- Weight limit: 40-100 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 4-12
- Suitable for children weighing 40-100 lbs
- Easily opened and folded
- Easily stored in a handbag or kids backpack
- Can fit three across the back seat
- Lap belt guides have three adjustable positions
- Shoulder positioning clip for chest belt
- Durable, hard-wearing material
MiFold HiFold
Using the same technology as its baby brother the MiFold, the HiFold is the world’s most adjustable booster seat.
With adjustments available in four areas (seat, body, head width and height), this foldable booster seat can be adjusted to 243 individual settings to perfectly fit your child.
This means not only does it grow with your child, but it will also be easily adjusted for a perfect fit to be suitable for any children who might need a ride in your car.
Although it is foldable and portable, the HiFold provides high back booster seat protection. For this reason, we think this would be a good choice for a road trip or other long trips.
Its multi-fold system means it folds down into a compact package and comes with a handy carry strap.
The HiFold is regulated for global use so you can use it in all countries you travel to – with the exception of Australia.
Note that at 10lbs, this is the heaviest option in our portable booster seat reviews and it is also the most expensive.
- Weight: 10 lbs
- Dimensions: 14.6″ x 13.4″ x 10.7″
- Weight limit: 33 – 100 lbs.
Features:
- World’s most adjustable booster seat with 243 individual settings
- Suitable for children weighing 33 – 100 lbs
- Easily opened, adjusted and folded
- Provides high back booster seat protection
- Comes with handy carry strap
- Regulated for global use in all countries except Australia
Graco Turbo Go Folding Backless Booster Review
The Graco Turbo Go is a folding backless booster seat suitable for children aged 4-10 and weighing between 40-100 lbs.
This travel booster seat is easily folded and unfolded and when folded measures just 10.5″ x 15″, allowing it to be packed away into a backpack.
Integrated steel reinforced seat built guides ensure the seat belt is correctly positioned across the child’s lap and the shoulder positioner correctly positions the seat belt across the child’s chest.
We also love that the seat pad can be removed and is machine washable – always a great feature when you are traveling with kids!
- Weight: 4 lbs
- Dimensions: 14.8″ x 15.2″ x 8.9″
- Child weight: 40-100 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 4-10
- Suitable for children weighing 40-100 lbs
- Can fit three booster seats across the back seat
- Lap belt guides and shoulder positioning clip for chest belt
- Removable machine washable seat cover
- Easily folded and opened
- Folds small enough to fit into backpack
Chicco GoFit Backless Booster Review
Designed for kids aged 4+ and weighing between 40 and 100lbs, the Chicco GoFit lightweight booster seat features a contoured seat and double foam padding for added comfort and support in all the right places.
Its removable seat pad and arm rest covers are machine washable, while the two foldaway cup holders are also removable and dishwasher safe.
At 2.43lbs, this Chicco booster seat is lightweight and has a built in carry handle for easy transporting between cars.
Note: For slightly more money, you can upgrade to the Chicco GoFit Plus, which features latch connectors with quick release technology, for quick installation and easy removal.
- Weight: 2.43 lbs
- Dimensions: 15″ x 17″ x 5″
- Child Weight: 40-110 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 4-11
- Suitable for children weighing 40-100 lbs
- Removable foldaway cup holders are dishwasher safe
- Removable machine washable seat pad and armrest covers
- Lap belt guides and shoulder belt clip
- Built-in carry handle
RideSafer Travel Vest Review
The RideSafer Travel Vest is a great alternative to a booster seat or car seat for younger kids, being suitable for children aged 3 to 8 years old.
The vest fits snugly on the child and positions the car seat belt down to correctly fit a child, in a similar way to the mifold belt positioning booster seat reviewed above.
Lap belt guides keep the seat belt properly positioned across the child’s lap, while Velcro fastenings ensure the chest belt is secured in the correct position at the child’s shoulder.
It can be folded up, and at 2.25lbs it is light enough to carry in your handbag or keep in the child’s backpack. Because this is a vest and not a seat, you can easily fit three children across the back seat even in smaller cars.
The vest is a good option for smaller kids who may not yet be big enough for some of the other car booster seats. The main downside to this vest is that it is expensive compared to our other recommended car booster seats.
- Weight: 2.25 lbs
- Dimensions: 15.5 x 12.2 x 4.4
- Child weight: 30-60 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 3-8
- Suitable for children weighing 30-60 lbs
- Easily stored in a handbag or kids backpack
- Lap belt guides and shoulder fastenings ensure good custom fit
- Can fit three across the back seat
Baby Trend Yumi Folding Booster Car Seat Review
As the largest seat in our selection of best rated booster seats, this foldable car seat for travel is not suitable for carrying around sightseeing with you, but it is a great option if you are planning on hiring a car on your vacation.
You will likely find that buying this travel car seat is cheaper than hiring one with your hire car.
With its padded seat and adjustable head rest, plus flip-up arm rests, this is the most comfortable booster seat in our selection, which is important if your kids are going to be in the car for a long time.
With its 8-position height adjustment headrest, 3-position shoulder rest adjustment and side impact protection, this folding car seat for travel is probably the safest booster seat in our selection too.
This booster seat with back folds up small enough to fit into the overhead compartment of the plane or can easily be checked in with your luggage.
The one downside we found to this folding car seat is that there is no way to lock the seat when it is in its folded position. We therefore recommend a car seat travel bag for storing it, or a bag with a zip to keep it in place.
- Weight: 9.1 lbs
- Dimensions: 18.5″ x 21.2″ x 32.2″
- Child weight: 30-100 lbs
Features:
- Suitable for ages 3-11
- Suitable for children weighing 30-100 lbs
- 8-position height adjustable side-impact headrest
- Cup holders and flip-up arm rests
- Easily removable covers for washing
- Padded seat for comfort
- 3-position shoulder belt adjustment
- Can be folded small enough to fit in overhead locker
Trunki BoostApak Review
The Trunki BoostApak is a car booster seat that also doubles as a backpack. This booster seat backpack has a padded, breathable back pad and padded shoulder straps, making it comfortable to carry as a backpack.
Its hard shell protects contents of the backpack when using it as a booster seat.
The Trunki booster seat has fold out seat belt guides to help position the seat belt correctly on the child’s lap, while the shoulder belt positioning clip gives additional flexibility to ensure a proper fit.
This car seat backpack combo has 8 litres of storage, making it brilliant for airplane travel with kids or for days out sightseeing.
The only downside we have found when using this 2 in 1 booster car seat is that, at 3.75lbs when empty, it can be quite heavy for young children once you load it up with a water bottle, books, iPads etc for the plane.
A good tip when using this convertible booster seat on longer car journeys is to ensure that you take all water bottles, snacks etc out of the bag before you begin the journey – as once the child is using it as a traveling booster seat, you can’t access the contents of the bag.
Do you travel with a portable child car seat when you travel? What do you think is the best travel car booster seat?
You may also like the following articles:
- The Best Cabin Sized Strollers for Travel
- The Best Car Booster Seats for Travel
- The Best Toddler Travel Beds
- The Best Kids Luggage
- The Best Headphones for Kids
- The Best Kids Travel Pillows
- The Best Car Seat Travel Bags
- The Best Double Strollers for Travel
- The Best Backpack Diaper Bags
- The Best Baby Carriers for Travel
- The Best Hiking Baby Carriers
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Mum on the Move is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase using one of these links, we may receive a small commission – at absolutely no extra cost to you.
After reading your article on the Mifold we went ahead and purchased one. It was great for our trip to India for my 6 year old. This is a great round up and I will share the post on my facebook page, I think my readers will appreciate so the different options.
Hi Kaylie – I’m so pleased you found the mifold useful! We still use ours all the time too. Thanks for sharing this on your Facebook page 🙂
Have you seen that MiFold will soon be coming out with a folding high back booster that folds up s small as the Yumi seat, but that you don’t have to disassemble when you fold it?
Yes I have seen it although I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet – have you?
Great guide for choosing seats for our car. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you so much for the incredibly detailed post!! It was super helpful for us as we are embarking on our full time travel adventure with 2 children. We are going to try the harness after reading several of your detailed posts. Thank you!
Ooh really useful! Thank you – I think we’re going to try the BubbleBum!