One of the most asked questions when it comes to road-tripping with kids is what kind of travel car seat is the best. The answer depends on so many different factors – how and where you travel, how old are your kids, and how light you want to travel. In my opinion, packing a high-back car seat on a plane is really not worth the hassle, so in this article, I will only focus on the best booster seats for travel – portable booster seats. Here’s why.
In my opinion, if you are traveling with a baby or a young child, you better just rent an appropriate car seat when you rent a car abroad.
Car seats for that age group cost a lot of money and are bulky to pack, while the price to rent one isn’t that high compared to what it costs.
Whereas if you travel with older kids who can use a booster car seat, it’s exactly the opposite. Travel booster seats are cheap to buy, easy to take with you, and renting one would often mean paying more.
TIP: At the moment of the last update, BubbleBum booster is the most popular travel booster seat choice among our readers in the USA. If I’m not mistaken, you now get an extra discount with this promo code on Amazon: 9DUCE9MT.
Ride Safer Vest is a distant second, on a much higher budget but also quite incomparable to any others safety-wise.
And now back to the best portable booster car seats. Below, you can see an overview of the information you can find in this article, including all the best travel boosters in our selection.
You can jump straight to the product information, but I strongly recommend that you also read practical tips and advice that should help you choose the right child booster seat for travel.
Update: We have done our best to update this article through the years. But there are so many changes all the time! Regulations change, products and companies disappear and new ones emerge. With the last update, we had to remove several products completely since they are not available anymore and there are no similar alternatives. So use this just as a guide to see what kind of different types of travel boosters there are, and be sure to always double-check the requirements and product specifications that are important to you!
Travel booster seats – overview:
Travel Car Seats & Booster Seats – Our Experience
We have three kids and have traveled with them overseas ever since they were born. We always rented car seats for our kids when they were young. I just couldn’t imagine adding a big car seat to our travel luggage, not even to mention having to take two or three of them.
To us, traveling light is the best way to survive traveling with young kids.
LEARN MORE: Tips for Traveling with Kids
When our oldest was almost 5, we made a 5-week road trip in Australia. Twins were just 3 years old at that time. With three young children and multiple flights, there was just no way we would pack portable car seats for all of them. So we reserved car seats for the twins when we booked our rental car. With multiple rental cars at 4 different destinations in Australia, we spent a small fortune on those two car seats.
We, therefore, decided to at least look for an alternative solution for our 5-year-old. That’s when we started researching all available booster seats and realized that buying one would save us several hundreds of dollars.
But even a regular booster seat is not easy to pack with you. So we looked for the best travel booster seats – something that would fit all the safety requirements and at the same time would be easy to pack.
This was years ago and in the meantime, we have bought two more travel boosters for our twins as well. I am happy to say that we are still using the same travel booster seats today. We have used them on every single trip ever since and also on a daily basis at home. Buying a quality travel booster car seat was one of the best investments ever.
But before we talk about the specific travel booster seats, we should first cover some things you have to consider before buying a booster seat for your trip. Read on!
Booster Seat Requirements
Booster seats are generally suitable for kids from around 4 years of age when children are no longer required to use a car seat with a 5-point harness. A portable travel booster seat ensures your child’s safety whenever you rent a car or use a taxi away from home.
However, the rules for the use of car seats and booster seats vary significantly from one country to another. So it’s essential to consult an official source for the country that you are traveling to in order to make sure that you have the right car seat for your child. More information about this below.
In some parts of the world – particularly much of Asia and northern Africa, there are hardly any laws requiring car seats or boosters of any kind. However, I’d still advise to rent one or bring your own. After all, you should be more concerned with your child’s safety than the (lack of) local laws.
We have rented car seats in South Africa and in Namibia for our kids and most of the time they looked completely ok to us. If in doubt, ask to change a car seat – quality car rental agencies usually have plenty of them available.
As I said before, the moment our kids were old enough for a booster car seat, we just bought our own and never had to worry about it again. Bringing your own booster seat gives you complete peace of mind and ensures that your children can travel safely wherever you go.
Local Laws
If you are traveling abroad, make sure to check the laws for booster seats in the country you are visiting.
Below you can find some links to the car seat and booster seat rules for a variety of destinations. Please note, however, that laws around car seat requirements change all the time, so it’s your responsibility to do proper research for the most up-to-date situation for the country you’re visiting.
Some countries require travel booster seats to carry specific labels in order to be legal for use, so it’s very important to read these regulations carefully.
- Children’s car seat rules in the USA (please note that the laws vary from state to state).
- Car seat rules in the UK.
- Car seat regulations in Canada.
- Car seat rules in Australia.
- While the rules about car seats and boosters for children are very relaxed across much of Asia, there are some countries that do have regulations. Our advice is to look up your specific destination and check the rules before you travel.
- Car seat requirements are now a bit different all over Europe. While in the past you could use a booster car seat for kids from around 4 years, the new law requires a minimum height of 125 cm (4ft1) and weight of at least 22 kg (49 lbs) in order to use a backless booster seat.
In most European countries, kids can use a regular adult seat from 135 cm (4ft4) height (e.g. France, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg…). However, some other countries require that kids under 150 cm (4ft 9) or under 12 years use a booster seat as well (e.g. Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia,…).
Since car seat requirements are different in every country and the situation might change again, I encourage you to research the laws of the specific country you’re planning to visit. You may also want to check if the booster you have is approved for use in the country you’re traveling to.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing Travel Booster Seat
In addition to local laws and regulations, there are a few other important things to consider when choosing the most suitable booster car seat for travel. Find out!
Safety
High-backed booster seats with ‘wings’ are the safest type, as they provide the best protection for your child’s head and neck in a side-impact crash. Unfortunately, though, it’s not always possible to carry this type of seat with you if you are traveling long distances.
The important thing to remember is that any approved booster seat is better than none at all.
Weight and Size
After safety, weight and size are probably the most important considerations when choosing the right (booster) car seat. Whilst some travel booster seats are ideal for local trips and days out and about, others are more suited to longer journeys where you are restricted on how much you can carry.
That being said, you might find that any extra baggage charges you incur from taking your own booster seat would be less than the cost of hiring a booster seat at your destination. Plus, of course, you will then have a portable booster seat for future use!
If you are traveling with 2-3 kids, consider if you can fit all the travel boosters next to each other (and hope they don’t fight all the time 😉 – see also our tips for how to handle long car rides with kids.
Versatility
Some seats are designed to serve more than one purpose, which is great if you have limited luggage space and want to get the most ‘bang for your buck’.
Important Tips
Wherever possible, we recommend sitting with your child and keeping an eye on them if using a backless booster, as it is a little easier for them to wriggle into an unsafe position.
Try to place your travel booster seat in the middle back seat if appropriate. Experts say that this is the safest position in the car.
Practice fitting the booster seat before you travel. While most boosters are pretty straightforward, some may need a little more expertise!
Best Travel Booster Seats: Comparison & Review
There are several good options when it comes to booster car seats for travel. So in order to give you the most complete guide to the best travel booster seats available at this moment, I not only based it on our experience, but also consulted other family travelers, and did extended research.
In the end, I selected portable booster seats that I think are the best options for those looking for a lightweight travel booster that doesn’t compromise on safety. In addition, I also included one high-back foldable booster seat. It’s obviously not as easy to pack as the backless boosters, but if you are traveling with a smaller child and still rather pack a car seat of your own, it might be a good option.
Below is our selection of the best travel booster seats. You can find a short review of each booster seat and a list of the main features that we think make them so useful. Of course, we also included our personal favorite – the travel booster seat that our kids have been using for years. Find out!
Here are the best travel booster seats:
1. The BubbleBum Booster Seat
The award-winning BubbleBum Booster Seat is described as an inflatable booster seat. However, it actually contains more memory foam than air, meaning that it will protect your child even if punctured in an accident.
BubbleBum Booster Seat takes just 20 seconds to inflate for use, then deflates quickly and folds to a small size, perfect for popping into your hand luggage or backpack.
The booster is designed for use with a 3-point adult seat belt (not a lap belt). The shoulder belt positioning clip and side lap belt clips help keep your child safe and comfortable.
At just 1.2 lbs it is the lightest travel booster seat we reviewed and it’s also the cheapest. But because it is a little smaller than some other travel boosters, we feel it’s more suited to shorter journeys than long road trips.
BubbleBum booster seat features:
- Suitable for children age 4-11 years, weighing from 40-100 lbs (18-45 kg).
- Inflates and deflates quickly.
- Lightweight and folds to a compact size and easy to store anywhere.
- Comes with its own bag.
- Made of a durable material.
- Narrow design allows you to use 3 across the back seat.
2. RideSafer Travel Vest
The compact and lightweight RideSafer Travel Vest is a brilliant alternative to a travel booster seat, but it comes with a much steeper price card. Weighing only 1.5 lbs (800 gr), it takes up very little luggage space and is particularly ideal for small cars, where bulkier car seats and boosters can be a tight fit. Fitting three of these vests in a row on the back seat is no problem whatsoever!
While the RideSafer may seem to offer less protection than booster seats at first glance, it’s actually the opposite. This is one of the safest solutions available!
Its clever design means that it maintains the car’s seatbelt in the proper position at all times. The shoulder belt is held in place, but away from your child’s neck, making him feel much more comfortable. It also positions the lap belt below your child’s abdomen, which best protects the internal organs.
This is the most expensive of the travel boosters we have reviewed in this article, but for the convenience and safety of your child, the RideSafer Travel Vest is invaluable!
RideSafer travel vest features:
- Available in 2 sizes, to fit children from 3-10 years, weighing from 30 to 80 lbs (15 to 36 kg).
- Certified for use in cars in the US.
- Small, lightweight, and easy to pack in hand luggage or backpack.
- Maintains proper seatbelt positioning at all times.
3. Trunki BoostApak
Trunki BoostApak is the travel booster seat that we chose for our kids. We bought one for our oldest son when he was 4 and used it till he didn’t need it anymore (around the age of 8-9). Our twins got the same Trunki boosters when they were 4 and used them until the age of 10.
I can’t even start to count the number of flights and road trips we have taken them on. The kids also used Trunki BoostApak boosters for their daily commute to school. Our high-back booster seats were only in use when we traveled big distances with our own car here in Europe. Since the new law in some European countries requires that booster seats are used till the kids are 150 cm tall, we used Trunki BoostAPak for our twins until the age of 10.
When we mentioned versatility earlier in this article, Trunki BoostApak is the booster seat we had in mind! The Trunki BoostApak is not just a booster seat, it’s also a hand-luggage approved child’s bag, with padded straps for comfort and a generous 8-liter capacity.
This means that you can use it to easily pack your child’s toys, books, games, and snacks for them to carry, then quickly convert it into an EU-certified travel booster seat whenever needed. You don’t need to unpack the Trunki before using it as a seat, as its hard plastic internal shell protects the bag’s contents. The shell is also designed to provide maximum strength in an accident.
It’s very easy to convert Trunki from a backpack to a booster seat, but if you (like many of us!) find some kids’ accessories a little challenging, be sure to practice with it before leaving home!
In addition to using it as a backpack and a car booster seat, the Trunki Boostapak with its wipe-clean cover makes a great booster seat for the movies too! We once even took our kids’ Trunkis to a theater.
The only minor issue we’ve had with this booster seat/backpack is that it’s slightly too heavy for younger children to carry – an empty Trunki BoostApak weighs 3.8 pounds (1,7 kg). So when our kids were just 4-5 years old, we usually had to help them with it at the airport. It’s not a big deal since the Trunki usually stays in the car for the entire duration of our trip.
Trunki BoostAPak travel booster features:
- Suitable for children age 4-11 years, weighing from 30 to 80 lbs (15 to 36 kg).
- Converts from a backpack to a booster seat in seconds.
- The fold-out seatbelt guides and seat belt adjuster help you ensure a perfect and safe fit.
- Approved as hand luggage by most airlines.
- EU certified for everyday car use.
Where to buy Trunki BoostApak. For some reason, Trunki BoostApak has always been a ‘European’ travel booster. Probably because it’s only been approved to be used in the EU and is not (yet) on the market in the USA. You can buy it on Amazon UK, but unfortunately, not on Amazon in the US.
4. Hiccapop Uberboost Inflatable Booster Car Seat
Similar in principle to the Bubblebum, the Hiccapop Uberboost travel booster seat inflates and deflates quickly, so you can simply roll it up and pop it in your hand luggage, backpack, etc.
It’s cheaper than the BubbleBum, is made of a very thick, durable material and is comparable in weight.
The biggest difference is that – unlike the BubbleBum – there is no foam in the air bladder. Nevertheless, it feels as sturdy as a regular booster seat when inflated.
Hiccapop Uberboost features:
- Suitable for children age 4-11 years, weighing from 40-100 lbs (18-45 kg).
- Very compact and lightweight.
- Inflates and deflates quickly.
- Positions seat belt over the lap, not the stomach.
- Comes with its own bag.
- Lifetime guarantee.
5. Belt-Positioning Backless Booster
Update: The model reviewed below is not available during our last update, so check out these popular alternatives that offer pretty much the same functionality. Since this is the most popular portable booster design, there are so many brands selling similar models and they change the colors and the looks all the time.
Chicco GoFit Belt-Positioning Backless Booster is the only backless booster seat we reviewed that has dual cup holders, which are a huge plus on long journeys. The cup holders fold away, which is handy if you need to fit several car seats across the back seat. They can easily be removed and are dishwasher safe.
A little more expensive than other backless boosters, the Chicco GoFit feels very robust and well-made, whilst providing a lot more padding for your child’s comfort than many other seats of this type.
The seat has lap belt guides and a shoulder clip, which is attached to the back of the seat by a fabric strap. In some cars, you can fit three of these seats in the back – but you should only do this if you have a 3-point seat belt in the center seat, not a lap belt.
At 5 lbs it is heavier than the other travel booster seats in this selection and would also take up more luggage space. Nevertheless, it is still light enough to carry around and easy to move from one vehicle to another.
The only downside to this seat is that it doesn’t have latch connectors. Whilst this is a bonus in terms of travel, as it can quickly be moved to any vehicle, it does mean that it may shift a little during your journey and will also need to be stowed safely away when not in use.
Chicco GoFit booster seat features:
- Suitable for children age 4 and up, weighing from 40-110 lbs (18-45 kg).
- Double foam padding.
- Armrest covers and seat pad are machine-washable.
- Built-in carry handle.
- Smooth underside to protect vehicle seats.
So this is our complete guide to the best lightweight portable travel booster seats. I hope it helps you to find the best-suitable travel car seat for your kids.
Have you used any of these lightweight booster seats or have a favorite portable travel booster? Feel free to share your experience – you can leave a reply below.
READ ALSO: Best travel bags for kids
More tips for traveling with kids:
- Family travel: Tips for Travelling with Kids & Benefits of Family Travel
- Gear & luggage: Best Travel Gear for Kids & Best Kids Luggage
- Gift ideas: Travel Gifts for Kids (That They’ll Actually Use)
- Footwear: Best Travel Shoes for Kids
- Books: Travel Books and Destination Guides for Kids
If you found this post useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends who might be looking for a travel booster seat for their children. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!
Some travel inspiration for families:
Kaylee
Wednesday 24th of January 2024
Hi Jurga, I really appreciate your blog - it's been so helpful! I was looking to buy the Trunki BoostApak for our trip to Portugal and Spain later this year as our kids will be 6.5 and 4.5 years old. I noticed that the boosters are no longer available to ship via Amazon to the USA when logged under Amazon UK. I also tried their website which doesn't ship to the USA. It's not urgent since we don't travel until the Fall, but I was hoping to to buy the boosters ahead of time instead of trying to buy something when we arrive. Do you know if something has recently changed or if this is just a temporary thing with Amazon shipping? Thanks much! Kaylee
Jurga
Thursday 25th of January 2024
Hi Kaylee, unfortunately, I don't know which products Amazon ships where and there might be tons of reasons why a specific product isn't shipped internationally. It might also depend on who the seller is - Amazon itself or some third party. Here in Europe, we use various Amazon websites from all different countries and it's very random what we can buy from which website, and what can be sent to one country is often not possible to another, plus, it changes all the time too. Indeed, the official USA website of Trunki doesn't even show this product, and the ones from Europe don't seem to ship to the USA. It's likely because they never asked for an official approval of this car seat in the US. So I really don't know what to tell you. Maybe try an alternative booster, or rent with a car. You may also want to check what the current rules in Portugal and Spain are depending on your kids' height/weight. I think that they might still be required to use a booster with back/head support at that age (depending on how tall they are and also on the country).
Athan
Tuesday 2nd of January 2024
Hi Jurga, happy New Year! I know from your blog your family has been to Portugal a few times including the islands and mainland but don't recall reading specifically on boosters for kids. We will be going to mainland Portugal this July and have 2 kids (both turns 7 & 9 this August). We are not sure what the best options on regarding booster seats for them and wanted to hear your insights. We are debating on renting the boosters with the car rental company but they seem to cost anwhere from $80 to $110 per booster seat which we can save. If we bring our own (backless boosters from the U.S.), we might not be able to use them right? Any suggestions? Thanks!
Athan
Tuesday 2nd of January 2024
@Jurga, thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my inquiry! Yes the booster we use in the U.S. is sturdy (Chicco KitFit 2-in-1 Belt Positioning Booster Car Seat). We would bring just the bottom section w/o the back support and that's why I asked if that would meeting Portugal's guideline or law? You rented a car for ONLY 144 euro for 12 days?!?!?! I'm assuming it's manual? Unfortunately we need an automatic and the price seems to just a lot due to that. Thanks for the car rental site. Will check it out using your link!
Jurga
Tuesday 2nd of January 2024
Hi Athan, indeed, kids that age are officially required to use a booster in Portugal. And yes, some car rental companies charge ridiculous amounts for them - that's also why we always packed our own when our kids needed them... You have several options. Buy a booster at a local store once you get to Portugal (you should be able to find them at all major supermarkets) or bring one with you. Depending on the booster that you use at home, it might be EU certified - just check online. Also, if it's a sturdy, quality booster, it's likely going to be better quality than what you get from some car rental agencies... And normally nobody will care what you use - it's your kids and you want to make sure that they are safe. The only issue is if something happens and police checks car seats. But I can't imagine anyone would make an issue about them not being certified in the EU if they are safe and certified in the USA. But it's your decision. Yet another option is to order a EU-certified booster from Amazon UK or Amazon Germany/France/Spain... (if they deliver in the US) and bring it with you. Just check if it's not going to become more expensive that way. If you want to avoid all the hassle, renting one together with your car is the safest option. Just a thought - car rental is usually so cheap in Portugal that it may not be such a big deal to pay extra for the boosters. P.S. We always rent our cars via RentalCars website. In fact, we are here in Portugal at the moment and we have a nice, family-size car for about 144 euro for 12 days including full insurance. If we had rented the same car directly with the company (and paid insurance at the counter), it would have been over 700 euros...
Nanika
Wednesday 31st of May 2023
I love this post! I actually read it years ago, then when I was looking at booster seats recently, I was so happy to find it back. I saw that it now has the comfiGO booster-type seat by ClypX. I was very interested in that seat, but when I started doing more research on it I found that US child passenger safety news site called Safe Ride News had an article stating that the booster is not actually classified as a booster in the US, so safety regulations don’t apply to it. Since it claims it complies with the regulations (deceptive), and because of how it is designed, I would be hesitant to use it or recommend it to anyone, whether or not they are in the US.
Jurga
Tuesday 6th of June 2023
Hi Nanika, based on everything I find online, this seat is certified in the US at this moment, but they were asked not to call it a 'booster' anymore.
Lindsey
Saturday 27th of May 2023
Do you have any information on when and why mifold went out of business? Have their booster seats been recalled? When I purchased our mifold years ago, it was considered very safe, approved for use in the UK (which is where we mostly need to use it) and we have loved it, but I know that ratings can change with more information. Thanks!
Jurga
Saturday 27th of May 2023
Hi Lindsey, it happened rather recently and I haven't heard anything about recalls. The company just stopped from one day to the other; I don't think it had anything to do with the product safety. Maybe try searching online - I wasn't able to find much info when I checked when updating this article last time.
Cortnie
Saturday 3rd of December 2022
On February 1, 2022, very shortly after you updated this for “2022 & Beyond” (Jan. 24), IIHS actually removed their “Best Bet” rating from both the BubbleBum and Hiccapop UberBoost inflatable boosters. This conclusion was made after new studies (using computer modeling vs. static dummies that were previously used) discovered the high potential for “submarining” in the event of a collision due to the lack of rigidity with an inflatable booster. Since they’ve determined more research/studies need to be performed with inflatable boosters, they have changed their previous “Best Bet” determinations to now “Unrated”. I just wanted to comment because you had mentioned the IIHS ratings in your article, so if that rating is a deciding factor for someone, they may want to choose another option. If someone is in need of a compact travel booster that does not inflate, your recommendation of the Mi-Fold would meet that criteria but again, that’s another option that is not rated by IIHS. Nonetheless, I found your article very helpful, thank you, and wish that the Trunki option you decided on was available here in the US!
Jurga
Saturday 3rd of December 2022
Hi Cortnie, thank you for this update. It's difficult to keep up with all the changes, isn't it... I'll see when I can find the time to update this again. PS If you like Trunki Boostapak, I think you can just order it from Amazon.co.uk. We sometimes order products from Amazon in the US and they get shipped to Europe without any problems. They usually add some extra costs for shipping and customs duties, but sometimes it's still worth it. I'm just not sure if the Trunki is officially approved in the US and what that means if you'd use it there. I'm sure they are just fine safety-wise since whatever passes European standards could probably pass any others, but I don't know about the legal side of this. We took ours all over the world and in the last years, we see more and more families here in Europe traveling with these Trunki boosters/backpacks.