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As your child grows up, it’s only natural that they will get too big for their current car seat. When you travel with children it’s important to choose a travel booster seat that is lightweight yet safe, and easy to install if you move from vehicle to vehicle. It can be hard to find the perfect one, but you don’t have to worry anymore. We’re going to review the best travel booster seats of 2022 and tell you all about them!
In this post, we will discuss how to choose the best travel booster seats for children. As well as when to use, and when to avoid using, travel booster seats for kids. This is followed by our review of the 10 Best Travel Booster Seats for 2022, and how to choose a winner that is right for your travel needs.
Other articles you will find helpful include: What to Consider Before you Travel with a Car Seat and How to Choose the Right Travel Booster for Car Rides and Flying.
How to choose the best travel booster seats for children
The best travel booster seats are lightweight yet safe, and easy to install if you move from vehicle to vehicle. But it can be hard to find the perfect one – so we’ve reviewed them for you!
As your child gets older, they will need a new car seat that is appropriate for their weight and height. Traveling with children means keeping in mind safety first, but also making sure you’re getting the right booster seat for your situation and travel needs.
A booster seat with internal restraint is best for preventing injury during a crash. Internal harnesses offer the best protection in case of an accident – this type is best for road trips and flying. Then there are inflatable and backless options that provide less protection but more flexibility in which vehicle they can be used in and when they can be used.
For example, if you drive long distances by car then get a high back/no back travel booster. However, if you fly occasionally but mostly take short drives then purchase an inflatable travel booster seat or foldable option. These are more lightweight and portable while still providing safety in the car.
When to avoid using a backless travel booster seat?
A travel booster seat is for children age 4 years and older, who are over 40 inches tall and weigh over 40 lbs.
Ultimately, the safest travel booster seats are high back with an internal restraint (harness) to best protect your child from injury during air flights.
The FAA does not allow the use of backless booster seats and highback booster seats without restraints (harness) during ground movement, take-off, and landing because they do not provide the best protection.
However, remember that a child who rides in a backless booster seat is typically over 40 lbs. Therefore, this child is big enough to be properly restrained by the regular seat lap belt on an airplane.
If your journey requires flying and driving, you have the flexibility to use an inflatable or backless best travel booster seat for car travel. And you can choose not to use a travel booster seat on the airplane.
Click here to read our article about choosing a Travel Booster for Car Rides and Flying.
When to use travel booster seats for children?
When you travel with children you need to choose a travel booster seat that is portable, lightweight, and safe; yet easy to install.
This is especially important for parents with children who carpool to and from school or sports practice in other people’s cars. Or for parents who have a constant flow of young riders in and out of their own vehicle backseat.
Our favorite travel booster seats are lightweight and portable. They are easy to install, deflate, or fold down. Making them attractive choices for parents with kids on the go.
10 Best Travel Booster Seats for 2022
How do you choose a portable booster car seat for travel by car or airplane? We hope our car seat review, of the best travel booster seat for car rides and flying, is helpful.
Ultimately, everyone has to decide what is right for their own family, but here are our recommendations for the 10 best travel booster seats for the car.
1. Graco Tranzitions 3 in 1 Harness Booster Seat
The Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 harness booster seat, a travel booster seat with a belt-positioning high back booster, and no-rethread harness. It allows your child to stay in the car seat from 22 to 65 pounds with a forward-facing harness. And from 40 pounds up to 100 pounds as a highback booster and backless booster seat, with an open-loop belt guide to properly position your vehicle’s seat belt.
This portable booster seat for travel weighs 20 lbs. It has 2 easy-to-clean cup holders to keep your child’s snacks and drinks close at hand. This travel booster seat for car rides fits easily in the travel bag without removing or adjusting any parts of the travel seat. Plus it is FAA approved, so you can feel safe flying with this travel seat on an airplane (when used in harness mode).
The Graco Tranzitions travel booster seat is one of the best travel car seats on the market. It has a 5-point harness system so your child can travel safely in harness mode when using this travel booster seat with an airplane or rental car with limited lap belts.
This is one of our favorite best travel booster seats because it grows with your child from a 22-pound booster seat with harness all the way up to a 100-pound youth backless booster.
2. Chicco KidFit 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster Car Seat
The Chicco KidFit 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster Car is a portable booster car seat for travel. The LATCH connector system makes it easy to install and easy to switch from high-back mode to low-back mode, with a backrest that reclines. A push-button LATCH tightener keeps the travel car seat secure during travel, and it has a 10 position headrest that offers DuoGuard protection as kids grow.
One of the best lightweight car seats for travel weighing only 10.2 lbs. The belt guides make it easy to position the vehicle seat and ensure a proper fit. There are two dishwasher-safe cup holders that hide away when empty and are easy to remove for cleaning. All fabrics, including armrest covers, are removable and machine-washable.
This travel booster seat for car rides is designed for big kids age 4 years plus. It is for children who weigh 40-100 lbs in High-Back Mode, 40-110 lbs in Backless Mode, and 38-57inch.
3. Hifold Fit-and-Fold Highback Booster Seat
Looking for a safe and comfortable highback booster that won’t take up too much space? The Hi-Fold Fit-and-Fold Highback Travel Booster Seat is the world’s most adjustable travel car seat. Including unique technology that can be adjusted to 243 individual settings.
This travel booster seat for cars weighs only 10 lbs and can easily be folded to a compact and convenient size for storage. This lightweight travel booster seat has a convenient carry strap, making it ideal for carpooling, as a travel car seat, for car-sharing rides, and more.
The Hifold travel booster seat is designed for kids aged 4-years old and above who are 40 to 59 inches tall and weigh 40-100 pounds. Hifold Fit-and-Fold Highback Booster Seat uses the vehicle’s seat belt to restrain the child and hold the booster seat in place.
The multi-fit system allows parents or caregivers to adjust both the headrest and back support simultaneously in one simple motion, to create a custom safe and comfortable fit for their child based on their size and build. No other travel booster seat comes close to the comfort of the Hi-Fold travel booster seat.
4. WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat with Carrying Bag
The best lightweight travel seat is the WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat because it’s actually portable. It is strong and light, weighing in at just 8 pounds. The Pico now comes with a carrying bag which makes traveling with kids a breeze.
It is a forward-facing travel seat that fits most vehicle seat belt systems including cars, vans, SUVs, and planes with the LATCH system. Designed for safety with a 5 point harness. The Pico Car Seat meets all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety and Federal Aviation Administration standards for cars and planes.
Recommended for children ages 2 years plus. This travel booster seat for car rides is designed for little kids who weigh 22-50 lbs and are 30-45 inches tall. When needed, the compact, foldable car seat fits in the overhead bin. It is easy to carry when walking through the airport or to-and-from the car.
5. Chicco GoFit Backless Booster Car Seat
For travel, you need a travel booster seat for car rides. Backless travel booster seats are lightweight and easy to carry from vehicle to vehicle. The Chicco GoFit has a built-in carry handle and is one of the best travel boosters designed specifically with big kids in mind.
The Chicco GoFit Backless Booster Car Seat is a great travel car seat for bigger kids age 4 years plus, who weigh 40-110 lbs and are 38-57 inches tall. Thanks to its simple design, ease of use, and durable construction. Weighing only 5 lbs, this backless belt-positioning booster seat delivers comfort while traveling by road, or train.
Featuring removable, machine-washable seat pad and armrest covers, and 2 fold-away cup holders that are removable and dishwasher-safe. Choose to upgrade to the Go-Fit Plus where the quick-release LATCH offers stability plus grab-and-go convenience.
6. Diono Solana 2 Latch, XL Space Backless Booster Seat
The best travel booster seat for car rides is the Diono Solana 2 Latch, XL Space Backless Booster Seat. It is a portable travel booster that fits most vehicle seat belt systems including cars, vans, and SUVs. The LATCH system offers quick, secure installation, with integrated LATCH connectors that allow you to quickly and easily tighten the travel booster to the vehicle seat.
Featuring, comfortable fabric that is easy to remove and machine washable for quick and easy cleaning. Plus two space-saving retractable cup holders – one on either side of the travel booster frame – to keep drinks and snacks within easy reach.
It weighs only 2.54 pounds yet features a roomy design to accommodate larger children. Perfect for fast-growing kids from 40 – 120 lbs. (18 – 54 kg) and up to 63″ (160cm). The backless travel booster has extra length to provide more leg support and better passenger comfort as your child grows taller.
7. Graco TurboBooster Backless Booster Car Seat
The travel booster seat for car rides is the Graco TurboBooster Backless Booster Car Seat because it’s a portable travel booster that fits most vehicle seat belt systems including cars, vans, and SUVs. This top-rated backless booster seat is rigorously crash tested to meet or exceed U.S. safety standards and reassure safety-conscious parents.
Designed to be the type of stylish, comfortable seat your child will actually want to ride in. The hide-away cup holders will help keep your child content on the road, holding their food, drinks, and toys. This portable booster seat for travel weighs only 5.1 lbs. The Graco booster car seat helps safely transport your big kid from ages 4 to 10 years; who are 40 to 100 pounds, and from 43 to 57 inches tall.
8. BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Car Seat
One of the most popular lightweight car seats for travel is the BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Car Seat because it weighs only 15 ounces. This inflatable car booster seat folds down to fit in a purse or backpack for everyday use. It can be easily carried by kids wherever they go. Ideal for car rentals, carpools, taxis, and vacations.
This portable travel booster fits most vehicle seat belt systems including cars, vans, and SUVs. The thin, compact, narrow, and slimline design is perfect for the middle seat. BubbleBum will even fit between 2 full-size car seats. Which allows you to fit 3 children across in almost any car.
This innovative inflatable travel car booster seat helps safely transport your big kid from ages 4 to 11 years; who weighs 40-100 lbs. The BubbleBum travel booster comes with an additional Seat Belt Positioning Clip. It meets (and exceeds) all EU and US safety standards.
9. Hiccapop UberBoost Inflatable Booster Car Seat
The Hiccapop UberBoost Inflatable Booster Car Seat is a portable travel booster seat for car rides that’s lightweight and inflatable. The travel booster seat weighs only 1.3 lbs, so it’s practical and packable. It deflates and rolls up tightly in its own travel bag for a compact fit in suitcases, carry-ons, large purses, or backpacks.
This travel car seat inflatable booster fits most vehicle seat belt systems including cars, vans, and SUVs. The narrow yet roomy design will allow you to fit three UberBoost inflatable car seats across the back seat, even in smaller vehicles. Or fit one UberBoost in between 2 traditional car seats.
The Hiccapop travel car booster comes with seatbelt positioning clips. This ensures that your child’s belt fits properly and comfortably across their lap rather than dangerously digging into their stomach, preventing internal damage in the event of an accident.
Your child deserves a safe and comfortable car seat for those quick journeys in taxis, rental cars, Uber rides, on school trips, or in carpools. Meets or exceeds all US federal standards for car seat safety. The Hiccapop travel booster seat for car rides is designed for big kids from ages 4 to 11 years; who weighs 40-100 lbs.
10. Mifold Original grab-and-go Car Booster Seat
The world’s most compact and narrow backless booster is portable and ideal for travel. Mifold Original grab-and-go Car Booster Seat is more than 10x smaller than a traditional booster and just as safe. This Mifold foldable booster fits into a child’s backpack, glove box, or parent’s handbag. Therefore, making it perfect for carpooling, as a travel booster, for ride-sharing, and much more.
The Mifold booster seat design allows you to fit three children in a row in the backseat of most vehicles. This travel booster seat for car rides ensures optimal seatbelt fit. Also, instead of lifting up the child, the grab-and-go car seat adjusts the adult seatbelt by pulling it down to fit the child securely and safely. However, this product is only safety tested for use in the USA.
The portable booster seat for travel is lightweight, weighing only 1.7 pounds, and is compact with dimensions of 2 x 10 x 5 inches. Designed for big kids from ages 4 to 11 years; who weigh 40-100 lbs, and 40 to 57 inches tall. It is easy to clean with soap and water.
BE Family Travel Tray
Use our Kid’s Car Seat Travel Tray to entertain the kids on your next Family Road Trip. It organizes drinks, snacks, activities, and electronics for kids while you adventure.
Click HERE to learn more about our BE Family Travel Tray, available in red, blue, teal green, or pink.
Best Travel Booster Seats for Kids
Ultimately, this article has highlighted what are THE best travel booster seats for children. But narrowing it down to one overall winner will depend on your situation and travel needs. The safest booster seats are the high back booster options with internal harnesses which offer the best protection on the road. These are mostly suitable for flying but heavier, bulkier, and cumbersome to maneuver when you travel.
The backless boosters and inflatable booster seats provide less protection in the event of an accident. But, they offer more flexibility while still providing safety in the car These travel booster seats are more lightweight, easier to install, and portable with the option to deflate or fold down. Therefore, backless and inflatable boosters are popular with families who travel and they make the best travel booster seats for kids.
Read this article to learn more about Choosing a Travel Booster Seat for Car Rides and Flying, and find out What to Consider Before you Travel with a Car Seat.
And remember, let’s BE Family so you can enjoy the journey.
Until next time,
Ruth
For more about family travel check out these posts:
Simplify a Road Trip with Kids
What Is The Best Age To Travel With Kids?
What to Consider Before you Travel with a Car Seat
Choosing a Travel Booster Seat for Car Rides and Flying
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Ruth Hutchins grew up in England and now lives in North Carolina with her husband, Doug, and their two young daughters. They always loved to travel, but once having children everything changed because family travel is more complicated. Traveling with a baby may feel overwhelming to new parents. Travel with a toddler can really test your patience, and traveling with kids can lead to utter chaos. However, travel with your little ones doesn’t have to be that stressful or exhausting. On the BE Family Travel blog Ruth shares her parenting wins, and even epic failures about traveling with kids. She provides resources to help you feel empowered to plan a family vacation and travel with your children.
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