Best Travel Car Seats and Boosters to Take on Vacation, Parent-Tested

Throughout our research into the best travel car seats, one product name cropped up again and again: The WAYB Pico Portable Car Seat. This travel car seat is lightweight, easy to install and has robust safety features. But the unique selling point is the portable design: It literally folds in half for easy storage on the go. “The portability of this car seat is unlike any other,” says product tester and mom of four Brittany, who used this model with her sons that range in age from 2- to 5-years-old.

According to Brittany it took minimal effort to fold and unfold the car seat. And, once folded, it was super-easy to store in the backpack-style travel bag. “I loved that the carry case had multiple pockets [and] compartments,” added Brittany, noting that she was able to store the manual and accessories in the bag alongside the car seat. And the size is perfect for air travel—our product tester said “it would absolutely fit in the overhead on a plane…it's smaller than my carry-on!” Brittany also appreciated the ease of slinging the backpack over her shoulder while on the go and said: “Moving from vehicle to vehicle or vehicle to airplane is quick and simple. I could fit the folded WAYB right on the floor between [the] seats in my van, right in the trunk and [it] also stores nicely in our home when not in use.” Our product tester used this forward-facing car seat exclusively in her van, but it is approved for air travel and Brittany noted that the FAA label is clearly visible, so you should have no issues boarding a plane with it.

Ease of installation is another important factor to consider when shopping for a travel car seat—and the WAYB Pico received a 9 out of 10 score in this area. “It was very straightforward in terms of installing via the LATCH and the seatbelt,” says Brittany, who estimates that both methods took less than 5 minutes to complete. While the instructions were clear, she did have to do a quick Google search for more information on how to confirm the seat was locked into place. “I originally was not pushing the latch hard enough, but once I watched the video, I confirmed how to latch it accurately,” explains Brittany.

Despite giving a high score for ease of use, our product tester did find one issue with this travel car seat that gave her pause for thought. “The only thing that I was not a huge fan of with this car seat was that it required me to tighten the two straps on either side of their hips vs what I am used to with traditional car seats (one in the center),” explained Brittany. On the plus side, Brittany reported that: “The headrest was easy to adjust, both before installation and after it was installed in the car—a plus for families like ours where multiple different children may be using it.”

While she had a few teething issues with the installation and adjustability, our product tester had no doubts the travel car seat would keep her kids safe and gave it a 10 out of 10 score for safety. “I felt like all three of my boys were safe and secure in the WAYB Pico carseat,” says Brittany, adding that she appreciated the “audible click” that can be heard when all of the latches have been fastened properly. The seat also has a five-point harness, which our product tester described as a must-have feature.

“For families who travel often or even for families who maybe utilize babysitters or grandparents to transport their children—this would be so helpful,” concluded Brittany, who said that overall she loved this product and would definitely recommend it to other travel-savvy parents.

Type: Forward-facing car seat | Dimensions: 11.6" (L) x 14.5" (W) x 18.9" (H) (folded); 15.2" (L) x 14.5" (W) x 22.8-27.8" (H) (unfolded) | Weight: 8 lbs. | Height limit: 45" | Weight capacity: 22 to 50 lbs. (forward-facing) | FAA approved: Yes

When it comes to car seats and traveling, price is a big factor. After all, a travel car seat is often used as a backup and parents don’t want to pay a fortune for something that may get banged about in transit. Fortunately, many parents in The Bump community point to the Cosco Scenera NEXT as a good affordable option. And with a price tag just under $60, it was the cheapest travel car seat we sent for testing. “I personally think the price point of it is perfect,” says product tester and mom of two Amparo, awarding this seat a top score for value for money.

Aside from affordability, the convertible car seat was super-easy to install, which is a must for travel. Amparo’s son is 12 months old, so she installed the seat in a rear-facing position and said it was super-easy to latch into place. “It took maybe 5 minutes to install because I'm pregnant and my belly was in the way,” she shared. While installing the seat was easy thanks to the clear and concise instructions, she did say the car seat was a tight squeeze in her Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: “I had to push the passenger seat way up so I could put the car seat in. So if I have a passenger sitting on the passenger side they wouldn’t be comfortable.”

This travel-friendly model has all the features you would expect, earning it a top score for design and features. “The car seat for the price range it was at, was designed very well,” confirms Amparo. The five-point safety harness and side-impact protection gave Amparo peace of mind and she said the travel car seat “felt safe and secure.” The harness can be adjusted to five different heights. While our product tester said it was a little tricky to pull the shoulder straps through the different holes while making adjustments, overall “it adapted to his size very easily and I was impressed with how comfortable he was.” It also has a removable cup holder that can be used to hold a sippy cup or snacks. And the removable seat pad is machine-washable and dryer-safe, so you don’t have to worry about the inevitable spills and stains that come with in-flight snacks. “My son did spit up on it and it was easy to wipe down and simple to clean with a wipe,” says Amparo, who also noted that the seat didn’t have any deep crevices where crumbs could get stuck. And like all of the best travel car seats, this pick is FAA approved for air travel.

Weighing in at just 7 lbs., the Cosco Scenera NEXT is also the lightest travel car seat that we tested, making it easy to switch between vehicles or carry across terminals. “The car seat is super light-weight, my mom is 64 and she was able to pick it up just fine,” shared Amparo. Overall, our product tester loved this model and felt that the “potential usage and quality” matched the price.

Type: Convertible car seat | Dimensions: 31.7" (L) x 18.1" (W) x 30" (H) | Weight: 7 lbs. | Height limit: 43" | Weight capacity: 5 to 40 lb (rear-facing); 22 to 40 lb (forward-facing) | FAA approved: Yes

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If your kiddo has grown too big for a travel car seat, a backless booster seat is a good option for road trips. But even within the world of booster seats, some are better suited to holidays than others. The Chicco GoFit Plus Booster Car Seat received high scores across the board, but it was the innovative quick-release design that marked it out as a particularly good choice for travel. “I was pleasantly surprised [by] how easy it was to remove,” says product tester Samantha, who used the booster seat with her 8-year-old daughter. According to Samantha, the seat has a big bright orange release lever with a label on it. With a quick pull on the lever, she was able to remove the seat with one hand. “After removing it from the first vehicle, we installed it into the truck for a trial. It was again, simple and easy to attach the LATCH system. Each time it was installed, it took less than a minute,” explained Samantha, adding that installation and removal couldn’t be any easier.

While some booster seats can be too big and bulky for easy travel, this option by Chicco is compact in size, so you can easily store it when not in use. “The size of the seat is comparable to that of a large briefcase,” says Samantha, adding that it could potentially be stored in a large backpack. “I believe it would fit in an overhead bin of a plane and would consider taking it for travel if it was needed,” continues Samantha. (And while this is a great plan for taxis or rental cars once you arrive, it’s important to note that booster seats are not safe for use on airplanes.) And at 6 lbs., the seat is light enough to carry with one hand with the built-in carry handle. “It has a plastic bar as a carrying handle on the back of the seat that is perfect for holding,” explains Samantha, noting that her daughter could carry it without difficulty.

Our product tester gave this seat a 10 out of 10 score for features and design. “Compared to previous booster seats we have had, this one is the most comfortable one that my child has ever used,” shared Samantha. She liked the leather-look armrests and said “the padding on the seat is fluffier than others that have a single layer of material over hard plastic.” Another feature she loved were the foldable cup holders built into the sides of the seat. “The silicone cup holders are genius,” she gushes. In her experience, hard plastic cup holders often get detached, press into her child’s legs or are difficult to wiggle past while getting her other kid situated in the car. In contrast, the cup holders on this booster seat are flexible, which adds to the overall comfort of the seat. “They collapse and fold in easily if they're not in use. [and] they wipe clean and fit snacks and reusable cups,” Samantha explains.

This travel booster seat also earned a top score for value for money. “I was really impressed with this booster seat and thought the price reflected its value and its worth,” says Samantha, adding that she would use it for the entirety of its lifespan and potentially pass it down to her younger child once they fit the height and weight requirements.

Exclusive Bump offer: Use code BUMP2024 to get $75 off any order of $299 or more on Chicco USA.

Type: Backless booster seat | Dimensions: 15" (L) x 17" (W) x 8.5" (H) | Weight: 6 lbs. | Height limit: 57" | Weight capacity: 40 to 100 lbs. | FAA approved: No

What if we told you one of the best car booster seats for travel was inflatable? Hear us out. The BubbleBum is a backless booster seat that can be inflated in a flash and deflated for easy storage. “The portability of the BubbleBum car seat is its defining feature,” explains product tester and mom of three Katelyn. “It is so small when deflated and rolled up that it could easily fit in a purse, backpack, stowed in a trunk or under a car seat,” and it comes with a carry case that keeps everything together. “I love the thought of always having this booster seat rolled up [and] ready for any situation where we might need an extra booster,” continues Katelyn. With such a glowing review, it’s no surprise that our product tester described it as an excellent option for travel and awarded the seat a 10 out of 10 score for portability.

Another area in which this booster seat shone was ease of installation. “Blowing up the seat was very simple,” says Katelyn. She noted that the twist inflation valve was a clever feature as it meant that she could close it without removing her mouth first and no air was lost in the process. Once inflated, it took mere seconds to install the booster seat in her vehicle. “Installing it was very simple as there are no latch tethers,” she explained, adding that it was easy to thread the seat belt through the clips. And this booster seat is suitable for use in all vehicles fitted with a three point seat belt, so it’s ideal for rental cars, taxis and carpool situations. When asked for her view on the safety features, Katelyn said it doesn’t feel indestructible but acknowledges that this is not the unique selling point of this booster seat. “This kind of seat is made for convenience and portability for older kids,” she points out. With that said, she did appreciate the clips that ensure the seat belt stays in a safe position across her child’s lap. While her son didn’t need to use it, Katelyn also liked the shoulder belt positioning clip. “I feel like that’s a great feature to make sure children of all heights can get a correct, safe fit,” she explained. It’s also important to note that BubbleBum products meet and exceed all US federal standards and European regulations for car seat safety.

Our product tester gave this booster a perfect score for value for money, noting that renting a car seat for travel would cost the same, if not more, than buying the BubbleBum outright. “This seat can save you time and money while traveling, and is something you could use many times over the years,” concluded Katelyn.

Type: Backless booster seat | Dimensions: 11" (L) x 11" (W) x 4.5" (H) (inflated); 11.8" (L) x 5.9" (W) x 3.9" (H) (deflated) | Weight: 15 oz. | Height limit: 59" | Weight capacity: 40 to 100 lbs. | FAA approved: No

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