Convertible
Car Seat
A travel car seat for infants, toddlers, and bigger kids.
Infant
Car Seat
A lightweight car seat for infants that makes travel easier.
Car Seat
A harnessed booster car seat for traveling on a budget.
An infant car seat that can transition to a stroller in seconds.
The best travel car seats are designed for safety and offer peace of mind from the stress of traveling with an infant during a long road trip or on a plane. Ensuring your child’s safety is the number one priority for our team, which is why all car seats in this review are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Our team extensively researched and reviewed these travel car seats to ensure parents receive the best protection for their child, while still having a functional and portable car seat to travel with. Our in-depth buyers guide and expert opinions emphasize the importance of purchasing a multi-function car seat for your child.
Car Seat Safety
Every car seat sold in the United States is required to meet certain federal safety standards. Check your car seat for a label or notice that proves it complies with these standards. Each of our recommendations for the best car seats meet federal safety standards.
It’s not enough to only purchase a safe car seat, it must also be properly installed to ensure child safety. The NHTSA website has a locator to find the nearest car seat inspection site. If you’re unsure if you’ve installed your car seat properly, take it to an expert for inspection. In many cities, this is a free service.
5 Best Travel Car Seats
- Best Convertible Car Seat: Chicco Fit4
- Best Toddler Car Seat: Chicco MyFit
- Best Infant Car Seat: Bugaboo Turtle Air
- Value Travel Car Seat: Evenflo Chase
- Stroller Recommendation: Doona Infant Car Seat
Our Review Standards
To select the five best travel car seats in this review, our team searched top retailers like Amazon for products, looking at factors such as safety ratings, customer ratings, prices, and Prime shipping eligibility. Our experts have tested more than 15 car seats in person.
Why You Can Trust Us
Each year, we review over 1,000 auto products. Our team of product experts thoroughly researches top products and tests items on real vehicles when possible before making our recommendations.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
#1 Best Convertible Car Seat: Chicco Fit4
The Chicco Fit4 is perfect for your little one at any stage. With a minimum weight of 4.0 pounds to safely function as an infant car seat, you can transition this car seat up to 100.0 pounds using the front-facing high-back booster seat conversion as your child grows.
This convertible car seat also has some essential safety features. From the five-point harness to the steel-reinforced frame and energy-absorbing foam, the seat will keep your little one safe in the car and on a plane. Our team tested this product and recognized it as the Editor’s Pick in our review of the Best Convertible Car Seats of 2023.
| Overall Rating | 5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Installation | 5 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Value | 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: Around $285
- Installation type: LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)
- Harness type: Five-point
- Weight limit: 40.0 pounds for rear-facing and 100.0 pounds for forward-facing
- Product weight: 25.0 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.8 out of 5 based on over 1,800 ratings
The majority of customers give glowing reviews to the Chicco Fit4, praising its sturdiness and comfort. A handful of buyers even shared that it kept their little one quiet on long flights and road trips.
#2 Best Toddler Car Seat: Chicco MyFit
The Chicco MyFit is a toddler car seat designed to transition from a five-point harness for toddlers to a seat belt-positioning booster for bigger kids, making this a great car seat for toddlers. With a nine-position headrest and four-position reclining seat, this seat will be comfortable for your child on long trips.
Air travel provides little room in between seats, so it can be hard to find a car seat that can accommodate the smaller seat size. The Chicco MyFit has two cup holders on either side that can fold in to save space and provide a more compact design while in smaller spaces. Our team tested the MyFit, awarding it the top position in our review of the Best Toddler Car Seats of 2023.
| Overall Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Installation | 4.5 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Value | 5 |
Key Features
- Cost: Around $210
- Installation type: Seat belt
- Harness type: Five-point
- Weight limit: 100.0 pounds
- Product weight: 25.0 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.9 out of 5 based on over 5,000 ratings
The Chicco MyFit is highly praised and comes recommended by most parents who review the car seat after purchasing. Reviewers emphasize how simple it is to install into a vehicle and transport from one vehicle to another. While heavier in weight, reviewers share that its durability, comfort, and safety make up for a slightly bulkier car seat. For a more detailed review, check out our in-depth Chicco MyFit guide.
#3 Best Infant Car Seat: Bugaboo Turtle Air
The Bugaboo Turtle Air is designed to keep your child safe on the road and in the sky. With a minimum weight of 4.0 pounds, this rear-facing car seat is suited for little ones while prioritizing child safety in its design thanks to the side-impact security and UPR 50+ sun shielding.
The lightweight design makes it easy to travel with your child while being able to hold your carry-on and get on board to reach your destination stress-free. Our team tested and reviewed the Bugaboo, placing it in the top position for the Best Infant Car Seats of 2023.
| Overall Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Installation | 4.5 |
| Comfort | 5 |
| Value | 4 |
Key Features
- Cost: Around $480
- Installation type: LATCH
- Harness type: Five-point
- Weight limit: 32.0 pounds
- Product weight: 17.0 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.8 out of 5 based on over 25 ratings
While this product has only a handful of reviews, parents are overall pleased with their purchase of the Bugaboo infant child seat. After testing this product, our team found that it was an incredibly high-quality seat that was easy to install. Reviewers share that, while it is a higher cost, the safety and sturdiness of this seat are worth the cost for peace of mind while traveling.
#4 Value Travel Car Seat: Evenflo Chase
The Evenflo Chase is a two-in-one combination booster seat, with a harness booster for children at least two years old and a seat belt booster for four-year-olds and up. This forward-facing car seat is lightweight, making it easy to carry with you and transition from one vehicle to another. The Evenflo exceeds all federal safety standards and side impact standards, which are tested prior to being sold on the market.
Our team also tested this product and awarded it our Budget Pick for the Best Toddler Car Seats of 2023. The seat would be great for older children who have transitioned out of the rear-facing seat and are looking for something safe and secure while still being functional.
| Overall Rating | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Installation | 4 |
| Comfort | 3.5 |
| Value | 4.5 |
Key Features
- Cost: Around $80
- Installation type: LATCH or seat belt
- Harness type: Five-point
- Weight capacity: 110.0 pounds
- Product weight: 9.1 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.6 out of 5 based on over 11,000 ratings
Reviewers are overall pleased with their purchase of the Evenflo Chase, writing how great the legroom is thanks to the more compact size. While this car seat is likely too large to fit in the overhead bin of a plane, if you need it simply for a rental car, you can easily check the car seat with your luggage for an easy installation once you arrive at your destination.
#5 Stroller Recommendation: Doona Infant Car Seat
Unlike the other recommendations in this article, we have not had the opportunity the test the Doona Infant Car Seat in person. We regularly update these recommendations and in this case, we think the Doona is worth recommending for those who need a stroller/car seat combo. It is a lightweight and functional car seat stroller, perfect to get through a gate check at the airport or load into a rental car. With the foldable stroller function, you can easily attach a car seat travel bag on the handlebars when the stroller is fully extended.
This car seat is made of baby-safe materials including a removable and washable stretch canopy and bamboo inserts and head support. This car seat is fit for your newborn baby up to a one-year-old child, while doubling as a hassle-free stroller to take with you on any adventure. This product received the number one position for the Best Car Seat Stroller Combos of 2023 as reviewed by our product team.
Key Features
- Cost: Around $550
- Installation type: LATCH
- Harness type: Five-point
- Weight capacity: 35.0 pounds
- Product weight: 16.0 pounds
What Customers Are Saying
Amazon Review Score: 4.8 out of 5 based on over 10,000 ratings
Customers give glowing reviews of the Doona car seat travel stroller, sharing how simple it is to use and convert into a stroller, while also being incredibly comfortable and lightweight. Buyers shared how functional this seat was to bring into the airport and load on a plane. With the easy transition into a stroller, they were able to check in, board, and get on the plane with no issues.
How We Tested Car Seats
Our review team tested more than a dozen car seats. To select products for testing, we searched Amazon for top products by looking at customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices. We only chose car seats that comply with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
During testing, we compared adjustability, material quality, and ease of use to determine our rankings. We also considered customer opinions as represented by reviews on retailers’ websites such as Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
Ease Of Use
Even a car seat that meets federal guidelines is unsafe if installed incorrectly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 46 percent of car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly. When a car seat is simple to install and includes easy-to-follow directions, the chance of user error is lower.
A car seat’s anchor clips can make a big difference with ease of installation. While testing car seats, we encountered two types of anchor clips: a simple metal anchor and a LATCH anchor that buckles similarly to a seatbelt (both displayed below). The LATCH anchor is easier to attach and release. Seats with this type of anchor scored higher in the ease-of-use category.
Plain Metal Anchor
LATCH Anchor
Adjustability
Though small babies are typically of similar size, older children often come in various shapes, heights, and weights. You’ll need to adjust any car seat to fit your child and your car. Features such as a built-in level, adjustable headrest, and multiple harness positions are useful in this regard. Car seats with more harness positions and incline positions scored best in this category.
Quality Of Materials
Better materials mean a more comfortable ride for your child. It’s also helpful when a car seat has machine-washable fabrics for easy cleanup. Car seats with soft materials, extra padding, and quality stitchwork scored best in this category.
Car Seat Testing Process
To test the best car seats, our review team installed each product into a sedan. In addition to inspecting the materials of each seat in person, we noted the ease or difficulty of the installation process. We also tested each adjustment mechanism to ensure it worked smoothly.
You can attach most car seats using the car’s built-in infant seat anchors or using the seatbelt. For our testing, we installed each seat using the built-in lower anchors when possible.
Why You Can Trust Us
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. A team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
Our Research
In 2022, our reviews team launched a study to gauge what shoppers valued most while searching for car seats. This is what consumers told us they look for before purchasing any size or style of car seat:
- Approximately 89 percent of respondents stated safety as their top priority
- Over 46 percent of respondents said the car seat needed to be the appropriate size for their child
- 42 percent of those surveyed mentioned functionality as a priority
- Over 38 percent of respondents listed easy installation
Our team also found that 73 percent of respondents say they rarely uninstall their car seat once it is in place. Roughly a quarter of those surveyed said the most they removed the car seat was a handful of times each month.
Travel Car Seat: Bottom Line
Before purchasing a travel car seat, there are a few things you should consider so you can get the best value for your money and provide a safe and comfortable seat for your little one on long trips. From functionality to safety and ease of installation, each travel car seat has something different to offer.
Functionality
The functionality of a car seat can make or break a smooth trip. Having a stroller seat could be ideal if you plan to travel in the near future because they are easy to maneuver and can break down into a regular infant car seat for your little one to be securely fastened while on the road or in the air.
Safety
The level of safety a car seat provides should always be the top priority. You want your child to feel safe and give you peace of mind when fastening them in the car for a road trip. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Association provides excellent insight into the importance of car seat safety with the option to search for your car seat rating.
The NHTSA also provides information on how to select the best car seat for your child, how to install a car seat, and extra tips for keeping your child safe in a car seat and vehicle.
Ease Of Installation
How easy a car seat is to install can make a big difference while traveling. For infants, you want a car seat that can fit comfortably on a plane, in a rental car, and in your own vehicle during a trip to the airport. The LATCH system is designed to make installation a breeze, and is worth considering to help your trip go smoother and keep your baby from fussing on the trip with little to no movement.
The travel car seat you choose for your child should be a safe and functional choice. Child passenger safety has dramatically improved over the last decade. However, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children four years and older according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Travel Car Seat: FAQ
*Data accurate at time of publication.