So you’ve decided which stroller to take, you have the perfect carrier for travelling, a handy car seat and now you are wondering if there is anything else you should take?

There might be! If you have a young kid, a travel high chair can make life so much easier. There are lots of great high chairs available too which are perfect for travel.

When our kids were younger, we took the First Years On-The-Go Booster Seat with us on our Asian adventures. In Asia, highchairs are not readily available and if they are, they are actual high chairs… like chairs that are high with no restraints. Being able to insert our own travel chair made life so much easier and safer. When our kids were under 2, this accessory probably got the most use of all the baby gear we took with us.

When we were travelling around Europe with our then 3 year old, we were still using a booster seat. He was too big for high chairs in restaurants and it helped us when we stayed in apartments. It was also handy in the apartment when he needed to sit to do activities like drawing.

Below you will find my guide to finding the best travel high chair – what to look for in a travel chair as well as all the best options and travel chair reviews.

Best Portable Travel Chair 2018

It can be difficult to find the best portable baby high chair. To make it easier we’ve put the best travel high chairs into an easy to use table to help you find the right portable travel chair for your needs.

Comparison Chart

Travel High Chairs vs Portable High Chairs

You may have seen both travel high chairs and portable high chairs for sale and wondered what the difference is between the two. In fact, they are essentially the same thing.

Both portable and travel high chairs for babies are designed to be used outside the house. Therefore, they are generally less bulky and more of a lightweight travel chair.

A portable high chair is designed to be used outside the house as something you would bring to a restaurant. Chairs that are advertised as travel high chairs are generally designed for travel convenience, so can often be checked in and traveled with easily.

There really is not a huge deal of difference between the two, and in this this article I will use the terms interchangeably.

Types of Travel High Chair

There are essentially three different types of travel high chairs available including wraps, hook-on chairs and the traditional booster seat. Each of these has advantages in different situations which I will explain more in detail.

Wraps

For some parents a wrap design will be the most suitable option for travel. These versatile designs often allow you to carry your baby, attach them to the seat for use as a travel baby high chair, and even attach to the crib as a sleeper.

Wraps attach to chairs by pulling a cover over the back of the chair which is then tightened.

Wraps are generally suitable for older babies when using as a baby portable travel high chair, and traveling parents are likely to either love them or hate them.

Pros –

• Extremely lightweight
• Versatile, can double as a carrier or triple as a carrier and sleeper.
• Very simple to use

Cons –

• More suitable for older children that have control
• Not as suitable for all chair heights

Hook-on Chairs

A Hook-on Chair is a great option for travel for kids above 6 months, with a weight limit that is generally up to 37 lbs. If the age extended further beyond these limits then they would be my top travel pick. For those of you with kids in this range, they may be perfect for you! My kids are particularly heavy and reached these weight limits at a young age.

Hook on Chairs attach to a table with rubber handles that tighten and cling to the table, creating a safe and secure seat for your child’s legs to dangle out of.

Hook-on Chairs have the benefit of being collapsable, a must when using them for travel. They are mostly lightweight and generally include a carry bag for travel.

Pros –

• Lightweight at around 4 lbs
• Collapsable
• Safe and secure

Cons –

• Limited age range
• May not be perfect for every table

Booster Seats

Booster seats need little introduction and I am sure most parents have either seen or used one before.

Nevertheless, a booster seat is simply a seat that can be attached to another seat so that you baby can sit with you at the table. Some booster seats also have extendable legs to sit independently. For this reason, they have many advantages whilst traveling.

Booster seats are also very easy to use, and only really dependent on there being a seat with backing available. They can be used from 12 months old til your child reaches around 50 lbs.

Pros –

• Very simple to use
• Strong and proven to last

Cons –

• Can only be used from 12 months
• Generally bulkier than wraps or collapsable hook-on chairs.

At the moment, we are actually using our BubbleBum booster car seat for this purpose! We have used the First Years On-The-Go Booster Seat in the past taking it on many trips to Asia.

What To Look For In A Portable Travel Chair

Ease of Use

As you will be probably use your portable travel high chair frequently whilst traveling, it is essential that you find your baby travel high chair easy to use.

Each design has their own advantages but booster seats really win here. They couldn’t be more simple, and besides not being suitable for all surfaces, they are very near to it.

It is worth noting that any travel seat you choose won’t fit everywhere. Hook-on chairs have more trouble here as they depend on a hard and stable surface to be attached to, whereas both boosters and wraps only depend on a solid backed chair being available.

The ease of use for your travel chair will really depend on where you use it, but wraps and booster seats are likely to be the most useful.

Portability

Whilst traveling, many people would argue that portability is key, and this is an essential factor when choosing a suitable travel baby high chair.

Do not make the mistake of only focusing on dimensions here. There is a huge difference between what 5 and 15 pounds will feel like when you are carrying your bags on your travels, so make weight a major factor in your decision for portability. It is also worth considering if you are attempting to only travel with carry on luggage – wraps can be appropriate for this reason.

Keep in mind that some (but not all) booster seats do not collapse, so this is a negative for them but does not mean that are not suitable. However, the booster seats I have listed below are all folding travel chairs.

Hook-ons generally include carry bags and wraps can fold away seamlessly.

Safety

Although portability and their ease of use are great, safety is key and needs to be your main decision when picking a suitable travel high chair seat.

A harness is essential with some travel chairs even having a 5 point harness. Younger babies will need a lot more support and it is important to give them extra thought when looking for the most suitable baby travel high chair.

Although hook-ons are generally very secure, they may not be appropriate for all tables especially if you are heading to a country without great facilities, so keep this in mind.

Safety also depends on how you will decide to use the travel chair. The two major questions I ask myself when considering the safety of the product is if it is appropriate for my child’s age, and is the product secure for what I will use it for?

Cleaning

We know babies are messy and no parent wants to spend their valuable sight seeing time cleaning their baby travel chair.

There is obviously a preference for fabrics that can be wiped clean, and generally booster seats are the best for this. However, a machine washable fabric can be just as handy, as many portable travel chairs will have a removable cover.

Try and keep clear of chairs that have many nooks and cranny’s, not just because they can be difficult to navigate but because cleaning them can be a painful experience.

Chicco Travel High Chair Reviews

Chicco Caddy Hook On Chair Review

To start of the list of travel high chairs for babies is the Chicco Caddy Hook-on chair, which, as the name suggests, is a hook-on chair.

This seat is a great travel baby chair for several reasons. Firstly, storage and transport is easy as the seat folds flat.

This chair includes the benefit of having a soft bottom as opposed to plastic, making it very comfortable. This cloth cover is both removable and machine washable. The chair is easily wiped cleaned as it is made of nylon, and there are no nooks or crannies on this hook-on chair so cleanup is simple, keeping mess to the minimum.

The chair includes 2 buttons on each arm, with one allowing the arms to be detached and the other allowing it to move within the slot, swinging the arms towards the middle.

This Hook-on infant travel high chair includes rubber grips not only to reinforce its strength, but to minimize any damage to the table, and the chair can also be used on tables with skirting up to 5.5 inches thick. Safety features also include a 3 point harness, which is essential to stop your little one from attempting a break out.

There has to be some negatives and my main problems with this chair is that it doesn’t fold as compactly as some others, and that it does not include a travel carry bag.

Still, it is great value and a strong portable high chair for travel. 

Click here for more information and the latest prices.

Chicco Pocket Snack Booster Seat Review

Another great seat by Chicco is the Chicco Pocket Snack Seat which is a booster seat.

The Chicco booster high chair has some great features. Luckily, this seat folds flat and compactly, and includes a carry strap for travel. The travel high chair reviews have also noted that the seat will fit well into most suitcases so it can be stashed away until needed.

Helpfully, this booster seat includes foldable anti-slip legs that can either be used for self standing or folded for attachment to a chair. The legs can be adjusted to 3 different heights, and the chair has two straps to attach tightly to a chair. There is also a secure 3 point harness for safety.

The Chicco portable high chair is plastic and so the surfaces are easily wiped clean, and includes a removable tray and some colorful designs to choose from.

The only problem I encountered was with removing the tray, but this didn’t take long to master.

Chicco high chairs are great and this booster seat could be the only seat to travel with you for a long time, staying with your child to a massive 50 pounds. It is definitely one to consider.

This high chair is also one of the cheapest options which is fabulous value.

Check out the latest prices here.

Other Top Portable High Chairs

Phil & Teds Lobster High Chair Review

You want to be sure that your child is not only safe in their high chair, but if you can keep them in their familiar seat, it certainly cuts down on mealtime tantrums. This particular chair can be taken anywhere with ease, and folds up small enough to fit into diaper bags and underneath strollers, stored in its own travel bag.

The high chair itself is a harness type, i.e. it clips onto the table edge and your child is in a harness, suspended safely at the table. This is a very lightweight option, at under 4lb in weight, making carrying it around no problem at all.

This product is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and provided the table does not have rounded edges, isn’t made of glass, and doesn’t have lips, the strong aluminum clips will hold your child firmly in place, from six months to three years of age, or a maximum weight of no more than 37lb.

The table detaches and is dishwasher safe for cleaning also. The four point safety harness is easy to use and there are padded shoulder straps for extra security and comfort.

Click here to read more reviews and to see the latest prices.

Travel High Chair & Portable High Chair & Toddler Safety Harness Review

This is a fantastically flexible product, and one which can double up as a high chair or harness for regular use outdoors. The product easily fits on most chairs and is very easy to use – you simply attach it to the chair and then attach the harness to your child, with no worries about rashes or the fabric not being comfortable, thanks to it being very soft and durable.

This particular product really does grow with your child, because you can alter what you use it for as they get a little older, and can even be used in shopping trollies! Simply put it into your bag, it’s really that small.

The straps are easily adjustable, which gives more weight to the claim that you can use this product as your child gets older, and it is basically an extremely versatile product to have in your equipment armory.

See the Travel High Chair here.

My Little Seat Infant Travel High Chair Review

The My Little Seat Travel Highchair is the only wrap seat design to make my top list. This is not because there aren’t many other great wraps; there are. But this one was by far my favorite. It has the best fit for most chairs and is a great traveling high chair option.

Obviously, being a wrap it has the benefit of being both extremely lightweight and portable. For travel, it is worth noting that this seat folds down to the size of a diaper (and scarcely weights more than one either).

Another great thing is that it is safe. Being so lightweight, safety can sometimes feel compromised. Luckily, this wrap has a 5 point safety harness so you needn’t worry.

There are some really great patterns and colors for you to choose from, with some ‘zen like’ designs, and other more funky designs.  However, they are generally contemporary and look great.

As it fits over the chair securely, it will not fit higher chairs, but this really isn’t a problem whilst traveling (unless you have dinner with the Adam’s family) and should be perfect for most restaurants. The only problem can be that your child is not boosted up at all so they may have problems reaching the table if they feed themselves.

The My Little Seat Travel Highchair really will make eating out while traveling so easy, and is my top wrap seat pick.

Click here for the latest prices and more information.

Munchkin Travel Booster Seat Review

Another great booster seat for you to consider would be the Munchkin Travel Booster Seat. This travel booster seat has some awesome features of its own that make it incredibly handy for travel.

Firstly, I love that the Munchkin portable high chair has retractable legs. This is something that I think should be important when looking at booster seats as table heights (and children heights) can differ so much. The legs have two heights allowing you to adjust it to different table heights.

The booster seat also has the great advantage of having a large storage container, which is large enough for you to pack in diapers, bottles and other essentials. The storage box folds open from the bottom, and hides items away until you need them.

Note also that Munchkin travel high chair reviews have stated that this booster seat can fit comfortably into a suitcase.

Although the booster seat is great and secure, it may not be suitable for a very active toddler who needs a lot of restraint due to its ultra lightweight. Having said that, the base is still strong and there is a good three point safety harness.

The seat folds really easily, and there are some great colors for your child to chose from.

See more information here.

Inglesina Fast Travel Chair Review

The Inglesina Fast Travel chair is another travel chair that has proven popular with parents. The chair is a table hook-on design that attaches to tables up to 3.5” thick.

The thing that makes the Inglesina travel high chair great for travel is that the chair folds flat, is incredibly lightweight for such a strong chair at only 4.2 lbs, and includes a carrying bag.

The travel carrying bag is hidden beneath the seat and sewn directly onto the material, so it is always with you and can never be lost. This is a great thing for travel as I know myself I can be searching forever for these things. You will always be ready to pack up and go.

The seat is firm and secure, but a comfortable design with a backrest and rear pockets for placing items. The seat also has a removable cover which can be hand washed.

There is only a velcro strap as for the seat belt, but this is thick and does well at providing support.

You can purchase an attachable dining tray separately, but I don’t really think that it is necessary when it attaches directly to the table.

The Inglesina portable high chair is easily my top pick for a hook-on travel high chair seat.

Click here for more information and the latest prices.

Summer Infant Deluxe Comfort Folding Booster Seat Review

This particular product is a booster seat type of travel high chair, but one which folds down for easy transportation. The product is very adjustable, with two height levels as your child grows, and three positions on the feeding tray, which is also dishwasher safe for feeding.

The restraint system is safe and comfortable for your child, with a three point fastening, and there are straps to attach to the chair, to further hold the seat in place. The seat then folds down very small for portability and storage, and the seat pad is easily removed and machine washable.

You can use this for feeding or simply as a booster seat, and provided it is firmly attached to the chair underneath, you don’t have to worry about your child wriggling free. The chair is also very lightweight, so you can certainly take it with you on your travels, without any additional weight.

Click here to read more reviews on the Summer Infant Deluxe Comfort Folding Booster Seat.

The First Years On-The-Go Booster Seat Review

You might not have thought about an inflatable booster seat, but this one is extremely durable, and when inflated, it doesn’t even feel like it is full of air, it’s really that sturdy!

The major advantage of this is that it can be deflated and taken with you anywhere, and it folds up extremely small for travel. The restraint system is also very hard-wearing and has a T shaped harness, to hold your child securely. The seat also has a carry handle for ease of use.

To inflate the seat you simply attach the valve and it inflates quickly into a seat for your child aged 9 months upwards, to 50lb in weight, and to deflate you simply pull out the valve and squash it back down to its original size.

There really aren’t any obvious downsides to this particular travel high chair, because it is so flexible and easily carried out, without any worries about security or safety.

Click here for the latest prices and more reviews.

Fisher Price Booster Seat Review

The Fisher Price Booster Seat is one of the most popular portable baby high chair seats.

The seat itself is a booster seat design, made of plastic and adjustable to three different heights, making it suitable for different table heights or for a growing child.

The seat includes a detachable tray that includes a snap on lid to keep the feeding tray clean. This is a definite advantage when you’ll be carrying your chair around with you.

The tray includes one level with a cup holder, which is also detachable to create a larger area.The tray is also easily cleaned and small enough to do so in the sink.
Being plastic, the seat is very solid, an easy wipe clean and safe with a 3 point harness and front and rear straps. The seat also includes a carrying strap for traveling.

Besides for being heavier than others, its very well priced and perfect for travel, and many parents swear that this seat is the gold standard for travel. Whatever the case, this certainly is a popular high chair travel seat and will make feeding time easy peasy!

Click here for the latest prices and more reviews.

Hopefully, I have helped you find the best travel high chair for your needs! If you are looking for more baby products for travel, check out our other reviews here. Good luck!

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