When I traveled with my baby or toddler, I always made sure to pack a fabric travel high chair. Even if I was unsure on how much I would use it, it packed small enough that it was worth having my portable travel high chair with us. As parent traveling with a baby or toddler, I wanted to be prepared (without carrying too much) and packing a portable high chair was an easy way to ensure a safe and secure spot for my baby at any restaurant.
You might be thinking that it would be pointless to pack a travel high chair when traveling with a baby or toddler in the United States or Canada, as almost every restaurant will have a high chair available for you to use. But I still used the travel high chair in our Airbnb or hotel room! This was the best way to make sure my little one didn’t get food everywhere!
And if you travel internationally with your baby, you will find that even family-friendly restaurants often don’t have high chairs.
Related: I found portable high chairs to be so useful for travel, that I included them in my lists of essential baby gear for travel and essential toddler gear for travel.
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Top 7 Portable High Chairs for Travel
Portable high chairs are an important part of your strategy to feed your baby while traveling. Keep reading after my list of the best portable travel high chairs for babies and toddlers for everything you need to know about this essential piece of baby travel gear.
In my list you’ll find only portable travel high chairs that are exactly that are truly portable. This means that I only include travel high chairs that are practical and realistic for parents to travel with. While I know that toddler booster seats like this Fisher Price portable high chair are amazing (I know, I own two of them), I wouldn’t travel with one unless it was a road trip with a toddler.
The best travel high chairs are the ones that fold small and that you’ll be willing to carry along with you on your daily outings. Otherwise, what’s the point of bringing it on your family trip?
This is still the one I recommend most when parents ask me for the best portable travel high chair.
The hiccapop OmniBoost straps securely to most chairs, has a wide, stable base with “duck feet,” a removable tray, and a 3 point harness that keeps wiggly babies in place at meals. It folds into its own carry bag, is light enough to toss in a suitcase or under a stroller, and works indoors, outdoors, at vacation rentals, and at grandma’s house.
For travel, I like that it is sturdy without being huge, easy to wipe clean, and gives you a predictable, contained space to feed your baby.
- Stable wide base that works indoors and outdoors
- Removable tray plus option to use at a table
- Packs into included carry bag for easy travel
- Machine washable cover with simple wipe clean surfaces
- Bulkier than a simple fabric harness seat
- Tray adds pieces to keep track of while traveling
The Inglesina Fast Table Chair is my go-to clip-on travel high chair for families who want one seat that works at home and on the road. It clamps to many tables, has a deep, supportive seat, and folds flat into its own carry bag.
I like that the Inglesina Fast Table Chair brings your baby right up to the table. It is best for babies who can sit unassisted, used only on sturdy, suitable tables (never glass, pedestal, loose leaf, or card tables), and always with the harness done up. For road trips with a baby, long stays, or using in grandparents’ homes, it is an excellent long-term value.
- Very secure clamp with trusted brand reputation
- Comfortable, supportive seat with higher back
- Integrated travel bag and compact fold
- Long usable life from baby into toddler years
- Heavier and bulkier than fabric harness seats
- Not compatible with all table types
- Requires careful clamp setup each time
If you want something that lives in your diaper bag, this is the style I reach for. The liuliuby travel harness seat turns many regular chairs into a safe, contained seat using an adjustable 5 point style harness and anti-slip straps along the back. It weighs almost nothing, packs down small, and is machine washable, which is ideal for travel days when everything ends up covered in food.
Like all fabric travel high chairs, the liuliuby travel harness seat does not boost your child to table height and only works on chairs with a solid back, so I treat it as my “always with me” backup for cafes and simple meals.
- Packs into a very small pouch
- 5 point style harness with extra side loops
- Machine washable for easy cleanup
- Excellent backup when no high chairs are available
- Does not boost height to the table
- Only works on chairs with suitable backs
- No tray and less padding than framed boosters
The Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat is a simple, compact booster that works well when you want something affordable and easy to wipe clean. It straps to a chair, has a 3 point harness, and folds into itself with a carry handle.
I like the Nuby Easy Go Booster Seat for road trips, grandparents, and casual travel where you are not worried about the size or weight. It does not fold as small as a fabric harness, but you get extra support and a slight boost toward table height.
- Budget friendly with solid basic features
- Lightweight and easy to wipe clean
- Adds bit of height compared to fabric seats
- Good for home as well as travel use
- Bulkier than ultra-compact options
- Only a 3 point harness
- No separate tray
The Dreambaby Grab N Go is a compact booster with internal storage and a 3 point harness. I keep it as an alternative for families who cannot access one brand or find a better price on the other. It works for dining out, visiting friends, or tossing in the car for weekends away.
- Compact with handy internal storage
- Three point harness for toddlers
- Good value alternative to other framed boosters
- Not as tiny as fabric options
- No tray
- Relies on compatible chairs
The Perch is a more robust alternative to the Inglesina Fast. It has a high back, 5 point harness, and clamps that fit thicker tables than many competitors.
I recommend the Perch for families who want a clip-on travel high chair that also lives at the kitchen table at home, or for long trips where comfort matters. It is heavier than the Inglesina and not as tiny to pack, so I place it lower in the ranking for carry-everywhere travel, but it is an excellent choice when you value stability and table compatibility.
- High back and 5 point harness
- Fits thicker tables than many clip-ons
- Doubles as home high chair solution
- Includes travel bag
- Heavier and bulkier to pack
- Not suitable for all table designs
The Pop N Sit is a portable camp-chair style booster with a removable tray that works indoors and outdoors. I like it for camping with a baby, road trips, and backyard meals where you do not want to strap onto an existing chair.
It is bulkier than most options above, so I would not carry the Pop N Sit for city sightseeing days, but it shines when you have car space and want a contained seat at the campsite or park.
- Standalone seat with tray for outdoor use
- Quick to fold and unfold
- Versatile for home, yard, and camping
- Too bulky for minimalist air travel
- Fabric and hinges need cleaning after outdoor use
Types of Travel High Chairs
There are four categories of portable high chairs: fabric high chairs, travel booster seats, clamp-on travel high chairs, and stand-alone travel booster seats.
Here is what you need to know about each type of portable high chair:
Best Stand-alone Travel Booster Seats
This type of travel high chair booster seat can either be strapped to a chair or used on its own on the floor. These are the only travel high chairs with a tray, which can be removed when using at a table.
This type of foldable travel high chair seat is the perfect baby camping chair, where you might not have another chair to attach it too. Since it’s also the only portable highchair with a tray, it’s the perfect portable camping high chair to place your baby in to play while cooking dinner over the fire, knowing your baby is a safe distance away.
I also love it for the beach with a baby and have included it in my baby beach essentials list.
The most popular options are the Summer Infant Pop and Sit Portable Booster and the hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat. They are big enough that you might not want to carry it out every day while traveling with your toddler, but if you travel with a stroller then it can easily be stored at the bottom.
Fabric Travel High Chairs
For traveling with a baby, I most often chose to bring along a fabric high chair. They pack up the smallest, have a 5 point harness and can be thrown in the washing machine at your Airbnb. A portable fabric high chair is easily attached to most chairs and will meet almost every budget.
Your baby should be able to sit upright unassisted to use a fabric portable high chair.
Where they fall short is that they don’t actually boost your baby or toddler up to the table. A portable fabric high chair also doesn’t work in restaurants that have barstools or similar chairs without a back.
Travel Booster Seats
These travel booster seats are similar to a traditional booster seat, but they are portable. Similar to a fabric baby chair, they require a chair to be attached to, but will help boost your baby or toddler up closer to the table.
They only have a 3 point harness, so your baby must be able to sit up unassisted.
Clamp-on Travel Highchairs
Clamp-on travel high chairs are a great option for people who can use it both at home and while traveling with a baby or toddler. Unlike a high chair that attaches to a chair, these clamp right on to the table. A clip on high chair enables your baby or toddler to be sitting high up and close to the table. They also have a 3 point harness to keep your baby or toddler securely in their seat.
Despite being a much larger item to carry, these travel high chairs for babies and toddlers do fold down flat and your toddler won’t be able to push themselves away from the table.
A silicone placemat is best to make sure you aren’t scratching the table surface and make sure to practice using a clamp-on portable chair before traveling with it.
The ones I have listed above have a U-shaped clamp which allows them to be used on a wide variety of tables. Even with these, there are several types of tables that a clamp-on portable highchair is not suitable for (like glass tables, pedestal tables or card tables), so make sure to check what tables it will work on before buying.
What to Look for in a Portable High Chair
How are you going to decide which one is the best high chair for travel? The main things to consider when looking to purchase a portable travel high chair are how sturdy is it for keeping your baby safe, when and where do you plan to use the baby chair for travel, the size and cost.
If you are flying with a baby, all of the ones recommended above should easily pack in your suitcase.
1. How Sturdy Is the Chair for Keeping Your Baby Safe?
The portable high chairs for toddlers and babies that I recommend are only those with high ratings and without any major safety concerns. If there is anything to be aware of when it comes to the safety of a portable baby seat, I made sure to note it.
As an extra precaution, never leave your baby unattended in a portable travel chair, they just aren’t as secure as a regular high chair.
2. When and Where Will You Use the Portable High Chair?
If you are traveling internationally with a baby and want to bring your own folding high chair, how small should it be?
Will you bring it out with you when you are sightseeing or will you only use it at the apartment rental? If you plan to carry it with you, consider trading off some functionality for size.
I travel with as little as possible and often without a stroller, so to carry a travel high chair seat along with us meant it had to fit in our backpack diaper bag.
If you plan to use your portable highchair for camping with a baby, then you’ll want something more sturdy than a fabric travel high chair. You’ll want one that is stand alone and doesn’t need to be attached to another chair, like the hiccapop Omniboost Travel Seat.
3. Size of Portable Travel High Chair
If you are looking for a travel high chair seat for your baby that takes up the least amount of space, a fabric baby chair for travel is the best option. These portable cloth high chairs fold up to the size of a diaper.
If size isn’t an issue, then a travel booster seat, a portable baby chair with a tray or one that clamps to the table will have the most features. You’ll just need extra space to carry it around.
4. Cost of Portable Travel High Chair Seat
Fabric travel high chairs are the most cost effective of all the high chairs. The other folding high chairs for travel will not only take up more space but they’ll be more expensive too.
If you are on a budget, consider getting a chair that can be used at home as well as when you travel, rather than spending more money on a second travel baby chair.
Get our FREE printable packing list for baby travel here!
Traveling Without a Portable High Chair
Do you really need a portable highchair for travel?
How do you eat at restaurants when there aren’t any high chairs if you are traveling without a travel high chair? Here are your options:
- Find a restaurant providing high chairs. Not always possible.
- Hold your baby or toddler on your lap during the meal. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy trying to eat while holding a wiggly baby who’s getting food in my hair.
- Use a stroller that has a snack tray. Not all restaurants will have the space to accommodate a stroller.
- Use our baby travel hack and attach your baby or toddler to the seat with your baby carrier.
See all our recommended baby carriers for travel.
I’ve done all four of these and though they work in a pinch, they aren’t always feasible.
Besides eating in restaurants, if you want to do some meals in your hotel or apartment rental, you can keep the mess contained by bringing your own portable baby high chair.
Baby Travel Tip: Always ask your Airbnb apartment if they can provide a high chair. Sometimes they have a highchair available, that just isn’t included in the listing.
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This post was written & edited by:
Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.