Best Car Seat Travel Bags & Carriers
Whether you plan to use your child’s car seat on the airplane or not, you will want to get it to your gate. It’s much safer to check your car seat at the gate than to send it through the airport baggage system with 50 lb. suitcases — and a possible side trip to the wrong airport!
Thankfully, protecting and transporting car seats has never been easier than with the range of car seat travel bags and carriers available today.
Roll your car seat or wear it through the airport with these sturdy car seat carriers, carts, and commodious car seat bags. But first, pin it to your travel board for future reference and to help others find it!
For more help, be sure to visit the Travel with Car Seats and Road Trip Tips page. And don’t miss my helpful feature Seven Easy Ways to Get Your Car Seat Through The Airport.
Now see all my latest recommendations below…
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SCTEL Infant Car Seat Travel Bag
Why Shelly recommends it: Great protection and fits MANY brands of infant car seats.
This new and improved version of the SCTEL infant car seat travel bag fits MOST popular brands including the Doona car seat with built-in stroller! Yes, you can fit the folded Doona ON its car seat base in this carrying case–and check it all at the gate.
Other compatible seats include the Chicco Key Fit 35 with its anti-rebound bar base, Graco Extend2Fit, Graco 4Ever convertible car seat, Nuna Pipa car seats with bases, and Graco Snugfit 35 with anti-rebound base.
This wheeled car seat travel bag includes carrying handles, a name tag/luggage ID window and an exterior zippered pocket to stash last-minute things. It’s fully padded, water resistant, and folds to nearly flat when not in use.
It measures 25.79″ x 16.73′ x 21.06″ overall, and a more complete list of compatible car seats is included in the product details you’ll see in its listing. Find it online at: Amazon.com
Little Stork 3-in-1 Car Seat Backpack Carrier with Wheels
Why Shelly Recommends it: Options!
The Little Stork 3-in-1 car seat carrier can be:
1. Rolled on 4 wheels like a wheelie suitcase (360 degree rotation), OR
2. Worn on your back with ergonomic backpack straps (plus waist and chest belts for extra support), OR
3. Strapped to your large rolling suitcase with its own tether strap.
The Little Stork is made from tough 900D poly nylon to be sturdy, stain, and rain-resistant. Plus it has a tough polycarbonate base with protective corners and three layers of padding throughout.
Extra conveniences include an inner zip pocket to keep extra items ready for arrival and a draw-string stuff sack for storing the bag when not in use. And it’s got room for extra jackets, blankets, or stuffies you won’t need till you get there. 😉
The Little Stork 3-in-1 measures 19″ x 18″ x 29″ and fits most car seats from infant size through high-back boosters. Find it online at: Amazon.com
Britax Car Seat Travel Cart
Why Shelly recommends it: Wheel your child in his car seat right through the airport then stash this slim-folding cart in the overhead bin.
The Britax car seat travel cart works with all forward-facing and convertible Britax car seats and virtually all forward-facing and convertible car seats and boosters that have LATCH (see recommended travel car seats here).
Its sturdy steel alloy frame accommodates a total load of up to 100 lbs. (child + car seat) and has smooth rollerblade-type wheels. Parents of differing heights will also appreciate its telescoping handle with two height positions (up to 42″ H).
The Britax car seat travel cart measures 5.5″ x 13.5″ x 42″ in use with handle at full height and folds to 6″ x 13″ x 25″. Weighs 20 lbs. Find it online at: Amazon.com and Albee Baby
J.L. Childress Ultimate Padded Car Seat and High-Back Booster Travel Bag
Why Shelly recommends it: Backpack straps help keep hands free.
This padded car seat carrying case (which also works for high-back booster seats) not only protects your car seat when checked. It’s is also made to be worn as a backpack, leaving your hands free to…. roll suitcases, push a stroller, or present boarding passes and I.D.
Plus, this is one of the most universal car seat bags on the market, so chances are it will work for other car seats and safety boosters as time goes by. Use the JL Childress Car Seat Compatibility Guide to check if it will work for your car seat.
The J.L. Childress Ultimate Padded Car Seat Travel Bag fits most major car and belt-positioning booster seats and measures 20″W x 20″D x 30″H when open. It folds for storage down to 18″ x 11″ x 7″. Find it online at: Amazon.com
GUCHO Rolling Luggage Car Seat Strap
Why Shelly recommends it: It’s so simple, it’s so affordable, it’s so smart. (And the price is right!) The GUCHO car seat strap attaches your child’s convertible or toddler car seat right to most rolling suitcases ranging from 20″ to 56″ sizes.
As long as your suitcase handle locks in place, you can push your child through the airport and up to the gate (and if not, you can roll her behind you). Note: You will need to detach the car seat from your carry-on bag — and your child from the car seat! — for screening at security. 😉 Find it online at: Amazon.com
P.S. GUCHO also has a car seat travel cart with a multi-height adjustable handle and four smooth wheels that you might like, too! Though it’s not compatible with some car and booster seat models so see details.
Related Pages:
- How to Travel with a Car Seat (Without Losing Your Mind)
- Flying with a Baby or Toddler Advice Index (Start here!)
- Infant Car Seats for Travel
- Toddler Car Seats for Travel
- Safety Boosters
- Car Seat Alternatives
- Car Seat Travel Accessories
- Flying with Car Seats: 7 Easy ways to get your car seat through the airport
- Five Things to Know Before Flying with a Car Seat