Having kids necessitates an abundance of necessities. For instance, you need a best travel stroller, but you also need various strollers for different occasions, such as a jogging stroller if you plan to run with your kid and a travel stroller if you intend to travel with them. (You can go extremely extravagant with strollers.)
The best travel strollers should be lightweight, simple to fold, and less bulky than their usual counterparts, which is helpful when you need to store them in an overhead bin on an airplane or transport them to a new location. Sarah Huff, Senior Manager of Customer and Community at BabyQuip, a company that rents infant equipment, goes even further: “A one-handed fold is a must for me.”
Since you may be traveling anywhere, you need a stroller that’s easy to carry, push, durable enough to handle diverse terrain, and has storage for all your vacation essentials. Features like an SPF cover shade or adjustable footrest make on-the-go naps more comfortable for your child.
Our team evaluated nearly 20 travel strollers to find the best option for all kinds of adventures. Here are the most prominent ones.
Top Picks for the Best Travel Strollers
- Best Overall: Joolz Aer+ Lightweight Stroller
- Best for Air Travel: Zoe The Traveler
- Best Budget: Kolcraft Cloud Plus Stroller
- Best Design: Cybex Balios S Lux Stroller
- Best Double Stroller: Uppababy G-Link V2 Double Stroller
- Best Customizable: Babyzen YOYO2 Stroller Bundle
1. The Best Travel Stroller Overall:
Joolz Aer+ Lightweight Stroller
Pros
- It is exceptionally simple to fold.
- It is convenient to carry due to the shoulder strap.
- An included duster bag protects and safeguards the item when checked on an aircraft.
Cons:
- This stroller does not come with a calf rest.
Pushing the Joolz Aer+ feels similar to pushing other much larger, much more costly strollers, which is what we like about it. The Aer+ includes four-wheel suspension, which is uncommon in travel strollers, allowing it to move easily and glide smoothly across rough ground. This, together with the comfy seat that adapts to your child’s body, a large storage basket, and a one-handed fold, all contribute to the Aer+ being equally suitable for travel as it is for everyday use.
What’s Worth Considering
The Aer+ is suitable for newborns and is compatible with Nuna and Clek car seats. The stroller folds tiny enough to fit in an overhead bin or sling over your shoulder (carry strap included) and move up and down stairs, on public transportation, or anyplace else you need to go. In addition, a travel pouch and a rain cover are included.
Additional Specs:
Weight: 13.2 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 21 x 17.7 x 8.5 in.
Maximum Child Weight: 50 lbs
2. The Best Travel Stroller for Air Travel:
Zoe The Traveler
Pros:
- It’s extremely light and portable.
- It can readily navigate all types of terrain.
- It is simple and easy to fold with one hand.
- The cost is reasonable.
Cons:
- The seats aren’t extremely luxurious or comfy.
This stroller is extremely lightweight and simple to fold with one hand, making it an excellent choice for storing in an airplane’s overhead compartment. It’s simple to weave around crowds or the curving lines of an airport security gate. It’s even light enough to take up and down stairs, making it an ideal small solution for airport travel.
What’s Worth Considering
It’s also highly durable — nothing fell apart or got damaged during our durability test, and it was still in the same condition as when we dropped it. It’s really simple to fold with one hand, and the users didn’t even need to consult the instruction booklet. Even when folded, it remains upright, which is a wonderful feature if you’re carrying a child through the crowded aisles of an airplane.
While we appreciate the stroller’s ease and low price, keep in mind that it does not include any extras, like a snack tray. The seats aren’t extremely soft or pleasant for quick naps.
Additional Specs:
Weight: 13 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 22 x 19 x 10 in.
Maximum Child Weight: 45 lbs
3. The Best Travel Stroller in Design:
Cybex Balios S Lux Stroller
Pros:
- It’s simple to move around on different types of ground.
- The footrest can be adjusted to make napping more comfy.
- It comes with a large basket for storage.
- It comes with a movable canopy.
Cons:
- In order to fold the walker, you have to do it twice, which can be hard to do without two hands.
Elegant and uncomplicated, this stroller is stylish and sleek. Its large basket for diaper bags and backpacks is great. The big, adjustable canopy provides ample shade for traveling in harsh sunlight or trying to encourage a toddler to snooze. Napping is more pleasant with an adjustable footrest and reclining seat. This stroller was easy to push, steer, and brake on diverse terrains. The adjustable handlebar makes pushing easier and more comfortable for parents.
What’s Worth Considering
Despite its ease of use, this stroller was difficult to fold. Empty the basket before starting the two-step process. We needed many tries to fold, which isn’t ideal if you’re rushing to catch a plane or train. No one could fold it one-handed, and carrying it folded was uncomfortable.
Additional Specs:
Weight: 25.8 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 23.8 x 30.3 x 17.3 in
Maximum Child Weight: 55 lbs
4. The Best Budget-Friendly Travel Stroller:
Kolcraft Cloud Plus Stroller
Pros:
- This stroller is incredibly portable.
- It features kid- and adult-friendly food and beverage trays.
- One hand is sufficient for unfolding.
Cons:
- It is too large to fit in the overhead bin.
- It may take two hands to fold it up.
This affordable stroller is quite lightweight – at under 13 pounds, it’s one of the lightest on our list of choices. Though it may require two hands to fold (a strong person may be able to do it with one. However there are two buttons to push, so it’s much simpler with two), it folds up easily and unfolds with one hand. The removable tray makes it simple to serve your child snacks on the go, which is a useful feature when traveling.
Another tray with drink holders and adult snack storage is at the handle. The seat reclines three-quarters, which should help your napper sleep. Due to its lightness, it’s harder to walk on on carpet and gravel, but you can power through with your walking. It’s durable—only the removable tray fell off in our damage tests.
What’s Worth Considering
Remember that this stroller doesn’t fold up small enough to fit in an overhead bin. This could be a deal-breaker for you based on how you travel. In our tests, it didn’t cover the whole canopy, and the peekaboo window doesn’t have a cover. It’s also not as soft on the inside as some of the other chairs we tried. It has two cup holders, but they are both pretty small. We still think this is a great buy for the price, though.
Additional Specs:
Weight: 12.9 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 34 in.
Maximum Child Weight: 50 lbs
5. The Best Double Travel Stroller:
Uppababy G-Link V2 Double Stroller
Pros:
- It handles quite well on all types of terrain.
- Both seats can be reclined to different heights.
- The seats offer plenty of padding, making for a comfortable ride.
- One-handed folding stroller.
Cons:
- It’s too big to fit in an overhead container.
- It’s bulky, and unfolding it is difficult.
Traveling with two toddlers necessitates a unique style of stroller—one that can keep both kids entertained enough to stay put and possibly even endure a bumpy trip while they’re strapped in. That’s why we like the Uppababy G-Link 2, a large double stroller with the maneuverability of a single stroller.
What’s Worth Considering
It has all the features that simplify a parent’s life, such as a cup receptacle, storage pockets, an easy buckle, and adjustable shoulder straps. Two extendable UPF 50+ sunshades and a reclining seat make it comfortable for kids as well. Four sets of wheels (as opposed to the six in some of the double models) make it simple to turn and move, and the people who tried it found that it did so with relative ease on various terrain types.
Unfolding, on the other hand, is difficult and requires some effort. We also didn’t like that there isn’t much storage underneath for such a large stroller. Even though it is undoubtedly clear, it will not fit in an overhead bin.
Additional Specs:
Weight: 14.8 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 40 x 20 x 14.5 in
Maximum Child Weight: 50 lbs
6. The Best Customizable Travel Stroller:
Babyzen YOYO2 Stroller Bundle
Pros:
- Compatible with overhead bin
- Fast one-handed folding
- Options for color customization, adding a second rider, and more
Cons:
- Difficult to fold
- Basket is small
- Wheels make noise
- Not good on bumpy surfaces
The Babyzen YOYO2 6+ transforms from a stroller to a large purse that can be slung over your shoulder. It folds quickly with one hand and fits readily into an airplane’s overhead compartment due to its ultra-compact dimensions.
It also operates admirably outside of its carrying case, smoothly maneuvering past crowds and limited spaces. It’s also one of the most enjoyable travel strollers to modify. You may change out the seat and shade materials with a new color pack, add a personalized footmuff for colder conditions, allow your older child hitch a ride on the stroller board, and even add a storage bag with wheeled support so your stroller doesn’t tip. You can also use this stroller with infant car seats from Nuna and Maxi Cosi, among others, using adapters offered separately.
What’s Worth Considering
The YOYO2 comes with a rain cover, but everything else is extra. (And this stroller is already on the pricey side.)
Additional Specs:
Weight: 13.6 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 20.5” x 17.3” x7.1”
Age Range: 6 months–50 lbs.
Tips for Buying the Best Travel Stroller
Consider the types of travel strollers.
Not all travel strollers prioritize the same things. Some prioritize maneuverability or durability, while others emphasize lightweight and packable. Uppababy G-Link V2 Double strollers are best for toddlers but are bulky to handle, jogging strollers with advanced suspension are smooth, and full-sized strollers may not be ideal for air travel but often have storage compartments and padded seats. Portability, convenience, comfort, and additional accessories should be considered while choosing a travel stroller for your family to make your vacation a success.
Check folded size
Travel strollers should fold smaller than ordinary strollers. It should be compact enough for automobile trunks or train/airplane cabins. Our best pick, the Joolz Aer, folds to 8.5 x 21 x 17.75 inches. A stroller that fits the compartments should follow that guide.
Prioritize comfort and safety.
At the end of the day, your stroller must be both safe and comfortable for your child. Look for well-padded, reclining seats. Check that the straps do not appear to be cutting into your baby’s shoulder or chest, and note whether or not there are leg rests. Take note of if the stroller’s wheels can handle diverse terrain well enough to keep it from shaking and banging too much.
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Consider storage and other factors.
Because your travel stroller is smaller than your everyday stroller, it shouldn’t be less convenient. Good travel strollers provide storage for small luggage, toys, snacks, etc. Your baby’s seat should be padded, comfortable, and able to recline. Look for a canopy with good coverage and easy-to-use buckles and straps. Travel strollers are defined by their tiny folding and portability, but other qualities should also be considered.