Having a stroller when you are travelling can be a great way to transport your little explorers around. They can easily see what is going on around them and it gives you a break from carrying them.
The only problem is that many modern strollers are incredibly bulky and just not practical for taking with you on your travels. With this in mind, many companies have now introduced more lightweight versions that are ideal for travel.
In this post, we will review the best lightweight strollers for travel (2022 update with the latest models included) and help you decide which stroller is the best choice for you and your child.
We have been really impressed by how compact these strollers are and just how well made and high quality they are.
Forget about the umbrella strollers that you have seen before this is a new generation of awesome compact strollers that are probably lighter than your baby.
TOP PICK – Bugaboo Ant
Summary
Our top pick is the Bugaboo Ant.
This super stylish stroller lets you take babies from newborn up to 50 pounds in a reversible seat that lets them face you or the world.
It weighs only 16 pounds and folds up to cabin baggage size and can be wheeled along just like a suitcase.
It steers well and has great suspension for a comfortable ride.
It is brilliant.
Considerations When Buying a Lightweight Compact Travel Stroller
Your Travel Needs
When looking through the review it is important to think about how you travel and what features are most important to you.
Some of the baby strollers we’ve reviewed fold up very small and can be taken as hand luggage when flying on an airplane. Is this important to you?
Or would you prefer to put it in the hold of the plane and save your hand luggage allowance for….your luggage?
Are you mainly looking for a lightweight travel stroller to get you through the airport?
Or do you need something more robust that will allow you to comfortably take on cobbled streets and the occasional jaunt off-road?
Could this be your only stroller? Some of the strollers below are almost as robust and fully featured as the heavier and larger ‘normal’ pushchairs. If you were to get one of these could you save money by making it your only pushchair?
Keep these thoughts in mind as we highlight the best features of the top lightweight pushchairs on the market.
This post is one of our travel gear reviews where we aim to help you find the right product to make your travels go that bit smoother.
Head over here to check out everything from backpacks to baby carriers and tablets for toddlers
Top Lightweight Strollers for Travel
Babyzen YOYO+
Age Range – 0 months to 18kg | Weight – 5.7kg| Folded Size – 52cm x 18cm x 43cm
The Babyzen YOYO claims to be the world’s first luxury travel stroller. First doesn’t always mean best and we have covered quite a few strollers in this post that fall into the luxury market.
So, how does it stand up to the competition?
Well, you get all of these great features:
- Airline certified size of a carry-on bag
- Folds, unfolds, and drives with one-handed ease
- Reclines easily
- Removable/washable plush cushioning
- 4 – wheel suspension
- Extendable sun canopy
- Five-point safety harness
- Extendable leg rest
There is a handy carry strap for getting around with the stroller when not in use, this is quick and easy to do so is ideal for going up and down stairs or escalators.
The Babyzen Yoyo has a good sized under seat storage basket (the latest model has increased this by 60% compared to the previous one!) and a really handy little pocket has been added to the canopy.
An added bonus with this stroller is that a rain cover and travel bag are included as standard.
It is ticking all the boxes so far.
The Yoyo is only suitable for babies aged 6 months and over unless you buy a newborn pack. If you do, this is a great travel stroller for 3 month old and the best travel stroller for infant.
A great feature of the Yoyo plus lightweight stroller is that you can turn it into a stroller travel system using an infant car seat (you will need to buy adaptors separately, but that is normal).
This is a feature lacking in most of the strollers on this list so if using a car seat with your pushchair is important to you this is one of the best lightweight travel strollers for you.
Another big plus for the Babyzen Yoyo2 is that it has a really great buggy board available as an accessory. This works really well and allows you to transport two kids around at once.
Combine this with the high weight limit and you have a stroller that will last you for a good few years.
We have compared the Yoyo to the Mountain Buggy Nano stroller in this post and the Yoyo was a clear winner and it is definitely one of the best strollers for travelling. We have also done a review of our two favourites, the Bugaboo Ant vs Babyzen Yoyo, it is a close one.
All in all, this is not just the first but one of the best luxury travel strollers you can buy. For more details and to read loads of amazing customer reviews please click here
Ergobaby Metro Stroller
Age Range – 6 months to 18kg | Weight – 6.3kg | Folded Size – 52cm x 54cm x 23cm
This is another stroller that is small enough to go on board the plane as hand luggage and has a really great one handed fold that is very convenient if you are jumping on and off buses and trains or up and down steps.
It has a solid feel to it thanks to the large back tyres and suspension that provide a smooth ride even over cobblestones. You get a really good UPF 50 sun canopy, good sized storage basket and an adjustable leg rest for the ultimate comfortable ride for your little one.
This can be used from birth with the newborn kit that converts this into a pram style transporter. It is at an additional cost but this is a stroller that is good enough to be used as your main stroller rather than one just for going away.
The Ergo Metro stroller has one of the best seats available in a compact stroller which we think makes it one of the best travel strollers for toddlers.
Read more in our in-depth review of the Ergobaby Metro Stroller.
To find out more click here
Pros
- Light, compact and high quality
- Small enough for hand luggage
- Good sun canopy
- Smooth ride and comfortable padded seating area with leg rest
Cons
- Newborn kit required at additional cost (although it is excellent and with this add-on is the best newborn stroller in this review)
- Carry bag is not included
Like the look of the bargain priced Ergobaby Metro Stroller?
Baby Jogger City Tour Compact Fold Stroller
Age Range – 6 months to 15kg | Weight – 6.6kg | Folded Size – 59cm x 45cm x 25cm
This is a great quality travel stroller from Baby Jogger. It is easy to fold using their one hand fold system and once it has collapsed it is small enough to fit in the overhead lockers on a plane.
It meets the size requirements of many airlines (British Airways, Easyjet, KLM), so you can take your little one all the way to the plane without having to worry about putting it in the hold this makes it a great stroller for airplane travel.
The pushchair comes in a backpack style bag so it is easy to carry about, and this combined with the small size makes it easy to store at home.
You get swivel wheels and front suspension on this stroller creating a comfortable ride for your toddler. The wheels are small so best suited for use in town and we wouldn’t want to take on too many cobbles with this baby buggy.
The seat has 5 positions including a good recline for nap times, a nicely padded 5 point safety harness keeps your infant safe at all times. It comes with an extendable hood with UPF50 so will offer protection from the sun when you jet off to sunny places.
You also get a rain cover in case the weather doesn’t turn out quite as you had hoped.
You get handy storage pockets behind and a quite large storage basket under the seat. We find these invaluable for carting around snacks, nappies, coats, drinks etc.
Is this the best travel buggy? Not quite but it is not bad at all.
For more details on the Babyjogger City Tour Compact, please click here
Pros
- You can fold it one-handed
- Small and light enough to take as hand luggage on a plane
- Carry it like a backpack with the included bag
- Rain cover and UV protective canopy
- 5 reclining positions
Cons
- Not suitable for newborns
We have now written an in-depth review of the Baby Jogger City Tour, pop over here to read it.
GB Pokit Lightweight Stroller
Age Range – 6 months to 15kg | Weight – 5.82kg | Folded Size – 34cm x 14cm x 32cm
The GB Pokit lightweight stroller takes the compact lightweight umbrella stroller to a whole new level. This claims to be the world’s smallest foldable stroller, it is hard to believe that there is a stroller inside the handbag-sized carry bag, but there is!
To see a picture of it folded up, please click here.
It is small enough to easily fit in the lockers on an aeroplane, but will also slip underneath a bus or train seat, making it the perfect portable stroller for travel.
What we like about this is that it is so portable that it is possible to take it out with you just in case your tired little one has had enough of walking. At home, it will take up hardly any space in the cupboard or boot of the car.
To get a stroller this small there are a couple of compromises. Although there is a sun canopy, it is fairly small and doesn’t offer great protection, and the seat doesn’t fully recline for nap times. We have written a post comparing the GB Pockit to the Babyzen Yoyo, check it out here.
For more details on the GB Pokit Lightweight Stroller, please click here.
Pros
- Incredibly small
- Ultra lightweight
- Carry bag included
- Under seat storage basket
Cons
- Small sun canopy
- The seat doesn’t fully recline
- Doesn’t feel very robust
Silver Cross Jet Stroller
Age Range – Birth to 15kg | Stroller Weight – 5.9kg | Folded Size – 55 x 30 x 18 cm
The Silver Cross Jet Stroller folds down to cabin bag size, with a cover to keep everything neat and tidy.
A great feature of this is that the wheels are left out so you can wheel it along like a piece of cabin baggage which we think makes it one of the best travel strollers for parents that fly frequently.
The buggy has all the features that you want from a baby travel stroller, it is lightweight, has an extendable sun canopy with UPF 50+ protection, rain cover and a spacious basket for storing your bits and bobs.
Unlike a few of the other chairs on review, this is able to recline into a fully lie-back position so is great for children that like to sleep on the go.
Using adaptors, you can convert this stroller into a travel system and attach your car seat. This can come in really handy in all sorts of situations, including at the airport where we have often struggled to carry car seats to the check-in desk.
Silver Cross is clearly targetting holidaymakers by advertising ‘flip-flop friendly brakes’, we couldn’t quite what was special about the brake but it works well enough. And the smooth steering means this could be the best travel stroller for Europe where cobbled streets can prove challenging with the wrong stroller.
For more details on the Silver Cross Jet Stroller, please click here
Pros
- Ultra compact and light travel stroller
- Cabin approved with a cover and great wheely system
- Car seat adaptors allow you to make it a travel system
- Suitable from birth
Cons
- Doesn’t fold as easily as some others
Graco Featherweight Pushchair
Age Range – Birth to 15kg | Weight – 3.6kg | Folded Size – 59 x 38 x 97 cm
This, combined with the carry strap, means that it is easy to take with you when you are out exploring so that you have it on hand when your little traveller starts to feel tired.
The stroller has a great one-handed fold system which is great when you need to fold it up whilst carrying a baby or toddler.
We also really liked the way that the frame is free standing when it is folded up, this makes it really easy to put down and pick up whilst you are sorting out all your things.
The chair is suitable from birth (it may well be lighter than your newborn!) and has a fully reclining seat but we think that where this stroller comes into its own is for walking toddlers and little kids who like to hop in and out when they need a rest or fancy a snooze.
It is so light that it is no effort to carry around when not being used.
For more details on the Graco Featherweight Pushchair, please click here
Pros
- Ultra-lightweight, only 3.6 kilograms. Seriously, this weighs nothing.
- Easy one-hand fold system,
- Shoulder strap for easy-carry
- Lie-flat recline position, suitable from birth
- Removable machine washable seat pad
Cons
- Rain cover sold separately
- Small sunshade
Travelling with a Baby or Toddler?
Check out our guide to the essential travel gear you need for you and your little one.
And be sure so have a read of our tips for flying with a baby or toddler
Bugaboo Bee 5
Age Range – 0 months to 17kg | Weight – 10kg | Folded Size – 90cm x 32cm x 46cm
Bugaboo makes some really stylish and innovative strollers that justify their premium price tags. This is their entry into the compact stroller market which features a plush seat, extendable footrest and backrest.
The 5-way harness seat belt is very secure and can be easily adjusted while the seat comes with an extra layer of padding and the seat cover can easily be removed for washing.
This is the only buggy in this travel stroller roundup that features a reversible seat that allows for your child to face you or face out to look at what is around. This is a great feature to have as you can switch it around depending on the mood of your baby.
The Bugaboo Bee 5 can take infants from newborn up to toddler age (a recommended limit of 37.5 pounds).
It is a very adaptable compact stroller as you can attach a bassinet (sold separately) or a car seat. Using the separately sold car seat adaptors, it is compatible with top car seat brands including Maxi Cosi, Chico, Britax and Cybex.
The Bugaboo Bee 5 is easy to steer with one hand so it is perfect for navigating your way around busy streets and the handlebar is height adjustable depending on who’s turn it is to do the pushing.
It has all the essential features like a really good extendable sun canopy (water repellent and UPF 50+ to keep harmful UVA & UVB rays from delicate skin & eyes), rain cover and under seat storage.
It has a one hand easy fold system that lives up to its name and is easy to use.
Overall this is a beautiful, lightweight and compact stroller. It is easily good enough to be your main stroller, especially if you live in a city.
It is not as small as some of the other strollers on this page and you would need to check it in rather than taking it as hand luggage. If you want a really small Bugaboo, check out our Bugaboo Ant Review.
Bugaboo has made this pretty impressive Compact Transport Bag to help ensure that it doesn’t get damaged in transit.
For more details on the Bugaboo Bee 5, please click here
Pros
- Car seat and bassinet compatible
- Reversible seat
- High-quality materials throughout
Cons
- Not the smallest
- Not the cheapest
Doona Car Seat Stroller
Simply take the seat out of your car and with the press of a button the legs fold down. Hey presto, you have a stroller!
Whilst not quite as lightweight as the other pushchairs in this review it is worthy of your consideration due to the fabulous versatility that it provides. This will come in particularly handy when you are travelling as effectively kills two birds with one stone and reduces the amount of luggage you need to carry about.
It is the ideal choice if you don’t anticipate using your stroller all that much whilst you are away. The car seat meets all of the necessary safety requirements and it will carry your child from birth to 13kgs, although realistically, as a stroller this is better suited for younger babies up to around 18 months.
For more details on the Doona Car Seat Stroller, please click here
Pros
- Amazing car seat and stroller in one
- Includes sunshade
Cons
- Fewer features than a dedicated stroller
- Rain cover sold separately
The Best Travel Strollers 2022
We hope that you have enjoyed our review of the best strollers for travel and have found just the stroller that you are looking for. Each of the strollers that we have looked at has their own strengths and weaknesses.
Our overall favourite is the Bugaboo Ant which we feel is the best all-rounder and one of the best compact strollers around. It has covered all of the bases so well that it shouldn’t be thought of as just a travel stroller and is good enough to be your main stroller.
The Ergobaby Metro Stroller is also very good and a good budget travel stroller.
We are still blown away by just how small the GB Pockit Stroller is and if you are looking for a travel stroller that will be used on easy terrain this is the perfect choice, you can easily tuck it in your day backpack and stroll around town, no one would ever know that you even had a pushchair with you!
Have you taken a stroller away with you? Let us know how you got on in the comments below.
My husband and I do a lot of travelling, and one thing I can tell you is strollers are a hindrance for sure. It’s so annoying, and a friend of mine had recommended the Baby Jogger City Tour Compact Fold Stroller, so I was pretty happy to see you listed it as your first choice. Just the fact you don’t need a troop of people to shut the darned thing is telling – you can close it with one hand??? What??? My husband is always yelling at me because I always want him to close up the strollers. They are hard to do. I also like that it has 5 reclining positions. Awesome!
Thank you. I agree, heavy strollers can be a pain to lug about. Th ebaby Jogger is a great choice, nice and compact and I love the way it folds up so easily
I was really enthralled by your post.
I travel a lot. All over Asia. I like to travel effortlessly.
Traveling is tiring enough and the last thing anyone needs is luggage and now strollers that don’t work or make life difficult for travelers.
I have stopped buying cheap luggage. The wheels fall off, the handles break, they get damaged by baggage handlers, etc.
So I now buy expensive travel bags that last.
I believe one of the main qualities of a stroller would be endurance. I cannot imagine, having to struggle through an airport with a stroller that does not work. That would be a nightmare.
I would like to actually see these strollers before buying online.
They look amazing, especially the XSS Compact Stroller. It has all the qualities and good reports of a good stroller.
You have down a great job of putting this all together.
Tim
Thank you, you are right to highlight the importance of getting something that is really robust. There are cheaper options out there, but they are unlikely to last and are not so easy to push around. A good stroller can certainly make traveling with little ones that bit easier!
Hi Chris,
This is really great review on a variety of excellent lightweight strollers for 2019.
I am very interested in purchasing one.preferably in black because travelling from St. Croix to Florida could be very tedious and moving with my grandbaby with easy is all that matters.
What I love more than the others is the Baby Jogger City Tour Compact Fol Stroller because it’s small enough to carry on as hand luggage and it could be carried as a backpack! Not only that, the other features for reclining and the smart UV canopy are great.
The price for all of this value is great for me!
My grandson will be strolling in style for Christmas.
Thank you for helping me out with this wonderful review
Maxine
Thanks for your comment. I think you have made a great choice with the Baby Jogger City Tour. I think it is a great stroller and could easily be used as a main stroller, not just a travel one. Be sure to check out our Flying with a Baby Checklist before you travel.
Thank you for your review of lightweight travel strollers. I went overseas with my nearly two year old and thought we could survive with a baby carrier. And while I enjoy babywearing – it was too hot in summer, plus he’s a chunky boy! So for our next trip, I’m researching the best stroller to bring along with us.
The Baby Jogger seems to be the best option – I love that it can fit in the overhead lockers and has a one-hand close. I can use my other hand to hang on to the toddler!
Thank you for your comment! You are right, there are times when having a stroller to take the strain can really make travel more enjoyable. The Baby Jogger will suit you just fine! By the way we did a review of baby carriers and the Ergobaby 360 Cool mesh is perfect for baby wearing in summer so please check out our review post as it sounds ideal for you.
The Baby Jogger City Tour Compact Fold Stroller seems like the best option. As you said, it can be the main stroller and it is light enough to travel with it. I need one for my grandson, so I will consider this stroll for him.
With so many brands out there is good to find a webpage like this, where you show the best strollers for traveling.
I am glad you found our review useful. I am sure that you will all be happy with the Baby Jogger for you grandson
I really enjoyed this post as my daughter is going to be travelling to Europe soon with her new bub and will need something sturdy and easy to tuck away so will give her your URL so she can come and see what you are sharing here as there are some great strollers/buggies to choose from so thank you
Thank you for reading, I hope that your daughter finds what she is looking for!
As someone who is expecting a child shortly, the stroller conversation has definitely come up! Since I’m a big fan of travel, having something that can become compact and be light is very important to me. That’s why I really like the Silver Cross Jet Stroller. Although the price may seem high, it’s really a high value item because of the quality and engineering used. Great article!
Many congratulations on your forthcoming child! I am sure they will be happy in their new stroller!
I love to travel and I have a new grand baby on the way. I am sure I will get to take my new grand baby on some trips with me, so I am liking the first option the best! I can get this for my son and daughter-in-law, and I can kill two birds with one stone. I can “borrow” it for our trips to make like easier. So many great options with the baby jogger, and I am assuming that I could use this for when I am jogging as well 🙂
That is a great choice and i like the 2 birds with one stone approach. I am nt sure how they came up with th ebrand name but the baby jogger actually has a label on it to say that it isn’t designed for jogging! It rolls smoothly though so i am not sure why they say that.
Its nice to see how strollers have advanced over the last few years. I remember holding our toddler by the scruff of his shirt with one hand, the baby tucked under my arm and my wife and I struggling desperately with trying to get the stroller folded up before the people in line behind us started throwing things! My children are all grown up now with kids of there own and like every thing else (I used to walk up hill to and from school in the snow) of course they don’t believe me. I just thought my daughter was a magician until I read your reviews!
Haha, you do still see some parents struggling with poorly designed strollers but the one hand fold is so handy!
Hi Chris
After reading about these lightweight strollers on your site and learning how good they work for traveling.My son and his wife do a lot of traveling and a lightweight stroller’ would be right handy with there newborn baby.I am considering buying one for them’
Thanks for this information on lightweight strollers.
I am glad you enjoyed our post. i do think these lightweight strollers are the way to go, they do pretty much the same jobe as the heavy bulky ones, but are so much easier to transport and store.
After looking around, my wife and I really like the Silver Cross Jet Stroller. We came across the review and it confirms that this stroller is the one we need. From the compact dimensions when folded up (carry on size is nice when you like to travel!!) to the lightweight but durable construction – this is the one for us. Thanks for the quality review!
Thank you, I am glad that our review helped you to choose a stroller. I am sur ethat you will be pleased with your choice!
Having been in a similar situation I get how important it is to buy the right stroller for the right situation. Especially for traveling choosing one that will be compact but also offer good quality is very important and there are so many options out there that it is becoming increasingly difficult to choose what is best. Thank you for the detailed article, I am sure it will offer new parents valuable help in choosing the right one for them.
thanks for the comment! It is definitely an area where there has been great progress in the last few years and parents can now have a really awesome compact stroller rather than a flimsy umbrella one.
Thank you for this article – we are planning on staying at my parents this Christmas and are on the lookout for strollers that are easy to transport, and then set up in a rural area for walks.
From a rural setting point of view, with concrete pathways – which of the strollers that you’ve covered above would be the best fit? Bear in mind that the weather can be pretty bad in Wales!
Hi, I think that the Babyjogger City Tour Compact is your best bet. It is a great all round stroller and has a rain cover that will come in handy for the inevitable rainy days in Wales. Have a great Christmas!!
Thank you for sharing this helpful review on best lightweight strollers for travel 2019.I was reading this review and I found it very helpful to me.I was looking for a stroller to give to my sister who is going to travel with her family and I was thinking about the gift to give her and I found it here.
The Baby Jogger City Tour Compact Fold Stroller is the great gift to her as her daughter is about 3 years ,she needs a light stroller.
This website is very informative.
Thank you for your comment! Thanks I am sure your sister will be delighted with this gift!
This is a great article. If you are going to be using a stroller lots then it is not only important to consider the comfort of the child but also the adult because it can really be hard on a persons back and shoulders if the stroller isnt very ergonomic.
At the end of the day if you are using a stroller a lot you may want to pay a little more but I think it really will be worth it.
Great info
Dale
Thanks, some of these strollers are a bit expensive but the quality really shines through and I think they are worth the price.
Lightweight strollers for travels I hear are very necessary if u have a toddler. It makes the trip less stressful for the child and parents alike. The site’s complete and unbiased review about the lightweight stroller for travel in 2019 will help parents choose strollers appropriate to their needs. Lovely and enlightening.
The prices are also not too expensive. Do stores retailing on Amazon give discounts for the lightweight strollers? Thanks.
Hi, I am glad that you liked our review! I generally find that you can find the best prices on Amazon as there is so much competition between sellers. It is also the easiest place to buy!
Chris and Linz, hello! Chris, there is no limit to my delight in your stroller gallery. I would buy everything. Because they are all very beautiful, very comfortable, very light and great for babies, moms and dads.
You provided a complete description of each pram.Now it’s up to me. I must wait until my adult granddaughters give me a great-grandson in the new year.
In the meantime, I really appreciate your excellent work and will put your baby stroller 2019 catalog on my mailing list. Thank you for the topic and the invitation to the discussion. Mark.
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed our post, you must be excited for the new arrival!
Wow! As someone who had babies in the 80’s, it’s amazing how far strollers (and other baby essentials) have come. Our choices then were the umbrella stroller for short outings over relatively smooth terrain and massive strollers which weighed about as much as a small car if we were going to be out for a bit. Now that grandchildren are coming in to the picture I see there are some great choices available when it comes to selecting a stroller. Thanks for the great review.
Thanks for you comment! You are right strollers have really come on in recent years, these ones are all pretty awesome. I am sure your grand children would be happy in any of these
Great suggestions! I’ve used Baby Jogger for my travel stroller but these all look like great choices!
Thanks, you have made a good choice!
Thanks for a great article! I’m trying to decide which stroller we should get for our 4 month old and I’m struggling with all the great choices.
We want to get something that’s great for travelling but is also excellent for every day use. I also want to make sure whatever we get is the only stroller we will need as with our older 2 children we ended up with so many strollers and prams!
I have narrowed our choice down to the ergobaby metro and the bugaboo bee, with the baby jogger city tour 2 as an outlying option. Any recommendations on which one to choose??
Hi, of those three I would recommend the Ergobaby Metro, but I think you should also consider the Bugaboo Ant. It is a lot like the bee but genuinely small so better for travelling.