Best Travel Strollers for Flying (2026)

The best travel stroller for flying is one that folds small enough for the overhead locker, weighs little enough to carry down the aisle, and still suits your child’s age. For most families flying with a baby from birth, the Bugaboo Butterfly 2 is the easiest all-rounder; for a toddler on a budget, the gb Pockit+ All-City is the smallest and lightest here.

Below, we compare seven current compact strollers using the specs their manufacturers publish, so you can pick the one that fits your trip, your child and your airline.

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In this guide

Quick picks

Pick	Best for	Key spec(s)	Price range
Bugaboo Butterfly 2	Best all-rounder from birth	7.3 kg; folds to 44.8 x 24.5 x 55.5 cm; seat up to 22 kg	Around £400–£450
Stokke YOYO5 (Newborn Pack)	Frequent flyers who want a full system	Folds to 52 x 45 x 22 cm; one-hand fold; newborn pack from birth	Around £430–£530
Joolz Aer2	Lightweight with a proper cot option	6.5 kg; folds to 53 x 44 x 23.5 cm; one-hand fold	Around £450 (cot extra)
Silver Cross Nia	Value pick from birth	7.3 kg with seat; folds to 54 x 45 x 23 cm; up to 22 kg	Around £345–£395
Ergobaby Metro 3	Comfort for longer days out	7.8 kg; folds to 56 x 44 x 23 cm; one-hand fold	Around £370–£460
Cybex Coya	Premium finish, older toddlers	14.6 lb (about 6.6 kg); up to 55 lb (about 25 kg)	Around £500–£550
gb Pockit+ All-City	Lightest pick for toddlers	5.7 kg; from 6 months	Check UK retailers

What to look for in a stroller for flying

Folded size. This decides whether the stroller can go in the overhead locker or has to be checked at the gate. Compare the folded dimensions with your airline’s cabin-bag limit, not just the word “compact”.
Weight. You will carry it folded through security, on to buses and up aircraft steps. Every kilo matters when you also have a baby and a bag.
Newborn suitability. Young babies need to lie flat. Check whether the seat itself reclines fully flat, or whether you need a separate cot, nest or car seat (and what that adds to the price).
Maximum child weight. Most picks here take children up to about 22 kg, roughly age four. A higher limit gives you more years of use.
Fold mechanism. A one-hand fold is genuinely useful at the gate when you are holding your child. A fold that stands up on its own saves you putting it on a dirty floor.
Carry options. A built-in shoulder strap or a travel bag makes walking through the airport much easier.

Cabin-bag size limits: why “cabin size” is not a guarantee

There is no single cabin-bag size that every airline accepts. Each airline sets its own limits for hand luggage, and these can differ by route, ticket type and even aircraft. Some airlines also have their own rules for pushchairs, separate from cabin bags.

Several manufacturers describe their strollers as “IATA-compatible” or “hand luggage compatible”. That is the brand’s claim about the folded size, not a promise from any airline. Even Silver Cross, which says the Nia is IATA cabin approved, notes on its own page that an airline may still ask you to put it in the hold. Cybex adds a similar footnote that approved hand-luggage size may differ by airline.

So treat every stroller below as one that meets many airlines’ cabin-bag size limits — check your airline before you fly. Look up your airline’s current hand-luggage and pushchair policy, compare the measurements with the folded size, and remember that a full flight may mean gate-checking anyway.

1. Bugaboo Butterfly 2 — best all-rounder from birth

The Butterfly 2 is Bugaboo’s ultra-compact travel pushchair, and it covers the widest age span with the fewest extras. Bugaboo says the seat can be used from birth when fully reclined flat, and it takes children up to 22 kg. It folds quickly into a slim package that Bugaboo describes as IATA-compatible.

Weight: 7.3 kg, fully assembled
Folded size: 44.8 x 24.5 x 55.5 cm
Age range: 0–4 years; seat capacity 22 kg
Newborn use: from birth with the seat fully flat; Bugaboo suggests its separate baby nest for extra newborn comfort
Cabin claim: Bugaboo says it fits overhead compartments, and its FAQ advises checking with your airline

Good to know: Bugaboo does not state a one-hand fold on its UK product page, only that it folds “in a second”. The optional baby nest is listed at around £160, so budget for it if you want a cosier newborn set-up.

Not for you if… you want the very lightest stroller possible; several picks here weigh less.

See Butterfly 2 at Bugaboo

2. Stokke YOYO5 with Newborn Pack — best for frequent flyers who want a full system

The YOYO, originally from Babyzen and now part of Stokke, has long been a well-known name in compact travel strollers. The latest version, the YOYO5, adds a one-hand fold. Stokke sells it with a Newborn Pack (from birth) or as a seat-only stroller from 6 months.

Folded size: 52 x 45 x 22 cm
Age range: Newborn Pack from birth to 4 years; stroller seat from 6 months; Stokke also lists a bassinet option (birth to 6 months)
Fold: one-hand fold, according to Stokke
Basket: carries up to 10 kg
Cabin claim: Stokke says the folded size is equal to or smaller than most airline cabin allowances and advises checking each airline’s policy

Good to know: Stokke’s UK pages did not list the stroller’s weight or maximum child weight when we checked, so confirm these with the retailer before buying. It is also one of the pricier options, especially with the Newborn Pack.

Not for you if… you only need a stroller for one or two trips and want to keep costs down.

See YOYO5 at Stokke

3. Joolz Aer2 — best lightweight pick with a proper cot option

The Joolz Aer2 is one of the lighter strollers in this guide at 6.5 kg, and it pairs that with a one-hand, self-standing fold. Joolz describes it as IATA compliant and says it fits overhead cabins. For newborns, you add a foldable cot or a Nest to seat insert, both sold separately.

Weight: 6.5 kg (buggy); 8.5 kg with the cot
Folded size: 53 x 44 x 23.5 cm
Age range: 0–4 years; maximum capacity listed as 22 kg
Newborn use: with the separate foldable cot (around £229) or Nest to seat (around £149)
Fold: one-hand, one-second fold that stands on its own
Standard: EN 1888-2, as stated by Joolz

Good to know: the newborn accessories add noticeably to the cost, and the cot adds 2 kg. If you are flying with a young baby, price up the full set-up rather than the buggy alone.

Not for you if… you want a seat that lies flat for newborns without buying anything extra.

See Aer2 at Joolz

4. Silver Cross Nia — best value pick from birth

The Nia is Silver Cross’s current compact travel stroller (the older Jet range now appears only under spare parts on the Silver Cross site). Like the Butterfly 2, the seat lies flat for use from birth, and it takes children up to 22 kg. It has a one-hand, self-standing fold and a built-in shoulder strap.

Weight: 5.6 kg chassis only; 7.3 kg with seat
Folded size: 54 x 45 x 23 cm (H x W x L)
Age range: birth to around 4 years; up to 22 kg
Newborn use: from birth with the seat lie-flat; optional carrycot from birth to around 6 months
Fold: one-hand, self-standing, with a shoulder strap
Cabin claim: Silver Cross says it is IATA cabin approved in both seat and carrycot mode

Good to know: Silver Cross’s own FAQ notes that an airline may still require the stroller to go in the hold, so the approval claim does not guarantee you can take it on board. It is also slightly taller folded than the Butterfly 2.

Not for you if… you want the slimmest possible fold for very tight lockers.

See Nia at Silver Cross

5. Ergobaby Metro 3 — best for comfort on longer days out

The Metro 3 is the heaviest stroller on this list, but Ergobaby focuses on seat comfort and ergonomics, and it carries an AGR ergonomics seal. It can be used from birth with its built-in Newborn Nest mode, and it takes children up to 50 lb (about 22.7 kg). The Deluxe version adds extras such as a carry strap and weather shield.

Weight: 7.8 kg without accessories
Folded size: 56 x 44 x 23 cm
Age range: 0–48 months; up to 50 lb (about 22.7 kg)
Newborn use: integrated Newborn Nest mode, or with car seat adapters
Fold: one-hand fold and unfold
Cabin claim: Ergobaby says the Deluxe is IATA-compatible and the folded size meets carry-on rules for most airlines, but advises checking your airline

Good to know: at 56 cm folded, it is the longest pick here, so it is the most likely to be borderline on airlines with smaller cabin limits. The extra weight is noticeable if you plan to carry it a lot.

Not for you if… keeping weight to a minimum is your top priority.

See Metro 3 at Ergobaby

6. Cybex Coya — best premium pick for older toddlers

The Coya is Cybex’s design-led ultra-compact stroller, with a light frame and a 55 lb (about 25 kg) child weight limit. Cybex lists it as carry-on compatible and says it fits in an overhead compartment once folded. It is suitable from birth only with a compatible Cybex infant car seat or the separate carrycot.

Weight: 14.6 lb (about 6.6 kg)
Folded size: 20.5 x 17.3 x 7.1 in (about 52 x 44 x 18 cm)
Age range: birth to around 4 years; up to 55 lb (about 25 kg)
Newborn use: with a Cybex infant car seat or the Fold Lux Carry Cot, sold separately
Features: one-hand recline and one-hand harness

Good to know: Cybex’s UK page did not list full specs when we checked, so the figures above come from Cybex’s North American product page; confirm with your UK retailer. Cybex does not state a one-hand fold, and the seat alone is not described as suitable for newborns.

Not for you if… you want a stroller that works from birth without buying a car seat or carrycot.

See Coya at Cybex

7. gb Pockit+ All-City — lightest pick for toddlers

The Pockit+ All-City from gb is the lightest stroller here at 5.7 kg. It folds in two steps into a very small package that gb describes as airplane hand luggage compliant. It is designed for children from 6 months, so it suits toddler trips rather than newborns.

Weight: 5.7 kg
Age range: from 6 months to around 4 years
Features: stepless recline, front suspension, and travel-system compatibility with gb/Cybex car seats and the Cot to Go
Cabin claim: gb says it is hand luggage compliant

Good to know: gb’s UK page did not list the folded dimensions or maximum child weight when we checked, so check these with your retailer before buying. The fold is a two-step process rather than one-handed.

Not for you if… your baby is under 6 months or you want a seat that lies fully flat.

See Pockit+ All-City at gb

Which one should you choose?

Flying with a newborn, one stroller for everything: Bugaboo Butterfly 2 or Silver Cross Nia, as both seats lie flat from birth without extras.
You want a dedicated newborn cot on holiday: Joolz Aer2 with cot, or Stokke YOYO5 with its Newborn Pack.
Your toddler is older or heavier: Cybex Coya, with a 55 lb (about 25 kg) limit stated by Cybex.
Lightest and simplest for a toddler: gb Pockit+ All-City.
Comfort matters more than weight: Ergobaby Metro 3.

FAQ

Can I take a stroller on a plane as hand luggage?

Often, yes, but it depends entirely on your airline. Some count a compact stroller as your cabin bag, some treat it separately, and some ask you to gate-check it. Check your airline’s current policy and compare it with the stroller’s folded dimensions before you travel.

What does “IATA-compatible” mean on a stroller?

It is a manufacturer’s claim that the folded stroller fits common industry guidance for cabin bags. It is not an airline approval. Individual airlines set their own limits, so a stroller described this way can still be refused in the cabin.

Can a newborn use a travel stroller?

Only if the stroller offers a lie-flat position or a cot, nest or car seat designed for newborns. The Butterfly 2 and Nia seats lie flat from birth, while the Aer2, YOYO5 and Coya need an extra accessory. The Pockit+ All-City starts at 6 months. For sleep away from home, follow official guidance from the NHS and The Lullaby Trust.

Is it better to gate-check a stroller or put it in the overhead locker?

Keeping it in the cabin means it is less likely to be damaged and is ready as soon as you land. Gate-checking is a common alternative, but the stroller then travels with the hold luggage and may be handled roughly. A padded travel bag helps protect it either way.

Are travel strollers comfortable for everyday use?

They can be, but smaller wheels and lighter frames are designed for pavements and airports rather than rough paths. If this will be your only pushchair, look for suspension, a good recline and a comfortable seat, and check the manufacturer’s specs for each.

Best travel strollers for flying (cabin-size picks)