A Compact Travel Stroller Should Be Easy to Carry

When it comes to picking the best compact travel stroller, you should choose one that folds down into a small, easy-to-carry package. It should be light, come with an auto seat-compatible design and be able to fit in overhead bins for airlines.

This compact stroller made by UPPAbaby is a great choice. It folds easily and comes with a padded strap to carry. It also fits easily in the overhead compartments of planes. It has a simple, nearly flat recline and smooth movement.

Easy to Assemble

Traveling is stressful enough, without having to think about how to take everything. We believe that a good travel stroller can be a breeze to assemble, fold, and carry around. This lightweight Kolcraft stroller is exactly the same features. The compact, lightweight stroller can be shut and opened by pressing two buttons on the handle while standing up. It fits in the overhead bins on most planes and comes with a carrying bag that allows you to carry the stroller over your shoulders when you're out and about.

In our tests, this lightweight stroller easily rolled over all types of terrain and swung well, making it a great option for travel. It has a large sun canopy that has mesh that can be opened and closed to give your child ample coverage and visibility. It also includes the leg rest, which is easily adjustable and comes with padded shoulder straps. It's also a perfect fit for all Nuna PIPA series car seats (just click and you're done) and comes with a huge storage basket that can hold many of your travel essentials.

This compact stroller from Babyzen is a favorite of parents who live in cities and/or love to travel. It comes in the box already assembled and is as easy to open with two buttons on the handle. It also folds up in the same way and can be put into the, included carrying bag. The only downside is that it may be a bit too big for some overhead bins on airplanes We've heard reports of the handles feeling fragile, which some parents found unsettling. It's still an excellent option for those looking for a lightweight, compact travel stroller. We'd like to see a smaller parent pocket to hold things like dollar bills for ice cream!

Easy to Fold

Travel strollers are small, as the name suggests. They are smaller and lighter than regular strollers, and have less features, such as cup holders and storage baskets. They must perform well for daily use, and they should be easy to carry. You should consider a stroller that meets your needs if you are planning to travel frequently with your child.

The UPPAbaby G-Luxe, for example, is easy to fold and can fit in overhead bins. It's also easy to roll and maneuver even on rough terrain. The UPPAbaby is equipped with a variety of nice features, including a deep recliner as well as a sun canopy to give your child ample coverage. The only downside is that the folding mechanism isn't as smooth, and you may have be careful when you use your hands to get it just right.

The Babyzen YOYO2 is another option. It can be folded down to a tiny size and opened with one hand. It might not have the same amount of storage as other strollers, but it does have some great features. It comes with an easy-to-carry strap as well as a spacious basket beneath the carriage, and a broad-extending umbrella. It's our most expensive travel stroller, but also the most luxurious.

The Cybex Libelle 2 travel stroller is another one that folds easy to unfold. It is heavier than other strollers but is still lightweight and compact enough to make it a great option for city living and luxurious travel. It comes with a variety of nice features, like a cup holder for the standard mug, an easy-to-carry handle and a canopy that extends to shield your child from the sun.

The Minu from UPPAbaby is a great choice for people who already own the brand's Vista or Cruz strollers and want a lighter, more compact version. It's lighter than the original Minu but it's still a bit heavy for a travel pram. Fortunately, it has lots of other great features, including a spacious storage basket with a deep recline, as well as an extendable sun canopy with UPF 50+ protection.

Easy to Carry

Whether you're taking your baby on an airplane or packing it into your car for an excursion the ease with which your travel stroller folds down can make a huge difference in how easy it is to navigate a busy airport or crowded bus. When folded, a good stroller can easily fit into your trunk or overhead bin using some controlled movements. It should also stand up on its own. You should also be able to lift it using the handle or connect a strap for carrying, or slip it into an enclosed storage bag for easier transport.

If you plan to use your stroller in an airplane, make sure it's approved by the airline or cheap Prams it can fit into the overhead bins. The International Air Transport Association recommends that carry-on bags not exceed larger than 22 x 18 10 inches, meaning that several of our top prams picks, including the super lightweight, $100-plus Nuna TRVL--can fit up there (though some may require you to gate check them). The TRVL is lightweight enough to be carried as a handbag with the help of an attached strap for the shoulder that is padded and a bumper bar that doubles as a carry handle.

The TRVL is a great choice for parents who are always moving around, since it is compatible with all Nuna Pipa baby car seats and without adapters. Our experts love the easy two-position reclining mechanism, as well as the non-rethread safety harness, which is designed to expand with your baby. Plus, it's a bit lighter than other strollers for travel, making it the perfect choice for families that are frequent travelers.

Other great features on this compact travel stroller include a spring-loaded back-of-the-underseat basket that's big enough for a backpack, diaper bag, or purse, and a flat, open sun canopy that offers some coverage and blockage (though it's not as large as the ones on some of our other top picks). It's also one of our most lightweight strollers. However, be aware that many airlines allow you to gate-check the size of a large pushchair, but it could require you to take the stroller folded out of the cabin and through security. If that's the case, you should consider purchasing a protective travel bag to shield it from damage caused by baggage handlers.

Easy to Store

A compact travel stroller is perfect for frequent travelers because it doesn't require a full-size stroller trunk or take up too much space in your hotel room or car. Some models fold down so small that you can easily fit them in an overhead bin on a plane, and some are so light that they don't add any weight to your carry-on luggage. They're also easy to maneuver in the crowded airports as well as on the crowded city sidewalks.

If you're a frequent traveler, it's worth purchasing one of the top travel strollers we've tested. The Silver Cross Jet 4 is an excellent, well-made stroller with a number of features. It has a large basket under the seat and a padded bar with a wrist strap that allows it to be ideal for long-distance trips. The stroller's reclining mechanism is simple to operate and it can be placed in an airline's overhead compartment (though you'll have to check it at the gate). This model is compatible starting at birth with the Nuna Pipa infant car seat and comes with an integrated carry bag with insurance against the possibility of damage to your stroller during travel.

The Babyzen YoYo2 stroller is also lightweight and light, which is ideal for short getaways. The stroller is easy to maneuver through airplane aisles and remains upright when folded. This is a great feature if you are trying to carry the stroller around with other luggage. The YoYo2 isn't quite as large as a standard stroller when folded, but it has plenty of features, including a large under-seat basket as well as a recline mechanism that can be operated by hand.

For many parents who have children, a stroller is an essential piece of equipment for navigating with children. A quality, compact stroller will give you peace of mind when traveling and let you navigate busy sidewalks and public transportation without difficulty. Take into consideration your family's lifestyle and needs when looking for the perfect stroller for your baby. Then look over our list of top picks to help you choose the best stroller for your family's next adventure. The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing products for over a century, and this guide is based on their expert research. It was reviewed by independent contributing writers and editors who are parents of children 6 and under. They used the strollers in a lab, on road trips and with their own families and leaned into consumer testers for additional feedback.