Don't Make This Silly Mistake With Your Travel Stroller

A Compact Travel Stroller Should Be Easy to Carry

When it comes to choosing the best compact travel stroller, you need one that folds down into a small, easy-to-carry package. It should be light and come with an appearance that is compatible with car seats. It should also fit in the overhead bins for airlines.

This compact stroller from UPPAbaby meets the criteria. It is easy to fold and comes with a comfortable strap for carrying. It also fits easily in the overhead compartments of planes. It has an easy, nearly flat recline and smooth movement.

Easy to Assemble

If you're walking through the airport to get to the gate, or navigating an unfamiliar city with your baby with you, traveling can be stressful enough without having to worry about how to pack and transport everything. We believe that a great travel stroller should be easy to assemble fold and carry around. This lightweight Kolcraft stroller does exactly this. This lightweight, compact stroller is easy to open and close by simply pressing two buttons on the handle -- all while still standing upright (no need to lean over to perform the task). It can also be inserted into the overhead bins on most planes, and comes with an excellent carry bag that's ideal for slinging the stroller over your shoulder while you're on the move.

In our tests, this lightweight stroller easily rolled over all kinds of terrain and Toddler Stroller swung well and was a great choice for traveling. It features a large sun canopy that has a mesh segment that can be shut and opened to give your child plenty of visibility and coverage. It also includes a leg rest that 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 includes a large basket for storage that can hold a lot of your on-the-go essentials.

This compact Babyzen stroller is a favorite among parents who love to travel or live in cities. It arrives in the box fully assembled, and is easy to open with two little buttons on the handle. It folds up in a similar manner and fits in the carrying bag. The only downside is that it could be a bit too big for Prams Pushchairs prams some airplane overhead bins We've also received reports of the handles feeling fragile, which some parents found to be a bit unsettling. But, it's a solid option for those who want the lightest, most compact travel stroller. We'd like it to have a parent pocket to hold things like dollar bills for the ice cream!

Easy to Fold

Travel strollers are compact, as the name implies. They are smaller and lighter than standard strollers, and have smaller features such as cup holders and storage baskets. But, they'll perform well enough for daily use and be easy to carry or stow away. You should consider a stroller that meets your requirements if you intend to travel a lot with your child.

For instance the UPPAbaby G-Luxe is easy to fold and can fit into overhead bins. It is also easy to maneuver and roll on rough terrain. The UPPAbaby comes with some great features, including a deep recliner and an additional sun canopy that gives your child ample coverage. The only issue is that the mechanism for folding is a bit finicky, and you may have be careful when you use your hands to make sure it's just right.

The Babyzen YOYO2 is an alternative option. It can be folded down to a very small size and can be opened with one hand. It may 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 and a large basket underneath the carriage, and a large-expanding umbrella. It's our most expensive travel stroller, however, it's also the most luxurious.

The Cybex Libelle 2 travel stroller newborn is a different model with a fold that is easy to fold. It weighs more than other strollers, but it's small and light enough to be a good choice for luxury travel and city life. It also has a lot of great features, including an integrated cup holder that will fit the standard size mug, a convenient carry handle and an extensible canopy that's large enough to shield your child from the sun.

The Minu from UPPAbaby is a great option for those who already have the brand's Vista or Cruz strollers but want a lighter, more compact version. It weighs less than the original Minu, but it's still quite heavy for a stroller that's designed for travel. It has many other cool features such as large storage baskets and a reclining seat that is deep and a canopy that can be extended with UPF protection of 50+.

Easy to Carry

Whether you're taking your little one on an airplane, or packing it into the car for a road trip the ease at which your travel stroller folds down can make a huge difference in how easy it is to get through a busy airport or onto a cramped bus. When folded, a great travel stroller should fit easily into your trunk or overhead bin using only a few controlled movements. It should also stand up on its own. You should be able lift it up by the handle, connect it to a carrying strap, or place it in the storage bag that comes with it to make transporting it easier.

If you're looking to use your stroller on a plane make sure it's certified by the airline or is guaranteed to fit inside overhead bins. The International Air Transport Association recommends that carry-on luggage be no greater than 22 x18 10 inches, which means that many of our top picks--including the ultra-lightweight, $100+ Nuna TRVL--will fit (though some of them will require you to check gate for them). The TRVL is so light, you can carry it in a handbag. It has a padded shoulder strap that can be attached to a bumper bar that can also be used as handles.

The TRVL is a great choice for parents who are always on the move, as it works with all Nuna Pipa baby car seats and without adapters. Our experts love its simple two-position recliner system and harness designed to adapt to your child's needs. It's also lighter than other travel strollers which makes it an ideal option for families that frequently travel.

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 the lightest strollers that we tested, but be aware that although most airlines will allow you to check in at the gate with a large stroller, they may also require you to carry the stroller folded through security and out of the plane cabin. If this is the case, you might think about buying a travel bag with a protective cover to protect it from damage caused by baggage handlers.

Easy to Store

A compact travel stroller is ideal for frequent travelers as it doesn't require a large stroller trunk or take up a lot of space in your hotel room or in your car. Some models fold down so small that you can fit them in the overhead bin of an airplane and others are so light that they don't add much weight to the luggage you carry. They're also easy to maneuver in busy airports and on city sidewalks.

If you travel frequently it's worthwhile to invest in the best travel stroller that we have tested. The Silver Cross Jet 4 is an extremely comfortable, well-made model with plenty of features like a large under-seat basket and a padded handlebar with a wrist strap that's comfortable on long 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 gate-check it). This model is compatible from birth with the Nuna Pipa infant car seat and has a built-in carry bag that comes with insurance against the possibility of damage to your stroller during travel.

The Babyzen YoYo2 is another super-lightweight model that is ideal for air travel or quick outings on vacation. The stroller is simple to maneuver around airplane aisles and remains upright when folded. This is helpful in situations where you need to maneuver the stroller along with other luggage. The YoYo2 isn't quite as large as a full-size stroller when it's folded, but it has plenty of features, including a convenient oversized under-seat basket, as well as a reclining mechanism that's easy to operate with one hand.

A stroller is an essential piece of equipment for many parents traveling with their children. A good quality compact stroller will ensure your safety while traveling and allow you to navigate busy urban sidewalks and public transportation without difficulty. Take into consideration your family's needs and lifestyle when choosing an infant stroller. Then you can look through our list of top picks to choose the perfect stroller for your family's next adventure. This guide is based upon the latest research and has been tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute for more than 100 years. Editorial and writer contributors, who are parents with children aged 6 and under, independently reviewed the guide. They used the strollers in the lab, during road trips, and with their own families, and leaned on consumers to provide feedback.