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Cabin Size Strollers: 7 of the Most Compact Airplane Strollers

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One of the times you really need a travel stroller is at the airport, particularly for that long walk to baggage reclaim and the usual snaking queue at immigration. Whilst some airlines do their best to help by providing you with courtesy strollers as you disembark, this is sadly not the norm. Cabin sized strollers or ‘airplane strollers’ can make a huge difference, especially if you have a tired child to contend with.

This guide will help you decide on which is the best compact stroller for you, and even better, they are cabin sized strollers for plane travel! A carry on stroller can make things a lot easier for you when traveling with a baby, toddler or pre-schooler.

Cabin Size Strollers: 7 of the Most Compact Airplane Strollers

What kind of stroller can I take on a plane?

The best option is to know your airlines cabin baggage regulations and maximise them to the hilt by bringing a compact cabin sized stroller as your permittable carry on.

This may mean you will have to sacrifice another travel bag depending on whether there is a lap infant baggage allowance for a diaper/nappy bag or similar. (For flying with a lap infant tips, see here)

baby zen yoyo plus stroller pushchair in airplane, best stroller for travel as it fits cabin sized overhead lockers? so you can see the best strollers to travel with on an airplane.#familytravel
The BabyZen YOYO is a popular stroller for air travel, proving you can use strollers on airplanes.

The good news is – at the end of this post, I’ve a guide that will help you the allowances.

I’ve spent a couple of days going through over 20 airlines lap infant carry on allowance and the adult cabin baggage allowance, so you can work out which is the best stroller for air travel and which travel stroller could be used as a cabin size stroller.

This will mean you would have to sacrifice your cabin bag to bring this on. However, if you have a potentially long wait in an immigration queue or a transit stop where you can’t access your stroller, then this could be well worth the trade off.

silver cross stroller, one of the best strollers to travel with on an airplane.
Pocket Silver Cross Jet Ultra
Pocket Silver Cross Jet Ultra folds up like a cabin bag-one of the  best strollers to travel with on an airplane.
Pocket Silver Cross Jet Ultra folds up like a cabin bag

Secondly, I’ve looked at models of travel pushchairs and compact strollers which can fit as hand luggage. Remember, if you have extras added such as stroller sunshade covers, you will need to make sure they can either fit in the stroller, or your luggage.

Compact and lightweight features obviously make the best and the most practical choice of travel stroller. Airplane wise, double strollers are unlikely to fit in the overhead stowage bins, but will be permitted to go in the hold, so this feature does concentrate on single pushchairs.

I’ve found 7 of the best strollers to bring on a plane, which mostly meet the carry on requirements and on whole have positive feedback.

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Bugaboo Butterfly reclined
Bugaboo Butterfly reclined

The Latest Compact Cabin Sized Strollers

Jumping on the popularity of trend setters BabyZen Yoyo and the GB Pockit, travel pushchairs and strollers are evolving all the time  – with new compact pushchairs all vying to be the lightest and smallest.

For 2023, here are the latest options, including the Bugaboo Butterfly which meet most airline cabin baggage guidelines. (The guide below this will show what size cabin baggage airlines allow and which strollers meet this criteria.)

I have some more really useful ideas, tips and insider info from my cabin crew days – flying over 80 flights in baby and toddler stage too.

Top Tip: Check what your adult cabin baggage allowance is, as you may be able to bring your compact stroller with you in place of (not in addition to) your carry on allowance.

a cabin size stroller in black ( silver cross)
Pocket SIlver Cross – A compact travel stroller

At a Glance Comparison Table of the most compact cabin sized strollers. For further details of each – see below.

ImageNameWeightMeasurements
gb poclit all -terrainGB Pockit Air All Terrain9.5lbs/4.3kgMax Weight Capacity: 55lbs/17kgs
Age: 6 months up to approx. 4 years
Dimensions when folded: 11.8 x7.1 x13.8 inches
gb Pockit all cityGB Pockit All City12.5lbs/5.7kgsMax weight Capacity: 55lbs
Age suitable for: 9 – 17 kg/From 6 months up to approx. 4 years.
Dimensions when folded:/L19 xW 33 x H48cm (7.5 x 13 x19″)
Silver cross Jet3Silver Cross Jet3 13.6 lbs/5.9kgMax weight Capacity: 55lbs
Dimensions when Folded: ‎23 x 13 x 10 inches
Age suitable for: Suitable for newborns, infants and toddlers up to 55 lbs (15kg approx. 3-4 years old)
Babyzen yoyo2BabyZen Yoyo2Lightweight for a scalable stroller: 6.2 kg (13.6 lbs) in the 6+ version, 6.6 kg (14.5 lbs) with the newborn pack or 8.1 kg (17.8 lbs) with the bassinetMax weight capacity: 22 kg (48.5 lbs)
Folded dimensions: 52 × 44 × 18 cm (20.5 × 17.3 × 7.1 in)
Age suitable for: From birth with newborn pack
Baby Joy strollerBaby Joy15lbsMax weight capacity: 50 lbs/22.6kg
Folded 20″ x 10″ x 28.5″ (L x W x H)
Age suitable for: Suitable for 6-36 months babies and toddlers.
qbit-all-city-new-gbgb QBit+ All-City Stroller‎17.16 lbsDimensions Folded : 17 L x 10.4″ W x 22.8″ H,
Age Suitable : 0 – 55 lbs., from birth (with infant car seat) up to 55 lbs. (approx. 4-5 years)
Bugaboo Butterfly travel stroller as cabin luggageBugaboo Butterfly7.3 kgMax Weight Capacity: 22kg
Dimensions when folded: 45 x 23 x 54 cm
Age suitable for: 6 months – 4 years

 Cabin Sized Strollers For Plane Travel 2023 – 7 Cabin Size Strollers Perfect For Plane Travel

Cabin Size Strollers: 7 of the Most Compact Airplane Strollers

Bugaboo Butterfly travel stroller as cabin luggage
Bugaboo Butterfly travel stroller as cabin luggage

INFANT BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE GUIDE TRICK

The guide below shows what many airlines will allow as carry on for a standard economy seat if you are flying with an infant. (Infant/child hold baggage is also included)

However, by looking at the adult hand baggage allowance and measurements, you can see if you can bring your foldable stroller in place of your bag cabin allowance, meaning you can have your stroller with you for the walk to baggage reclaim and passport control. Just click on the image to enlarge. With the guide above for the best stroller for airplane travel, you can see which one fits these allowances.

Airline baggage guide for infants comparison chart

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nine − 3 =

NG

Sunday 14th of March 2021

Hi, easyjet have said that all prams must go in the hold even if they're travel prams?

Carrie

Sunday 14th of March 2021

@NG, hello, Easyjet normally allow travel strollers inside the cabin IF they do meet the cabin baggage requirements, otherwise they must go in the gold. Some airlines are temporarily putting all strollers in the hold due to Covid-19 but Easyjet do not seem to have this an official policy.

Laura

Thursday 9th of January 2020

Can you add air canada and air newzealand?

Carrie Bradley

Tuesday 14th of January 2020

Not a problem!