The 5 Best Travel Strollers of 2023

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travel baby strollers — Photo: People/Phoebe Cheong

Having kids means needing a lot of stuff. For example: you need a stroller, yes, but you also need different strollers for different occasions, like a dedicated jogging stroller if you want to run with your kid, or a travel stroller if you plan on taking them on a trip. (You can go really, really extra with strollers, too: just look at this jungle-themed one DJ Khaled designed or some of the designer-logo-adorned ones the Kardashian/Jenners have paraded around.)

Travel strollers, specifically, are generally lighter weight, easier to fold, and less bulky than their everyday counterparts, which helps when you need to do things like stash them in an overhead bin on an airplane or lug them around in a new place. And since you could be traveling anywhere — say, to the beach, or to rocky ruins like Chrissy Teigen did with her little ones — you need a stroller that isn't just easy to carry, it's also easy to push, durable, and lets you tote along all your vacation must haves.

PEOPLE tested nearly 20 travel strollers, and one came out on top: the Uppababy Minu.

Here are the best travel strollers that PEOPLE Tested.

Best Overall: Uppababy Minu

Buy It! $430; nordstrom.com

Note: Uppababy released a newer model after our testing — MINU V2 — and once we test the new stroller, we will update our insights.

Pros: The Uppababy Minu is super easy to fold, push, and recline, making it great for most travel stroller needs.

Cons: It can be heavy and awkward to carry for long periods.

If you've ever used an Uppababy stroller, you'll love the travel version — it's like a more compact, lighter, sleeker version of its big siblings. The one-handed fold is a cinch (although you may find you have to tuck the canopy in a bit after it folds up) and it's easy to open back up, too.

The seat has some nice, cushy padding and uses a very simple mechanism to recline — essential when you're traveling and need to squeeze in an on-the-go stroller nap. The canopy provides excellent sun protection — great if you're headed to somewhere sunny with your kid — and there's an optional mesh window if you want to check in on them, which stays open well thanks to the magnet closure.

During our testing we were pleased to see how much adult and kid stuff we could stash in the storage basket. It also pushed well on multiple terrains, and handled the gravel we tried it on especially well. Super tight turns were a bit challenging, but not impossible by any means.

It fits well in an overhead storage bin, and is pretty durable (minus the canopy rod which slipped out of place in our drop test — but easily went back in).

Really our only complaints are the price (it's not the most expensive we tried, but it is up there) and that it can be tough to carry. One of our testers found it awkward to hold and wear over the shoulder for long stretches, and another pointed out that because it isn't compact when folded and worn over the shoulder it can be difficult to walk around wearing it. But other than those two things — relatively minor in the world of travel stroller complaints — it's an excellent stroller that functions really well in airports and your final destination.

Weight	14.75 pounds
Folded dimensions	12h x 22.5l x 20.25w
Assembled dimensions	41h x 31l x 20.5w
Seat dimensions	9.5l x 13w

Best Budget: Kolcraft Cloud Plus

Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart

Pros: This stroller is so light. Seriously. So. Light. And the price is unbeatable!

Cons: You will probably need two hands to fold it, and it doesn't fit in an overhead bin.

If you're looking for a budget travel stroller, you're probably aware that you won't be able to get everything you want — you'll have to sacrifice something. In the case of the Kolcraft Cloud Plus, there are a few sacrifices to be made, but for such a great price, they're more than worth it.

First, the good: It weighs 11.8 pounds, three full pounds less than our top pick. And the stroller is easy to fold, even if it probably will require two hands (a strong person might be able to do it with one, but there are two buttons to push, so it's much easier with two). Unfolding can be done one-handed. It's the only travel stroller we tested that came with a removable tray, which is super handy for on-the-go snacks. The seat reclines three-quarters of the way, which should be enough to get your napper to fall asleep. It rolls well on smooth surfaces, and even though it's not as smooth on carpet and gravel, because it's so light, you can power through just by the force of your walking. It's also quite durable — in our damage testing, the only thing that happened was the tray fell off, and it's removable anyway.

Now the compromises: It doesn't fold up compactly enough to be stored in an overhead bin — which, depending on the way you travel, could be a deal breaker. (One tester described it as somewhere between a travel stroller and an umbrella stroller, if that helps you picture it folded up.) The canopy coverage is "so-so" and the peekaboo window has no cover. The padding on the seat isn't as cushy as some of the others we tried, either. Our testers also didn't love the look of this guy — this stroller has some pretty big logos adorning it. There are two cupholders, but both are small.

Still, if you're in the market for a lightweight, not-too-expensive stroller, the pluses outweigh the minuses. Just be prepared to gate check!

Weight	11.8 pounds
Folded dimensions	10h x 33l x 17.5w
Assembled dimensions	38h x 27l x 18w
Seat dimensions	9l x 13w

Best Splurge: Nuna TRVL Stroller

Buy on Dillards.com Buy on Nordstrom Buy on Bloomingdales

Pros: The Nuna TRVL stroller is amazing for on-the-go naps thanks to a deep recline and adjustable calf rest. It's also a very smooth ride.

Cons: The stroller doesn't have a carrying strap, and it may not fit in an overhead bin.

We loved this stroller. Yes, it's pricey, but it handles so well — we honestly didn't notice a difference when pushing this stroller on hardwood, tile, or carpet, and even gravel was pretty easy to maneuver around on. It was one of the only travel strollers we tested with an adjustable calf rest, and it reclines deeply, so a child riding along in the TRVL will get a really comfortable, almost-bed-like position for a midday nap. The strap clasp is magnetic, which does save time when you're operating with a squirmy kid, and the under storage basket is really roomy. It also got no damage during our damage tests.

The downsides of this stroller are kind of subjective. For example, while this is a travel stroller (c'mon, it's right there in the name) we found that it didn't always fit in an overhead bin, and when it did, it had a tendency to pop open from the folded position as it was tumbling down. And speaking of folding, the fold is definitely possible to do one-handed, but there's something of a learning curve. But once you get the hang of it, it basically folds for you. It doesn't have a carrying strap or bag, but the bumper bar turns into a carrying handle of sorts when it's folded up. We actually found the handle pretty useful, but it may not be what you're looking for. Lastly, it's pretty expensive for a stroller you don't use every day.

Although honestly, you could use it every day.

Weight	15.4 pounds
Folded dimensions	11h x 27.25l x 20.25w
Assembled dimensions	41h x 26l x 20.5w
Seat dimensions	10l x 13w

Best Double Stroller: Uppababy Glink 2

Buy It! $350; uppababy.com

Pros: This stroller navigates multiple terrains really well, especially for a double stroller.

Cons: It's not easy to carry, and unfolding it is challenging.

It's hard enough to find a good travel stroller for one kid, but two kids is a whole other ballgame. Luckily the Uppababy Glink 2 impressed us, with a smooth push over hard and soft surfaces, and a decent push on gravel as well. (One of our testers attributes this to the fact that unlike many double strollers, this one doesn't have any wheels in the center of the frame, making it easier to push generally.)

Both seats recline into two different positions and have generous padding (although no calf rest). The sun canopy is also impressive. We also liked the easy-to-fasten buckles. The stroller didn't sustain any damage in our tests. And the fold, while a little tricky, can be done with one hand which is impressive considering its size.

Unfolding, on the other hand, is challenging, and requires a bit of force. We also didn't love that for a stroller so big, there isn't a lot of storage underneath. Though this probably is obvious, it won't fit in an overhead bin. This is, of course, because it is big. It also doesn't have a shoulder strap. As one tester put it: "I could carry it, but I wouldn't want to."

Weight	21.8 pounds
Folded dimensions	14h x 40l x 17.5w
Assembled dimensions	41h x 25l x 28.25w
Seat dimensions	10l x 11w (each)

best travel strollers — People/Phoebe Cheong

Best for Air Travel: Colugo Compact Stroller

Buy It! $295; hicolugo.com

Pros: The Colugo is easy to carry for long periods of time.

Cons: The unique buckle on the straps is pretty annoying.

Lugging a stroller around an airport is never a fun activity, per se, but the padded strap on the Colugo Compact makes it at least bearable. The strap is a good length and the weight is well distributed when you are carrying it. It fits easily in an overhead bin, and isn't awkward to pick up.

The handling is good on smooth surfaces and shag carpets, but we really struggled to push it on the gravel. We also really liked the recline options — with a long foot rest and a drawstring recline, it lays almost entirely flat. There's room to store a backpack underneath. It's got a one-handed fold and a two-handed unfold process that's pretty similar to our winner, the Uppababy Minu. And overall, it's a nice looking stroller.

In our opinion, it loses points because of its buckle latch system. It's magnetic, and the buckle hurt our testers hands. They also found the closure to be increasingly annoying as the testing wore on, a bad sign for a trip where you might be constantly loading and unloading your child into the seat. And this is a minor gripe, but the canopy, which zips open for extra sun coverage, zips and pops open less easily the more times you use it.

All that said, if you'll be carrying a stroller a lot, this is the one to get — it really eclipsed the others in the "easy on the shoulder" department.

Weight	15.3 pounds
Folded dimensions	11.5h x 26l x 17w
Assembled dimensions	42h x 26l x 17w
Seat dimensions	8l x 12w

Things to Consider Before Buying a Travel Stroller

Size

Will you be traveling by plane? Make sure your travel stroller will fit in an overhead bin. And also examine the size of the seat — a child under age 1 may be fine in an 8 inch seat, but an older child may need more room.

Recline

Does your kid nap in the stroller? If so, you'll want a nice deep recline (even better if it has a calf-rest) so they can lie flat and get as restful of a sleep as they can.

Storage

If you'll be using the stroller to store things — your backpack, multiple family water bottles, a diaper bag, etc. — make sure it's got some room under the seat.

Ease of Folding

Especially if you're the only adult traveling with your kid, you need an easy, one-handed fold.

Weight

During travel, there are many times you'll have to fold and unfold, lift and re-lift your travel stroller. Make sure you get one whose weight you can manage on your own.

How We Tested Travel Strollers

We PEOPLE Tested 19 travel strollers to see which ones were the easiest to use. Our testers used weighted sandbag "kids" of various sizes to see how the stroller was to push over hardwood floor, tile, carpet, grass, and gravel, as well as through a mini obstacle course. We buckled in the sandbag "kids" multiple times to evaluate the mechanisms in the buckle, then took them out and practiced folding and unfolding over four times. While folded, we carried the stroller around. We then put it on a bakers rack designed to simulate an airplane's overhead bin, both to see how easy that was and to see if it fit. Lastly, we dropped the stroller from waist height and pushed it off a table to test its durability.

FAQs

Is a travel stroller worth it?

A travel stroller is a smart purchase for families on the go. They are specifically designed to work well in the unique circumstances and obstacles that travel (especially with a kid) can present.

What do you do with a stroller when flying?

All airlines permit strollers on board. "Larger" strollers generally must be checked at the curbside, ticket counter, or gate. Each company defines large differently, so you should consult your airline's specific policies. Most airlines do not charge an extra fee to check strollers.

Do strollers fly free?

Generally speaking, yes. If your stroller is small enough to fit the carry-on requirements, usually the airline will let you store it in the overhead compartment.

What Is PEOPLE Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we've awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.

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