Finding the Best Travel Double Stroller for Flying
Traveling with one child presents unique challenges, but navigating airports and airplanes with two kids requires serious logistical planning, especially regarding gear. Finding the Best Travel Double Stroller For Flying can make the difference between a smooth journey and a stressful ordeal. Whether you need the easiest double stroller to maneuver through the airport, the most compact fold for overhead bins or gate-checking, or something versatile for your destination, this guide is designed to help.
We’ve analyzed numerous options to identify top contenders specifically suited for air travel, focusing on factors like weight, foldability, ease of carrying, and maneuverability. Forget bulky tandems; our focus is on side-by-side models known for their travel-friendly designs. We’ve categorized them to help you pinpoint the perfect fit for your family’s travel style and needs.
Collage showcasing various top double travel strollers
Umbrella-Style Doubles: Lightweight & Simple
Double umbrella strollers are often favored for travel due to their inherent lightness and simple, compact fold. They typically fit easily into car trunks and meet airline gate-check requirements, including Disney size regulations. However, they often lack features like large storage baskets or extensive sun canopies, and usually require two hands to push due to separated handles.
Delta Children LX Double Umbrella stroller shown folded compactly
Here are our top picks for double umbrella travel strollers:
1. Delta Children LX Side-by-Side Stroller ~ $74 – Barebones Budget Pick
Weighing an incredibly light 18 lbs, the Delta Children LX is a fantastic no-frills budget option for travel. It offers an easy and compact fold, includes two hanging storage bags, two parent cupholders, and features 5-point safety harnesses for each seat. Its main drawback is the minimal sun canopy coverage. It’s a straightforward choice when weight and cost are top priorities for flying.
2. UPPAbaby G-Link 2 ~ $349 — Upscale Pick
At just 22 lbs, the UPPAbaby G-Link 2 combines a lightweight aluminum frame with upscale features often missing in umbrella strollers. It boasts a three-panel sun canopy, individually reclining seats, and a surprisingly accessible under-seat basket holding up to 10 lbs. Small storage pockets on the seat backs add convenience. Its narrow 28.5″ width ensures easy navigation through doorways and crowded airport terminals. Each seat supports up to 55 lbs, offering longevity. The G-Link 2 provides a more premium experience within the lightweight umbrella category, making it easier to manage stairs and tight spaces during travel.
Tri-Fold-Style Doubles: Compact & Feature-Rich
A newer category, tri-fold strollers fold into thirds, offering a remarkably compact package compared to traditional half-fold strollers. This makes them inherently suitable for travel, often rivaling umbrella strollers for compactness while packing in more features typical of full-size models, such as larger storage baskets. Double tri-folds are relatively new but offer an excellent balance of portability and functionality.
1. Summer Infant 3D Pac CS+ Double Stroller ~ $212 — Economy Tri-Fold Pick
The Summer Infant 3D Pac CS+ Double is an exciting entrant in the double travel stroller market. At 23 lbs and 30 inches wide, it’s lightweight, fits through standard doorways, and meets Disney size requirements. It features a simple one-handed fold, great storage, and uniquely accepts one infant car seat, making it versatile for families with a baby and toddler. This stroller is built for travel convenience, offering a compelling, budget-friendlier alternative in the tri-fold category, ideal for navigating theme parks or busy airports.
2. Joovy Kooper X2 ~ $459 — Middle of the Line Tri-Fold Stroller Pick
The Joovy Kooper X2 is another strong contender in the tri-fold double stroller arena. Weighing 28 lbs, it’s slightly heavier than some competitors but offers a robust frame supporting children up to 50 lbs per seat. Its standout feature is the easy, one-handed tri-fold mechanism that works with the two included snack trays attached – a huge convenience for travel. It boasts large, individually operated UPF 50 canopies, adjustable leg rests, a large storage basket (22 lb capacity), and the largest wheels in its compact class for a smoother ride on flat surfaces. Though it doesn’t accept car seats, its high weight capacity and convenient fold make it a popular choice. Downsides include potential interference with the brake for taller parents and seats that don’t sit fully upright or recline completely flat.
3. Mountain Buggy Nano Duo ~ $599 — High Quality Tri-Fold/Everyday Stroller Pick
Weighing only 20 lbs, the Mountain Buggy Nano Duo is exceptionally lightweight and compact, thanks to its tri-fold design. It’s a quintessential “traveling with two” stroller, perfect for twins or siblings close in age. A major advantage is its ability to accept up to two infant car seats (with adapters), offering flexibility from newborn stage onwards. While not an all-terrain model, its super-compact fold and light weight make it ideal for air travel, navigating urban environments, and everyday errands where space is a premium. Each seat holds up to 33 lbs.
Lightweight Regular Doubles: Feature-Packed Portability
These double strollers might not have the ultra-slim umbrella fold or the innovative tri-fold, but they prioritize low weight while often offering more robust features than basic umbrella models. They represent a good middle ground, balancing portability needed for travel with usability for everyday life.
1. Kolcraft Cloud Plus Lightweight Double Stroller ~ $209 — Economy Pick with Solid Features
At just 23 lbs, the Kolcraft Cloud Plus is a budget-friendly lightweight double that surprises with its features. It includes parent and child trays, decent storage, and an easy standing fold, making it great value for travel. Each seat holds up to 40 lbs, suitable for toddlers. It measures 31 inches wide, fitting through most standard doorways and meeting Disney size requirements. While not the most luxurious, it hits key points for parents needing a functional, light, and affordable double stroller for trips.
2. Jeep Destination Ultralight Side-by-Side Double ~ $228
Another strong contender in the lightweight category, the Jeep Destination weighs 28.66 lbs and offers features comparable to the Kolcraft Cloud Plus but with some differences. It supports up to 40 lbs per seat and features large SPF 50 canopies, peekaboo windows, and convenient swing-away child bars. Its compact, self-standing fold and carry strap are excellent for travel. Notably, it offers multi-position reclining seats and adjustable footrests, an improvement over the Kolcraft. However, it’s slightly heavier and more expensive than the Kolcraft and lacks included snack trays or parent cupholders. It doesn’t accept car seats, making it suitable for babies 6+ months. With 7-inch front and 10-inch back wheels featuring suspension, it provides a comfortable ride on smoother surfaces and navigates easily through standard doorways.
Jeep Destination Ultralight Side x Side Double Stroller in grey
3. Zoe Twin+ ~ $529 — Lightweight, Full-Featured and Expandable
The Zoe Twin+ is incredibly lightweight at just 19 lbs, easily meeting airline gate-check weight limits. It’s Disney-size approved and features an easy, compact fold. Its unique advantage is expandability – it can convert to a triple or even quad stroller with add-on seats (sold separately). For travel, it excels with a large storage basket, generous four-panel sun canopies providing excellent coverage, and included accessories like child cup holders, a parent cup holder, and a snack holder. Parents consistently praise its suitability for both travel and everyday use due to its lightness and practical features.
Consider This: Connect for Babyzen YOYO2
- Price of Babyzen YOYO2 frame + pack: $449
- Price of Babyzen YOYO Connect: $379
For existing Babyzen YOYO2 owners, the YOYO Connect offers a unique solution. It’s an additional frame/seat that attaches to the back of the YOYO2, transforming it into a double stroller. This system provides five different configurations for twins or siblings of different ages, accommodating children up to 48.5 lbs per seat (combined). The key appeal is its extreme compactness; the YOYO2 (and potentially the Connect when detached) is renowned for fitting in many airplane overhead bins. While requiring the purchase of two separate components, it offers unparalleled portability for air travel if minimizing checked items is crucial.
4. Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Double ~ $469 — Lightweight, Narrow and Sturdy Build
The double version of Baby Jogger’s popular travel stroller, the City Tour 2 Double, weighs only 23 lbs and measures a very narrow 26 inches wide. This makes it exceptionally easy to navigate tight spaces like airplane aisles or busy city streets. It features a one-handed fold (with practice) and auto-locks for easy handling. While it doesn’t accept infant car seats and has smaller wheels best suited for smooth terrain (airports, malls, paved paths), its lightweight, narrow profile, and sturdy build make it a fantastic choice for travel with two smaller children (up to 33 lbs per seat).
5. Valco Baby Slim Twin ~ $599 — Light & Narrow
True to its name, the Valco Baby Slim Twin is exceptionally narrow at 26 inches wide and lightweight at 24 lbs. It’s one of the slimmest and lightest doubles available, making it incredibly easy to maneuver through airports, tight doorways, and store in car trunks. While perhaps less feature-rich than other Valco models, its core strengths lie in its portability and ease of handling, making travel its primary domain. It offers a comfortable ride for children and hassle-free strolling for parents navigating vacation destinations.
6. Valco Baby Snap Duo Trend ~ $749 — Lightest, Luxe Travel Stroller
The Valco Baby Snap Duo Trend strikes an excellent balance between being lightweight (24 lbs) and offering premium features. Parents love its simple, compact fold, excellent maneuverability, and high-end touches like adjustable handlebars and luxe fabrics. For travel, particularly to warm climates, its extensive ventilation panels and huge individual sun canopies are major advantages. It provides a comfortable, protected ride for children while remaining easy for parents to handle, making it a top pick for those seeking a high-quality, lightweight double suitable for both travel and daily use.
Choosing the Best Travel Double Stroller For Flying depends heavily on your specific needs regarding weight, fold size, features, budget, and the ages of your children. Whether you prioritize the bare minimum weight of an umbrella stroller, the compact fold and features of a tri-fold, or the balanced approach of a lightweight regular double, there’s likely an option on this list that will make your family adventures significantly smoother. Happy travels!