Modern lifestyles mean families are constantly on the move. Whether it’s running older siblings to school, getting the daily errands done, or flying to see grandma and grandpa, travelling with babies and toddlers can be challenging to say the least.
That’s why many families find it worthwhile to invest in a lightweight pushchair that can easily be folded up and stored in the boot of the car or the overhead bin of an aeroplane. Here at LittleBe, we strive to take the guesswork out of important purchases for you family. As a result, we have put together our top 3 lightweight strollers for 2024 based on weight, comfort, safety, ease-of-use, and IATA compatibility:
- Best Compact Size - Bugaboo Butterfly Pushchair
- Best Car Compatibility - Maxi-Cosi Lara²
- Best Auto-Fold - Baby Elegance Whirl Pushchair
Read on to find out all about our top picks and hear from real customers who have trusted them with their own newborns.
1. Best Compact Size - Bugaboo Butterfly Pushchair
Basics
Price: €439
Age Appropriate: 6 months - approx. 4 years old (up to 22 kg/48.5 lbs)
IATA Compatible: Yes
Stroller Weight: 7.3 kg/16 lbs
Unfolded dimensions: 92.5 x 45 x 102.4 cm/36.42 x 17.72 x 40.31 in
Folded dimensions: 45 x 23 x 54 cm/17.72 x 9.06 x 21.26 in
The Bugaboo Butterfly is the 1 second fold city stroller for travels near and far. With its first-class comfort, easy air unfold, and compact design, you and your growing baby will enjoy total freedom for everyday adventures and beyond.
Special Features
- 1 second fold without adjusting anything & easy air unfold lets gravity do the rest
- Smart white indicators to show when unfold is done safely and ready to stroll
- Ultra compact fold (IATA compatible) to store in luggage overhead compartments, car trunks or corridors
- Four panel sun canopy with extendable breezy panel to keep your baby cool and protected
- Almost fully flat one hand recline, from 30° to 143° and anything in between
- Comfortable seat inlay and large backrest
- Advanced 4-wheel suspension with an extremely manoeuvrable design ensures one hand push & smooth strolls
- Extra large underseat basket carries all you need for your city adventures (up to 8 kg/17.64 lbs)
- Built-in shoulder strap for easy carriability once folded
- Fits most Bugaboo and Maxi-Cosi baby car seats - simply latch your baby car seat onto the adapters (sold separately)
Customer Review
Apple17
☆☆☆☆☆
Great Quality
I decided to try the Bugaboo Butterfly because of its travel capabilities. The stroller folds and unfolds easily, it fits in compact spaces, like on a crowded train, and the quality holds up. I am very happy with my purchase and I am confident it will last for this child and other future children as well.
Tanesha
☆☆☆☆☆
Must Have !!
Great stroller for my toddler. Easy to open and close with one hand. Takes up little space in the trunk. Lightweight and easy to carry on your shoulder with the strap.
Sacha
☆☆☆☆☆
Great Pram!
I bought this last month for my 2 year old son, was initially worried as he is very big for his age and size of a 4 year old. But lots of space & very comfy. Pram is very easy to push around and fold down/back up again. Very happy with this purchase.
2. Best Car Compatibility - Maxi-Cosi Lara²
Basics
Price: €199
Age Appropriate: 0-4 years (0-22 kg/48 lbs)
IATA Compatible: Yes
Stroller Weight: 6.4 kg/14 lbs
Unfolded dimensions: 70 x 50 x 104 cm/27.56 x 19.69 x 40.94 in
Folded dimensions: 50 x 51 x 26 cm/19.69 x 20.08 x 10.24 in
With the lightweight Maxi Cosi Lara², getting out and about as a new family can happen from day one! Thanks to its car seat compatibility and easy folding, there is no reason to wait before exploring your new world. Lara² is super lightweight and has a unique one-hand flash folding feature: one press of the push bar and the pushchair will fold automatically. Ready to travel from birth up to 4 years, there is no place you can't go with this pushchair for baby and toddler. Due to its very compact size, you can store it in the smallest places, which is perfect for urban families or travellers!
Special Features
- Fits most Maxi-Cosi baby car seats - simply latch your baby car seat onto the adapters (sold separately)
- Ultra-compact and lightweight
- Padded and stylish seat made with breathable fabric
- Extendable sun canopy (UPF 50+) with see-through ventilation window
- Two shopping baskets (2kg capacity) provide maximum storage and easy access to belongings
- One hand folding - one press of the push bar and the pushchair will fold automatically
- Easily carried with the integrated shoulder strap
- Adjustable leg rest and three recline positions, including lie-flat
Customer Review
RGS
☆☆☆☆☆
Compact, lightweight and comfortable for our baby
We find this a very practical travel buggy. It's lightweight making it easier to carry on our shoulders when needed and comfortable enough for our baby to take a few long naps in it. We've been using Maxi Cosi since he was born and couldn't be happier with our choices.
Chi
☆☆☆☆☆
Worth the purchase
Very easy to manoeuvre and the extra storage is a lifesaver as I’m able to put my personal belongings safely. The hood can also be extended which is very good especially if the baby is sleeping. It is light and compact when folded so it won't take much space during storage.
Cbow23
☆☆☆☆☆
Brilliant
Lightweight & compact yet still feels sturdy. Really easy to collapse and little one loved it for their first holiday at 4 months old. 100% would recommend.
3. Best Auto-Fold - Baby Elegance Whirl Pushchair
Basics
Price: €199
Age Appropriate: 0-4 years (0-22 kg/48 lbs)
IATA Compatible: Yes
Stroller Weight: 8.5kg/18.7 lbs
Unfolded dimensions: 100 x 89 x 47 cm/39.37 x 35.04 x 18.5 in
Folded dimensions: 54 x 47 x 28 cm/21.26 x 18.50 x 11.02 in
The Whirl pushchair makes getting out and about with your little one easier than ever before. With a large seat with 5 point harness and multi-position backrest. Whirl is suitable for newborns right up to 4 years of age. Its ultra lightweight frame and carry handle makes it super easy to transport. And, when it comes to storing away, Whirl folds down to an incredibly small size and tucks away neatly at the click of a button. The Auto Fold system allows you to fold the pushchair with the click of a button.
Want to connect a car seat? Not a problem, the Whirl comes complete with universal car seat adaptors allowing you to connect car seats from Maxi Cosi and many more brands.
Special Features
- Auto-fold system allows you to fold the pushchair with the click of a button.
- Comes with universal car seat adapters - allows you to connect to car seats from Maxi Cosi and many more brands
- 5-point harness and multi-position backrest
- Ultra lightweight frame and carry handle
**Not suitable for Cybex cloud z2
Customer Review
Sarah O.
☆☆☆☆☆
Great pushchair, love that it comes with car seat adapters. Highly recommend!
Sandra K.
☆☆☆☆☆
Perfect for travelling and very reasonable price. Folds easily, storage underneath. I'd recommend this travel stroller.
Best Lightweight Buggy for Travel
As you can see, there is no one right answer for the best lightweight pushchair for travel. The ideal holiday stroller for you and your child depends on several factors, including your child's age, your travel requirements, and your budget. However, you can feel confident that all the strollers listed here will serve you well in terms of quality and safety. Regardless of which one you choose, we hope we've helped reduce the uncertainty in making this important decision for you and your family!
If you would like to sign up for timeline-appropriate emails about pregnancy, newborns, and toddlers, make sure to submit your email address below. We would love to support you on your journey into parenthood as we have done with thousands of families over the last several decades.
