Travel stroller comparison: YOYO² vs Aer+ vs Nano vs Pockit
All four fit overhead. The differences come down to recline, durability, and how often you actually fly.
Strollers · Comparison
TL;DR
For frequent travel, the Babyzen YOYO² ($500) is the best all-rounder. The Joolz Aer+ ($649) wins on design and recline if your kid actually sleeps in the stroller. The Mountain Buggy Nano V3 ($330) is the budget pick that still fits overhead. The GB Pockit+ ($330) is the smallest folded but won't recline. Your call mostly comes down to whether your child naps in it and whether you fly enough to justify the price gap.
"Travel stroller" wasn't a category ten years ago. Now it's competitive. All four strollers below fit in airline overhead bins. They differ in fold mechanics, fabric quality, recline depth, and price by surprising amounts.
The four strollers, side-by-side
| YOYO² | Aer+ | Nano V3 | Pockit+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | $649 | $330 | $330 |
| Folded size (L×W×H) | 20×17×7" | 17.7×12.4×8.7" | 20×11×22" | 14×7×12" |
| Weight | 13.6 lbs | 13.5 lbs | 14 lbs | 12 lbs |
| Fits overhead bin | Yes | Yes | Most | Always |
| One-hand fold | Yes | Yes (5 sec) | Two-hand | Two-hand |
| Reclines | Yes (3 positions) | Yes (near-flat) | Yes (limited) | No |
| Newborn use | With 0+ kit ($200) | With cot accessory | With insert | No (6+ months) |
| Storage basket | Yes (small) | Yes (mid) | Yes (small) | Yes (tiny) |
| Air-filled wheels | No | No | No | No |
None have air-filled wheels. That's the price you pay for compact size. All four are great on smooth airport floors and city sidewalks. None are great on rough terrain.
Babyzen YOYO² — the standard
$500. The market leader for a reason.
The fold is genuinely magic. One hand, one motion. Folded dimensions fit IATA carry-on standards, which makes the YOYO the only travel stroller officially allowed in the cabin on most airlines. The 6+ version handles babies from 6 months to 4 years. Add the bassinet kit (separate, $200) and it works from birth.
What it's missing: the basket is small (think changing pad and a diaper, not a grocery run). Recline is less generous than the Aer+. The wheels rattle loudly on cobblestone.
Best for frequent flyers (4+ trips a year), apartment dwellers in dense cities, and parents who want one stroller for travel and daily use through age 4.
Joolz Aer+ — the design pick
$649. The premium upgrade.
The fold is even faster, five seconds, one hand. The recline goes nearly flat, which actually matters if your kid will sleep in it for hours on a travel day. Fabrics are noticeably nicer (recycled materials, cotton blend). The basket is bigger.
What it's missing: less common than the YOYO, so the accessory ecosystem is smaller. Fractionally heavier on the spec sheet, but you can't feel the difference.
Best for parents who travel often and need their child to nap during long days. Buyers who care about how a stroller photographs (it's the prettiest of the four). People with the budget for premium.
Mountain Buggy Nano V3 — the value
$330. The budget pick that still fits overhead.
$170 less than the YOYO² for genuinely compact size. Recline is decent, not as flat as the Aer+. Build quality is solid. Mountain Buggy makes serious off-road strollers, and this small one inherits some of that engineering.
What it's missing: a two-hand fold, which is a real downside compared to the YOYO and Aer+. Slightly larger folded than the YOYO, so it fits most overhead bins but not regional jets. Less premium fabrics.
Best for occasional travelers (1 to 3 trips a year), budget-conscious shoppers, and parents who can spare a hand to fold.
GB Pockit+ — the smallest fold
$330. The Guinness record-holder for smallest folded stroller.
Folds to literal backpack size. Fits in tiny taxi trunks and small overhead bins. 12 lbs.
What it's missing: any recline at all. Which means it only works for kids 6+ months who sit fully upright comfortably. It will not help on a long travel day when your kid needs to sleep. The seat is narrow. The basket is tiny.
Best for older toddlers (1.5+) who don't nap in the stroller. The last-stage travel stroller before kids walk full-time. Storage emergencies.
Which one should you buy?
Get the YOYO² if you travel monthly+, you want one stroller for both daily city use and travel, and you have a 6+ month old (or you're willing to add the 0+ kit).
Get the Aer+ if you travel often, your child still naps in the stroller, you care about premium fabric and design, and you have the budget for the upgrade.
Get the Nano V3 if you travel a few times a year, you want overhead-bin size on a budget, and you don't mind a two-hand fold.
Get the Pockit+ if your child is 1.5+ and walks most of the time, you only need a stroller for "ugh, they're tired" moments, and you want the smallest possible folded size.
What about the other travel strollers?
- Cybex Libelle ($300). Basically the YOYO at a discount. Smaller storage. Newer model, less established. Worth considering if the YOYO is out of stock.
- UPPAbaby Minu V2 ($430). Folds bigger than the YOYO and won't fit overhead. Skip it if you fly often.
- Bugaboo Butterfly ($450). Premium build, fits overhead. New entrant; the YOYO has more accessories around it.
The flying-with-stroller protocol
- Gate-check any stroller that doesn't fit overhead. It's free on Delta, United, American, and Southwest.
- Take it through TSA. Strollers go through the X-ray separately.
- Use a $30 travel bag. Gate-checked bags get tossed; the bag prevents fabric tears.
- Roll it through the airport. Easier than carrying baby through long terminals.
- YOYO/Aer+ overhead is only guaranteed if you have an overhead reservation. On packed flights, expect to gate-check anyway.
For most parents flying one to four times a year, gate-checking a regular stroller is fine. The compact travel stroller market is for people flying monthly, or for city dwellers where the same stroller does both jobs.