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12 Best Umbrella Strollers for Travel in 2023

Umbrella strollers make excellent travel strollers. If you are a new parent, some of the terminology can get confusing. So what is an umbrella stroller and what makes it great for travel?

You’ll get all the answers plus find the best umbrella strollers for travel in this list. There are umbrella travel strollers for every budget and some are better than others for travel with infants.

The best umbrella strollers for travel

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What is an Umbrella Stroller?

An umbrella stroller is a stroller that has a unique fold that ends up resembling a large umbrella (think long and narrow). Typically an umbrella stroller will collapse down in the middle to bring the sides together.

What Makes an Umbrella Stroller Good for Travel?

Umbrella strollers are typically lightweight and their compact fold makes them easy to gate check for the airplane or thrown in the trunk of a car without taking up all the room (read more on flying with strollers).

These are just a couple of the many reasons lightweight umbrella strollers make some of the best travel strollers.

They often have a carry strap, making them easy to lug around while also holding a toddlers hand or carrying a baby.

A lightweight umbrella stroller is different than a pocket stroller which has a tri-fold, making it ultra compact and fits in the overhead bin on the airplane. Lightweight umbrella strollers and pocket strollers make the best strollers for airplane travel.

Best Umbrella Strollers for Travel

The best umbrella stroller for travel is one that is highly rated, lightweight and has some additional features. Some of the travel umbrella strollers in this list will even work as a travel stroller for newborns.

Gone are the days where buying an umbrella stroller means your only options are the cheap ones from Walmart. Now parents can still get a lightweight umbrella stroller under 14 pounds that has room for baby travel essentials and even reclines for naps.

Recommended Best Umbrella Travel Strollers:

1. Top Pick/Best Overall Umbrella Stroller:

Summer 3Dlite+ Convenience Umbrella Stroller

2. Most Lightweight Umbrella Stroller:

UPPABaby G-Lite Umbrella Stroller or Summer 3Dmini Umbrella Stroller (the Summer 3Dmini is also one of the most affordable on the list)

3. Best Umbrella Stroller for Infants:

Maclaren Techno XT

4. Best for Warm Climates:

UPPABaby G-Lite Umbrella Stroller

umbrella travel stroller on beach

We only include single umbrella travel strollers in this list. This is where you can find the best double umbrella stroller for travel.

Optional Umbrella Stroller Accessories

Unfortunately, many of the umbrella strollers for travel with a baby or toddler aren’t going to have all the features you want. However, there are plenty of great add on accessories for travel umbrella strollers that may fix some common issues:

Strollers for Travel
  1. Sunshade for Travel Strollers
    Many of the affordable umbrella strollers above don’t have the greatest sunshade, but that’s an easy fix with a stroller sunshade like this SnoozeShade Plus.

    We also recommend a CoziGo stroller cover, which can be used for both flying with a baby and for strollers.

    To Purchase the CoziGo, click here. If you purchase the SnoozeShade direct, use code BABYCANTRAVEL10 for a discount.

    You can also buy the SnoozeShade on Amazon.

  2. Backpack Diaper Bag
    You won’t need to worry about how much storage your stroller has with this highly rated and popular backpack diaper bag. You can see all our recommended backpack diaper bags, but the Ruvalino is a very highly rated, multi-function backpack diaper bag at a great price!

  3. Cup Holders for Travel Strollers
    Universal cup holders are a great add-on for any travel stroller. For parents, get one with a phone pocket.

  4. Universal Organizers for Travel Strollers
    As traveling parents we always have plenty to carry so a universal stroller organizer is a great purchase! Keep everything organized using a universal organizer like this one or this one.

  5. Stroller Hooks
    If a backpack diaper bag isn’t your style, stroller hooks will help attach your diaper bag to the stroller.

  6. Gate Check Bag
    Protect your stroller when you flying with a stroller gate check bag like this one for umbrella strollers.

  7. Universal Rain Cover
    One stroller accessory we ALWAYS recommend is a rain cover. It’s not only for rain but will help keep your little one warm in wind and cold weather.

Travel Umbrella Strollers FAQ

Does an umbrella stroller count as a carry on?

An umbrella stroller does not count as carry on. Parents can travel with a stroller as checked baggage or gate check it free of charge.

Do umbrella strollers recline?

Yes, there are several umbrella strollers that recline.

When can I start using an umbrella stroller?

While many umbrella strollers are better suited to babies who can sit up unassisted (around 6 months old), there are umbrella strollers that recline to a near-flat position allowing them to be used with an infant.

What is the weight limit for an umbrella stroller?

It’s very common to find an umbrella stroller that has a weight limit in the range of 40 to 55 pounds

Looking for something else? Check out these best stroller lists:

Best Travel Strollers Under $100

Best Toddler Travel Strollers

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the best travel umbrella strollers

This post was written & edited by:

Celine is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's been helping new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade.

Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.