Joolz Aer Review: Is This the Best Travel Stroller?

We have been using our Joolz Aer travel stroller since Baby C was born and over 16 months later, it is my favourite piece of baby gear that we own!

I’m not one to write a review post lightly, so I want you to know that I have done my due diligence. Before Baby C was born, I researched dozens of travel strollers, watched review videos, went to the store to test them out, and put together a spreadsheet to compare my findings.

We’ve now thoroughly tested our travel stroller. Unlike some other travel stroller reviews I’ve seen online, we do not just use our Joolz Aer for travel. So you’re not getting a review from one week-long vacation.

This is our only stroller – for both home and travel. We use it multiple times per day at home in Vancouver and used it constantly on our nine month trip through Toronto, France, Spain and the UK. So we’ve really tested it!

Our Joolz Aer stroller has been with us on newborn walks, off and on buses and subway cars, onto planes, trains and boats, across sidewalks and cobblestones, and folded up into the overhead compartment on a plane, the trunk of a car or under a table at dinner.

So after all of that research and over a year of daily firsthand experience, I’m finally ready to share my thorough review and travel stroller breakdown with you.

Note: This post is NOT sponsored. Joolz did not send me a stroller and they don’t know I’m writing this review. All of the opinions here are my own and completely unbiased.

We did receive our Joolz Aer stroller as a gift from family members at our baby shower but they are not affiliated with Joolz whatsoever. And they also don’t know I’m writing this review!

Below I’ll break down what we love (and don’t love) about our Joolz Aer travel stroller, how we decided on the Joolz Aer, and how this stroller compares to other popular travel buggies.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Why we chose the Joolz Aer travel stroller

When we first started researching strollers, I didn’t even know about the Joolz Aer. In fact, I had my heart set on a different travel stroller (more on that later).

But after researching online and testing strollers in store, Joolz was the clear winner. Here’s what I love about our Joolz Aer travel stroller:

It’s lightweight

This was one of the biggest factors for me. I knew I wanted our stroller to be as lightweight as possible. I wasn’t going to be hauling a giant stroller through the Paris metro!

There have been many times on our travels when we’ve had to fold up and carry our stroller – or even carry it up or down stairs while Baby C is still in it! So having a light stroller makes that as easy as possible.

The Joolz Aer stroller is one of the lighter travel strollers on the market at 14.3 lbs (Joolz Aer 2), while still being sturdy and durable.

The only strollers that are significantly lighter are much flimsier (like an umbrella stroller) or get bad reviews for comfort and durability.

Note: The Joolz Aer+, the model we have, is listed online as both 14.1 lbs and 13.2 lbs. Unfortunately we don’t have a scale at home, so I can’t check ours. But if you’re going for the newer model, Aer 2, it’s listed as 14.3 lbs everywhere online.

The easy one-hand fold

I wasn’t sure if being able to collapse our stroller down with only one hand was a big deal or not, but after trying out stroller in-store, I realized that it was very helpful.

And after boarding a plane with a crying baby, diaper bag and dog in her carrier in one arm, I now know it’s crucial to be able to fold up your stroller with just one hand!

It took us a few tries to figure out the opening/closing mechanism of the Joolz Aer. Luckily, when we went into the store, a salesperson was able to show us how. We’ve since taught our parents and they have no issues doing it when they take Baby C out!

It fits in the overhead compartment of the plane!

This was another important component of a travel stroller for me. I didn’t even consider strollers that were not approved to fit in the overhead compartment of a plane.

Note that not all airlines allow you to bring strollers on board (looking at you, RyanAir and EasyJet) and that every airline has their own rules and specifications.

But we have brought our Joolz Aer onto five flights with three different airlines and all of them have allowed us to board with it without any issues. Air Canada did ask us to put it into the baggage sizer first, but it fit!

A lot of families with larger strollers will point out that you can simply gate-check your stroller if it doesn’t fit in the overhead bin. Meaning, you can use your stroller in the airport, roll it right up to the plane, and then hand it off to a baggage handler to stow.

In theory, this is a great idea. The issue is that gate-checking doesn’t always work out. I’ve heard stories and seen firsthand strollers get damaged or lost.

I’ve also seen many families not receive their strollers back at the plane door when they land. Meaning they now have to trek through the airport to pick up their stroller at baggage claim while carrying their child and carry-on bags.

We wanted to avoid all of that, so went for something we knew we could fly in-cabin with. That way, we could guarantee our stroller would be safe and available right away when we landed.

The canopy comes down low

This was another feature I hadn’t put much thought into until I started watching stroller review videos (which is a huge blackhole I spent many hours diving down). But turns out, the canopy is kind of a big deal.

Having a canopy that comes down low is crucial if you’re out sightseeing and your baby wants to take a nap. It’s also helped us shade our baby from sun and rain.

The Joolz Aer canopy has zippers and a mesh section for airflow/peeking in at your little one.

The seat is large, comfy and fully reclines

Seeing the stroller in store and now having used it for the last 16+ months, I’m really sold on the importance of the seat. Especially compared to another popular travel stroller brand, the Joolz Aer seat is significantly taller, wider and more comfortable.

This not only makes for a comfier ride for your baby, it also gives your stroller more longevity. If the seat is wider and taller, your baby can use it longer because they won’t outgrow it.

Another huge plus for the Joolz Aer is that the seat fully reclines. The Joolz Aer 2 model is actually suitable for use from birth in the fully reclined position.

This is a huge game changer! It was important to me that since our Joolz Aer was going to be our one and only stroller, we needed to be able to use it with our newborn.

We actually were gifted the Joolz Aer+ Cot from family members, which we used in our newborn days, but being able to use the Aer 2 without a cot is so helpful.

That makes the entire stroller system more travel friendly (no extra cot attachment to deal with) and cheaper!

Sold on the Joolz Aer? Purchase your travel stroller here!

The Joolz Aer accessories work for our family

We have purchased a few Joolz Aer accessories that we use all the time with our stroller. We have:

1. Joolz Aer bumper bar: This makes the ride more secure because if the stroller tips, the bumper bar hits the ground before your baby does.

We actually had an incident where I thought I had parked the stroller on the curb but one wheel was hanging off and it did tip over. But thanks to the bumper bar, Baby C didn’t have a scratch!

The bumper bar is also handy for attaching toys or snacks.

2. Joolz Aer rain cover: We live in Vancouver, an infamously rainy city, so having the rain cover is crucial. It’s very easy to attach to the stroller and folds back up into itself when you’re not using it.

3. Joolz Aer car seat adapters: We purchased the adapters to attach our Clek Liingo car seat to our stroller before Baby C grew out of that car seat!

Our stroller came with a carrying bag, which we use when we put it into the overhead bin on the plane just to keep it clean.

We don’t have the leg rest attachment (which is now part of the stroller in the Aer 2 model) as Baby C doesn’t mind having her legs dangle. And we had a cup holder for the first few months but never used it, so took it off.

Who is the Joolz Aer buggy for?

Obviously, I think the Joolz Aer stroller is great for travel. The fact that it’s so compact, lightweight, easy to collapse and able to fit in the overhead bin of a plane makes it the perfect piece of baby travel gear.

We travelled with our Joolz Aer through Toronto, France, Spain and the UK and it’s been amazing!

But I also think the Joolz Aer is a great everyday stroller. As I mentioned, the Joolz Aer is our only stroller and we’ve used it since Baby C was born. We use it multiple times per day at home in Vancouver.

It’s perfect if you’re looking for something that’s easy to manoeuvre, collapse and carry when needed. It’s not bulky and yet is still very comfortable for your kiddo.

I think the Joolz Aer is a great stroller if you live in a city, where being able to collapse a stroller or squeeze into narrow spaces is helpful. And where you’re mostly dealing with paved and well-maintained roads.

If you need to handle rough terrain, I don’t think the Joolz Aer is your best bet. While the suspension and steering are good, they’re not what you’re looking for to do a trail hike in the forest.

I also wouldn’t recommend the Joolz Aer if you like to use your stroller basket as your grocery cart, diaper bag, wardrobe and storage space.

While the Aer 2 basket does hold more than the Aer+ basket, it’s still a smaller basket compared to non-travel strollers.

A few things we don’t like about our Joolz Aer+

While I obviously love our Joolz Aer and highly recommend it, there are a few negatives. Luckily, a lot of the things I don’t like about the Aer+ model are actually fixed on the Aer 2!

I didn’t like that we had to buy the Aer+ Cot in order to make our stroller safe to use with a newborn, and that is was quite bulky and heavy to fold down with the cot attached. Luckily, the new Aer 2 version is newborn-compatible without a cot!

I’m 5’9″ and at times, I find the handlebars on the Joolz Aer+ to be just barely tall enough for me. If I could extend them, I would, but unfortunately they’re at a fixed height.

Other Joolz strollers, like the Joolz Hub, have adjustable handlebars but the Aer models don’t. I suspect adjustable handles would add too much weight/bulk to a travel stroller, so I understand not including them.

As I mentioned above, the Joolz Aer isn’t built for super tough terrain. This hasn’t been a problem for us during our travels or daily life in the city.

But every now and then when we go through a field or onto the beach, I wish the wheels were a little more robust (though I know that would mean a bigger/heavier/less compact stroller).

We did have one minor incident where one of the straps on our Joolz Aer+ seatbelt wasn’t locking into place. We reached out to Joolz and after submitting proof of purchase and a video of the issue, they agreed to send a replacement piece free of charge.

The only problem was that it took months to actually get that replacement – partially because the piece we needed was on back order and partially because my husband did not respond to emails in a timely fashion.

But even then, it still took much longer than it should have to get responses from Joolz and for the piece to get mailed to us.

What’s different about the Joolz Aer 2?

We have the Joolz Aer+, which was the newest model available when we got our stroller (purchased in Nov 2024, started using in Jan 2025). But since then, the Joolz Aer 2 has been released and seems to improve on the Aer+ model.

Here’s the breakdown of what’s different about the Joolz Aer 2:

• The Aer 2 fully reclines and is therefore safe to use from birth. To me this is the biggest pro as it means you can use it from day one and don’t have to buy an expensive and bulky cot attachment. There are, however, still a cot and nest attachment for the Aer 2 if you prefer other options for your newborn.
• The basket on the Aer 2 is larger and has a heavier max weight capacity. The Aer 2 basket can hold up to 17.6 lbs while the Aer+ can only hold 11 lbs. This would be very helpful for grocery shopping!
• The leg rest is built in. No need to buy a separate leg rest because it’s now integrated into the Aer 2 stroller.
• The fold is even better. Both the Aer+ and Aer 2 can be collapsed down in just one second using only one hand, but the Aer 2 folds into a self-standing position, so you don’t have to adjust it.
• The wheels are bigger, offering a sturdier ride. For the Aer 2, the front wheels are larger and match the size of the back wheels, offering even better suspension and steering.
• Unfortunately, the Joolz Aer 2 is heavier than the Aer+, but not by much. It weighs in at 14.3 lbs, compared to the Aer+ which is either 14.1 or 13.2 depending on which source you read.

Like the Aer+, the Aer 2 is still carry-on compatible to go in the overhead bin of an airplane. The Aer+ dimensions are 21 x 17.7 x 8.5 inches and the Aer 2 dimensions are 20.9 x 17.3 x 9.2 inches.

The Aer 2 still has a large canopy with SPF 50 sun hood, and you can still fold, steer and adjust the straps with just one hand. Both the Aer+ and Aer 2 are made from recyclable materials and have a 10-year transferable warranty.

The only downside I see to the Joolz Aer 2 vs the Joolz Aer+ is that the Aer 2 is heavier. But that’s because the basket is bigger, wheels are bigger and there’s a built-in foot rest – all of which I think are worth the 1 lb difference!

All to say, I think the Joolz Aer 2 is definitely the superior model and if I was shopping for a travel stroller today, I would go for the Aer 2!

Click here to shop the Joolz Aer 2 travel stroller!

Joolz Aer vs Yoyo

Perhaps the most popular travel stroller on the market is the Yoyo (previously BabyZen Yoyo but now it’s the Stokke Yoyo). In fact, this was the travel stroller I originally wanted to get.

That is, until I tried it out in store. I was actually disappointed with the Yoyo and found that the Joolz was superior in every way that mattered to us.

To start, the Stokke Yoyo 3 can only be used from six months. Before that, you need to use the newborn attachment. This is unlike the Joolz Aer 2, which can be used from birth without an attachment.

That means that the Yoyo doesn’t fully recline (which is why it’s not safe for newborns). This also means less of a recline for older kids’ naps, which sucks.

While in store, we practiced pushing and folding the Yoyo. This is when I learned that the Yoyo does not have a one-hand fold. You need two hands to fold it – which I know doesn’t sound inconvenient but it really is when your hands are full with a baby, bags and boarding passes.

The fold was also quite finicky. The employee showed us how sometimes the wheels get stuck when you’re folding it – which actually happened to us a few times as we were trying it out.

Overall, the Yoyo didn’t feel as sturdy as the Joolz Aer. The joints felt a bit shaky and the ride wasn’t as smooth. I know it is a durable stroller, but it just didn’t feel as good as the Joolz.

Importantly, the seat on the Yoyo was not as comfortable. It wasn’t as wide or tall as the Joolz Aer seat, meaning a child would grow out of it sooner. The canopy didn’t come down as low as the Joolz’s did either.

Like the Joolz Aer, the Yoyo doesn’t come with any accessories – you have to buy everything on the side. However, the Aer 2 now has the leg rest built in, whereas with the Yoyo you still have to buy it, so that’s one less accessory to buy with the Joolz Aer.

There are a few pluses of the Yoyo 3 over the Aer 2: it’s lighter (13.7 lbs vs the Aer 2’s 14.3 lbs) and the basket can carry more weight (22 lbs vs the Aer’s 17.6 lbs). But to me, those pluses don’t make up for the Yoyo’s shortfalls.

Joolz Aer vs Bugaboo Butterfly

There were a few reasons why we didn’t go with the Bugaboo Butterfly as our travel stroller, despite it being another popular option for travelling families.

The Bugaboo Butterfly is heavier than the Joolz Aer+ and Aer 2, weighing in at 16 lbs. That was already a big deterrent for me, as I wanted our stroller to be as light as possible.

The original Bugaboo Butterfly we were considering at the time is not newborn-safe and can only be used from six months. However the newer Bugaboo Butterfly 2 says it can be used from birth, but the recline doesn’t look that lay flat to me.

Just like the Joolz Aer, the Butterfly has an easy one-hand fold, low canopy, 17.6 lb basket capacity and is carry-on compatible. They both also have comfortable and wide seats.

So since the Butterfly and Aer have those similarities, I’d go with the Joolz Aer since it’s lighter and has the deeper recline for newborns and naps.

Joolz Aer vs ErgoBaby Metro

Another very popular travel stroller is the ErgoBaby Metro. We were looking at the ErgoBaby Metro+ at the time but they now have the ErgoBaby Metro 3.

Like the Bugaboo Butterfly, my main issue with the ErgoBaby Metro was the weight. It’s even heavier than the Butterfly, with the Metro 3 weighing 17.1 lbs. As a reminder, the Joolz Aer 2 weighs 14.3 lbs, so the Metro is almost three pounds heavier!

I also didn’t like that the Metro+ only had a 5 lb basket capacity – but that has been upgraded on the Metro 3. The Metro 3 basket capacity is 22 lbs, so much more impressive!

Like the Joolz Aer 2, the ErgoBaby Metro 3 can be used from birth and even has a “newborn nest mode” which looks very cozy. And like the Joolz, it has a one-handed fold (an upgrade from the Metro+) and a built-in leg rest.

One of the things I disliked about the Metro+ was that the canopy was very small. While the canopy has been lengthened on the Metro 3, it’s still not as long as the Joolz Aer.

I watched a review video of the ErgoBaby Metro+ which pointed out that the fold didn’t always work, the stroller was sometimes too large to be carry-on compatible, the ride was rigid, the wheels were small and noisy, and the brakes were bad.

I’m sure some of these issues have been addressed with the Metro 3 – for one, I see the wheels are bigger – but it still was enough to put me off the ErgoBaby Metro.

So while I like the ErgoBaby Metro’s 22 lb basket capacity, newborn nest and adjustable handlebars, the fact that it’s so heavy and isn’t well reviewed are big losses for me.

Wrapping up: Is Joolz Aer the best travel stroller?

After using the Joolz Aer travel buggy for over 16 months, multiple times per day, both at home and abroad, I am so happy with our choice. I can confidently say it is the best travel stroller!

Compared to other popular travel strollers, like the Yoyo, Butterfly and Metro, I find the Joolz to be a better size, more durable and more comfortable. Any small issues I have with our Aer+ model have been fixed and upgraded in the Aer 2.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I don’t take travel reviews lightly. I did so much research before selecting our stroller – reading many reviews just like this one – so wanted to make sure our stroller was thoroughly tested before I wrote this post.

I really do stand behind this stroller. It’s been the perfect fit for our family, whether we’re going to the playground, the park or Paris! We’ve put our Joolz Aer through the wringer and she’s still standing pretty.

I would highly recommend the Joolz Aer travel stroller to any travelling family or anyone looking for a lightweight, sturdy stroller for everyday city life.

Click the link below to order yours and check out my baby travel packing list to see what other baby travel gear I recommend.

Buy the Joolz Aer stroller for your next family trip!