I've Traveled the World with a 16-Month-Old & Here's My Honest Review of the Bugaboo Butterfly Travel Stroller

I was drawn to this model because it is one of the lighter travel strollers on the market, coming in at only 16.0lb, but the real winning feature is the fact that it fits in most overhead compartments on the plane, and I can easily tote it up stairs, through subway tunnels, and around the airport.

While marketed as a travel stroller, the Butterfly has turned into our daily stroller as well, its small footprint means it doesn’t take up the entire trunk, and it’s easy to fold when we roll up to our favorite brunch spot.

We’ve gate checked many strollers on our travels, and waiting for them at the jetbridge can feel like an eternity, especially after a long flight; and while most of the time it’s fine, we have had our stroller lost and damaged, an unwelcome piece of news after wrestling a squirmy toddler for an entire flight. Having a stroller that I can control, where I don’t have to relinquish my piece of equipment to someone handling baggage gives me piece of mind, and I can get on and off the plane with ease—and it fits perfectly in most overhead compartments without having to wrestle the overhead bin door shut.

My son seemed comfortable in the roomy seat, and the five-point harness made getting him in and out relatively quick. The recline was adequate for him to take a decent nap in, especially with the large sunshade, which was ideal for our sunny adventures. While not fully reclined, he seemed more than comfortable.

The Bugaboo Butterfly has some shock absorption, while not as smooth on cobblestone or uneven  roads as our typical stroller, it didn’t seem to bother our little guy when awake. Luckily, it was light enough to maneuver to smoother terrain or in large crowds, or we could easily carry it past particularly bumpy roads. If I could change one thing, it would be slightly larger wheels to handle different terrains a little more smoothly, but with larger wheels comes more weight, so I’m not sure if it would be worth the trade-off. 

What I Would Change

My only complaints were that when opening the stroller, I didn’t always know if it was locked in—perhaps between a screaming kid and background noise, I didn’t hear a click, but a couple of times I went to put my son in, and it started to fold on its own the fold took just a few seconds, but I can chalk that up to user error and my own lack of coordination. The under-the-seat basket is a little on the small side and didn’t fit our diaper bag, but for the size and weight of this stroller, a small basket was better than no basket. 

Overall the Butterfly is a great pick for travel or day-to-day stroller needs, it seems sturdy and well made with a lightweight frame that makes it easy to bring wherever life takes you. 

Fast Facts

• Dimensions: 17.7” x 9.1” x 21.3” (folded); 36.4” x 17.7” x 40.3” (unfolded)
• Age Range: 6 months to 4 years (max 50 lbs)
• Passed One-Handed Fold Test? Yes