This page contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not affect our verdicts. Full disclosure policy →
First published: August 2026 · Last reviewed: August 2026 · Next scheduled review: February 2027 · Specs verified against stokke.com and mamasandpapas.com August 2026
The decision in one sentence
If you rely on buses and trains or fly regularly, the YOYO³’s 6.2kg weight and standout manoeuvrability justify its premium. If you mainly use smooth pavements and want a compact from birth, the £189 Airo gives you an easier fold, bigger basket and exceptional value.
Quick answer: The YOYO³ is our strongest recommendation for parents who rely heavily on public transport — a verdict reinforced by K’s long-term daily use on Leeds buses and trains. The Airo is the pushchair we recommend most often to parents on a budget — at £189 it’s exceptional value. The £211 gap between them is the honest question: does the YOYO³’s superiority in weight, manoeuvrability and resale justify it for your life?
At a glance
Also compare
Why trust this comparison?
YOYO³: K’s primary pushchair for daily public transport use over an extended period — Leeds buses, Northern Rail trains including the platform gap at Crossflatts station, supermarkets, city centre. Long-term real-world use is the best kind of test there is.
Airo: Tested hands-on at a local stockist by Mark and Janette. Fold, push quality, seat fabrics and build assessed directly. Janette noted the fold as “exceptionally smooth at this price.”
Evidence basis: Long-term YOYO³ daily use. Hands-on Airo assessment. Specs verified against stokke.com and mamasandpapas.com August 2026.
Conflict of interest: This page contains affiliate links. This does not affect our verdicts.
This is one of the most common budget questions we get asked. Both the Stokke YOYO³ and the Mamas & Papas Airo are compact, urban pushchairs. Both are cabin-compatible. Both are suitable from birth. The question parents are really asking is: can I justify £211 more for a YOYO³ when the Airo does most of the same things for £189? The honest answer depends entirely on how you actually use your pushchair.
How do they compare on specs?
← Swipe to see full specs on mobile
| Stokke YOYO³ | Mamas & Papas Airo | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 9.5/10 ★ | 8.5/10 |
| Price | From £400 | From £189 ★ |
| Weight | 6.2kg ★ | 7.6kg |
| Cabin approved | 52×44×18cm — accepted by many airlines; check yours ★ | Compact travel fold — check airline limits before flying |
| Fold | Two-handed — takes practice | One-hand fold ★ |
| From birth | 6 months standalone; newborn pack sold separately | Yes — lie-flat included ★ |
| Manoeuvrability | Standout urban manoeuvrability ★ | Good for the price |
| Storage basket | Limited — always use a backpack | Large and genuinely usable ★ |
| Resale value | Strong — Stokke holds value ★ | Lower |
| Brand | Stokke — Norwegian premium | Mamas & Papas — UK heritage |
What does spending an extra £211 actually buy you?
Primarily, 1.4kg less weight, standout manoeuvrability confirmed through long-term daily use, and a smaller proven travel footprint. It doesn’t buy you an easier fold — the Airo wins that. It doesn’t buy you more storage — the Airo wins that too. And it doesn’t buy you from-birth use without extras — the Airo’s lie-flat is included. That’s why the extra £211 only makes sense if the YOYO³’s specific advantages solve problems you genuinely have. If buses, trains and airports are daily realities, they do. If they aren’t, the Airo is the more rational choice.
What feature actually matters most?
If you use public transport daily, weight matters more than price. K has used the YOYO³ on Leeds buses and Northern Rail trains for an extended period — and the specific detail that stands out is the platform gap at Crossflatts station. Getting a pushchair onto a Northern Rail train at a rural station, where the gap is wide and the step is high, is a genuine physical challenge with most pushchairs. The YOYO³’s 6.2kg makes it manageable solo. The Airo at 7.6kg is also manageable — but the 1.4kg difference is felt daily.
The YOYO³ folds to 52×44×18cm — one reason it has become such a popular flying pushchair. No pushchair should be described as universally cabin-approved: airline baggage rules vary, so always check your carrier before travelling. If your daily life is smooth pavements, supermarkets and occasional parks without heavy public transport use, the Airo covers everything you need for £211 less.
💡 What surprised me most
The Airo’s fold. Janette described it as “exceptionally smooth at this price” — one of the most intuitive one-hand folds she’d used in this price bracket. The YOYO³’s fold is two-handed and takes practice. In this specific comparison, the Airo actually wins on fold ease — which is unusual when comparing against a premium alternative. Know that before you decide.
The newborn question — lie-flat vs newborn pack
The Airo includes a lie-flat seat from birth — no additional purchase required. The YOYO³ is suitable from 6 months as a standalone pushchair; from birth requires the Stokke newborn pack, sold separately. For parents buying before the baby arrives and wanting to use the pushchair from day one, the Airo’s lie-flat from birth is a genuine practical advantage. When you factor in the newborn pack cost, the real price gap between the two pushchairs widens further for parents buying from birth.
The storage question — YOYO³ basket is the honest limitation
The YOYO³’s storage basket is limited — this is well documented and consistently noted in K’s long-term use. You will always need a backpack. The Airo has a large, genuinely usable basket — one of its genuine strengths at the price. If you regularly carry a changing bag, shopping, or children’s kit under the pushchair, the Airo is the more practical daily tool. The YOYO³ assumes a backpack as part of the daily routine.
The resale question — what the YOYO³ costs over time
The YOYO range has historically retained strong secondhand demand. The headline purchase-price difference doesn’t necessarily represent the eventual difference in cost of ownership. For parents who plan to sell on, this is worth factoring in — but we’d encourage checking current sold prices on the secondhand market rather than relying on any figure stated here.
Choose the Stokke YOYO³ if:
- You use public transport daily — buses, trains, barriers, steps
- You fly regularly and want compact folded dimensions accepted by many airlines
- Weight matters — 6.2kg vs 7.6kg is felt daily on public transport
- Disneyland Paris or a theme park resort is on the agenda
- Resale value matters — the YOYO³ holds its value significantly better
Choose the Mamas & Papas Airo if:
- Budget is the priority — £189 leaves money for other essentials
- You need a lie-flat seat from birth without buying extras
- A large, usable storage basket matters for your daily routine
- A one-hand fold is important — the Airo’s fold is genuinely excellent
- Your daily life is smooth pavements and light parks, not heavy public transport
💡 Mark’s honest summary
The YOYO³ is 9.5/10 on this site for a reason. K’s daily public transport verdict is unequivocal — for that specific life, nothing she’s used comes close. But the Airo is 8.5/10 for a reason too. At £189 with a lie-flat from birth, a one-hand fold Janette rated highly, cabin compatibility and a large basket — it covers everything most parents need. The YOYO³ earns its premium when the pushchair itself has to travel — onto buses, trains, through stations, around airports and into tight spaces. The Airo makes more sense when you simply want a light, compact everyday pushchair: its fold is easier, its basket is more useful, it works from birth without an extra pack, and it costs substantially less. Be honest about which version of daily life is yours before deciding.
How they compare with the wider market
| If this matters most… | Choose… |
|---|---|
| Best for daily public transport | Stokke YOYO³ — confirmed through K’s daily Leeds bus and train use |
| Best value compact under £300 | Mamas & Papas Airo — £189, lie-flat from birth, excellent fold |
| One-hand fold with premium build | Bugaboo Butterfly 2 — one-second fold, cabin size, £435 |
| Lightest possible weight | Cybex Libelle — 5.9kg |
| Compact with 10-year warranty | Joolz Aer2 |
| Premium compact vs city Bugaboo | Dragonfly vs YOYO³ comparison |
Frequently asked questions
If you use public transport daily or fly regularly — yes. The YOYO³’s weight advantage, manoeuvrability and resale value justify the premium for that specific life. If your daily life is mostly smooth pavements and light parks, the Airo covers everything you need for £189.
For city and park use, the Airo covers most of what the YOYO³ does. The YOYO³ is meaningfully better for heavy public transport use, flying, and Disneyland Paris-style resort trips. For everyday family life that doesn’t involve daily commuting on public transport, the Airo is excellent for the price.
Both fold compactly for travel. The YOYO³ folds to 52×44×18cm and is widely accepted in aircraft cabins — but always verify with your specific airline before travelling as policies vary. Its lighter weight also makes airport navigation easier. For frequent flyers, the YOYO³ is the stronger tool.
Yes — the Airo includes a lie-flat seat suitable from birth. No separate newborn pack or extra accessories are required. The YOYO³ is suitable from 6 months standalone; from birth requires the Stokke newborn pack sold separately.
The Airo folds one-handed — Janette rated it as one of the most intuitive folds at this price. The YOYO³ requires two hands and takes practice. Once mastered, the YOYO³ fold is fast and reliable — K folds hers dozens of times a week on Leeds buses. But the Airo is easier from day one.
Also worth reading
- Stokke YOYO³ Review — full verdict from K’s long-term daily use
- Mamas & Papas Airo Review — full hands-on verdict
- Bugaboo Butterfly 2 vs Mamas & Papas Airo
- Stokke YOYO³ vs Bugaboo Butterfly 2
- Bugaboo Dragonfly vs Stokke YOYO³
- Mamas & Papas hub
- Stokke hub
- Best Pushchairs Under £300
- Best Pushchairs for Public Transport
Where to buy in the UK
Mamas & Papas Airo
Mamas & Papas →✓ Verified UK Retailers | Full Manufacturer Warranty Available
About the reviewer
Mark founded MyPushchair.co.uk in 2006 after struggling to find honest, straightforward pushchair advice as a new dad. With more than 30 years in the family travel and leisure industry — and after returning to relaunch the UK’s original independent pushchair review site — he continues to test products with one aim: helping parents buy the right pushchair the first time. Janette contributes a female perspective to every hands-on assessment.
Mark Hartshorne · Founder, MyPushchair.co.uk · Read the full story →
Still not sure which is right for your family? Get in touch — happy to help.