travel with stroller-- check it or carry on
 

This may be a silly question, but what is most handy? It's an umbrella stroller. Thanks! (and a non-stop flight.)

Gate check it.

Just gate check it. Not sure about all airlines but on Continental they'll take it at the plane door and bring it up to the door at the jetway on arrival.

If it will fit down the aisle of the plane and they will let you take it on board (2 big ifs) you could bring it on board. I did this when traveling with baby or toddler alone. But that was 15 years ago and they were not nearly as good about gate checking items and getting them back to you as they are now - and planes were not nearly as full.

They'll be gate checked if you don't check it at the counter. You don't get to have it with you on the plane. There is always a que of parents on the jetway waiting to pick up their strollers. In my opinon, they should be asked to wait and deplane after other passengers, so there is not such a cluster of people to get through to exit the plane.

We took an umbrella stroller right through the jet way to the door of the plane. When we deplaned the stroller was usually waiting for us. Once on South West the pilot got it for us. Mostly people were very nice to us about the unbrella strollers.