Hellobee Boards

@emilye519: I've gate checked my stroller several times and put it in the cheap orange gate check bags and it's never been hurt in any way.

100% yes. Get a cheap umbrella stroller and gate check it. Ours has survived 3 years of travel so far! You get to bypass so much security with a stroller it makes it worth any extra hassle.

My question, do you actually need it at the destination? Or is it just for the airport?

If you don't need it at your destination, i'd just bring a carrier.

I used my stroller when I was traveling solo with 2 kids but that's because my 3.5 yr old pushed his sister in the stroller while I wore the carseat bag backpack and pulled all the luggage!

Even if you gate check your stroller, they won't pull it out for you if you have delays/plane issues (I learned that the really fun way!)

I have taken one flight with and one flight without recently with my similarly aged DS. He also isn't great about sitting in the stroller. I say skip it, especially since you have your husband to help wrangle your lo. It's more of a pain when the kiddo is likely to be out of it half the time, so one of you is just pushing the stroller while the other is wrangling and chasing the toddler.

@emilye519: I wouldn't take it then. Since it's a small airport, and you won't need it at the destination, I wouldn't bother.

I think it depends on whether you'll need naps to happen at the airport, if you'll need it at final destination, and how your LO is at walking with you / not running away.
My son isn't a runner and loves walking and holding my hand. We walk around NYC and I swear he has walked close to 2 miles without a single complaint. So in August when he was 23 months I asked the same question here that you did. We went without the stroller and I was even traveling solo (no DH). It was beyond fine and I thought it was way easier than going with the stroller. I think if your LO is a good walker and your dh can carry and run if you need to rush, go without it!
I hope to never fly with a stroller for him again (unless it's something like Disney in which case we'll check it anyway when we arrive). We even got him his own roller bag so he can pull it around the airport for thanksgiving this year. He will LOOOVE it and it makes goin without the stroller even more exciting for him.

ETA: Here's what I asked back in August!
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-stop-using-a-stroller-at-the-airport#post-2598164