Stokke JetKids BedBox review: our verdict on the premium ride-on suitcase

Overall star rating: 3/5

Price on writing: £169 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy now from John Lewis 

What we like

• Really smooth and sturdy ride-on case

• Stylish Scandi design 

• Easy-to-use in-flight seat extender

• Can be paired with an adorable matching rucksack 

• Great buy if you’re a frequent long-haul flyer

What we don't like 

• BedBox feature isn't suitable for use on some airlines

• Doesn't fit under all airline seats so you might need to store in the overhead compartment for take off and landing

• Suitable for kids 3-7, although for older kids, the case is more of a leg rest than a bed

• Suitcase space is limited if travelling with the mattress 

• Only permitted on window or middle seats 

Our verdict

The Stokke JetKids BedBox is both a ride-on suitcase and an in-flight bed - a genius multi-use travel accessory for frequent family travellers. Bigger than a Trunki and with front swivel wheels, this sturdy piece of kit glides smoothly through airport terminals and is a fun way to get kids from A to B, particularly if you’ve dropped your pram off at check-in. 

I found the BedBox simple to set up when onboard and it provided a comfy space for my toddler to kick back (and nap!) in during a recent four-hour flight. And it meant that we could slip books, magazines, a tablet, headphones and snacks into the case to take onboard with us. It’s a brilliant design (dreamt up by an airline engineer and parent of three) and it’s a game-changer for long-haul economy flights. Mumsnet editor Laura tested it on two overnight flights to and from Mauritius and found it extremely useful for helping her preschooler get a good chunk of sleep (seven-plus hours each way!) during both flights.

However, the BedBox functionality isn’t approved for use on some airlines (including British Airways, although travellers report that they’ve used it without issue) and the dimensions (46 x 20 x 36cm) fall outside most budget airline hand luggage policies so you may have to pay extra to take it onboard. It didn’t fit under the seat in front of us when testing so we had to put it in the overhead compartment for take-off and landing, which felt a little cumbersome. 

Is it a travel essential? No. But the JetKids BedBox is a great investment if you’re planning to fly long-haul with the kids and haven’t got the budget for business class seats. And thanks to its robust and larger-than-average ride-on design, it’ll see you through toddlerhood to around age seven, so it could be a smart buy for junior jetsetters. 

Read next: The best kids' luggage to buy for you next family holiday

Key specs

Dimensions: 46 x 20 x 36cm | Capacity: 23 litres | Weight: 3kg

How we tested 

I took the JetKids BedBox on an easyJet flight from London to Madeira with my three-year-old daughter. It’s the first time I’ve flown solo with a toddler and the first time we’ve been away without a pram so it felt like a good opportunity to put the case through its paces. We lugged the case in and out of taxis in Funchal and into an Uber on our return. The flight was delayed on the way back and the suitcase really came into its own at the airport, providing a footrest for both of us as we faced a three-hour delay and a late-night arrival. 

Mumsnet editor Laura took it on two long-haul flights (between 11 and 12 hours each way) to and from Mauritius (flying in economy with Air Mauritius) to see how it fared on longer journeys with her three-year-old daughter.

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What’s in the box?

• Jetkids BedBox suitcase 

• Foam mattress

• Pull along strap/carry handle

• Two sheets of stickers

What’s the JetKids BedBox like to ride on?

The JetKids case offers a really smooth ride. Made from thick ABS plastic, it feels strong and sturdy, and the front swivel wheels make it super easy to manoeuvre and to turn - very handy for those long and winding passport control queues. The quality of the build is hands down my favourite feature of this suitcase. It's just as easy to pull my six-year-old son along on it as my three-year-old daughter and both feel safe and secure in transit. I’ve travelled with a Trunki before but it always felt as though the kids could topple over at any moment and I found it tricky to turn or change direction when pulling it along. The JetKids case is also 5cm taller than the Trunki, which makes for a more comfortable seating position. There’s a handy strap to hold onto for added peace of mind. 

It’s easy for kids to pull along too, even when full - particularly useful when you’ve got your hands full or need to deal with airport admin. And far easier for a toddler to pull than a traditional carry-on suitcase. My daughter enjoyed taking the reins but definitely preferred being escorted.  

Laura's three-year-old also loved whizzing through the airport on her BedBox and it made the airport much easier to navigate, especially as little legs can quickly get tired.

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How does the JetKids BedBox transform into an in-flight bed?

The suitcase slots between your child’s seat and the seat in front and the BedBox mechanism works when you lift the lid and turn it upside down allowing you to slide out a seat extender to close the gap between seats and provide a flat surface on which to stretch out on. You need to push the sides of the lid and lift it at the same time which can take a bit of getting used to - it’s well worth practising before you board. 

The foam mattress provides a comfy base on the seat and runs up to each arm rest but it’s better suited to younger kids that are likely to lie flat than older kids using the case as more of a foot rest. The mattress takes up quite a bit of space (see below) so it’s not essential to travel with it. 

Although it’s a simple process, I found it a little tricky to set up and dismantle on our flight as we were sitting next to another passenger who had to make space for us to get it in and out of the overhead compartment when taking off and landing and then again when setting things up next at my daughter’s seat. It didn’t fit under the seat on our easyJet flight but there are plenty of other airlines where it does, including Virgin Atlantic and Etihad Airways. This would definitely make things easier. The in-flight bed feature would work especially well in a bulkhead seat. 

Laura found that the BedBox just about fit under the seat on her flight with Air Mauritius. Its bulkiness still made set-up and dismantling tricky here though, especially as her daughter was positioned in a window seat.

How easy is the JetKids BedBox to carry?

While it’s a dream to pull along, it feels pretty bulky to pick up. There isn’t a top handle to lift it up with - only the short safety strap which means the weight distribution is uneven. And the shoulder strap is fiddly to attach and a bit cumbersome to carry. The case could benefit from some Trunki-style top straps, although this would totally spoil the aesthetic and may interfere with the BedBox mechanism.  

What can you fit inside the JetKids BedBox? 

The case has a capacity of 23 litres but the foam mattress takes up quite a bit of internal space. We travelled with the mattress and found that we still had space for an iPad, a couple of books, some headphones, a magazine, a pencil case, a doll and a soft toy. There’s also a handy compartment in the lid where we hid a few snacks. If you left the mattress at home you could squeeze lots more in. The top opening makes it easy to see and grab items compared to a flat suitcase that you have to fan out to access. 

Read next: How to pack for a family holiday using only hand luggage

Which airlines have approved the JetKids BedBox sleeping feature? 

There are 50+ airlines that have officially approved the use of the BedBox functionality, including major national carriers like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad and KLM. You can also use the seat extender on budget airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air. However, you’ll need to bear in mind that the hand luggage restrictions are pretty tight on these airlines and it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to slot it under the seat in front of you. As mentioned, the case is better suited for long-haul travel on more premium airlines that tend to have generous hand luggage policies and space to slot the case under the seat in front of you. Definitely check the airline policies and measurements before booking a ticket or buying the product! 

Is the JetKids BedBox banned on British Airways flights?

British Airways doesn’t have an official policy on the BedBox and while many travellers report that they’ve been able to take the case onboard a BA flight and use the seat extender as intended, there’s a danger that you might get caught out mid-flight. You can still use it as a ride-on case and travel with it as hand luggage but there’s no official guidance as to whether you can use the BedBox component. This applies to other large airlines including Emirates, Air France and Qatar. And bear in mind that you can only set it up on a window or a middle seat rather than an aisle seat. 

About the author

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel, product reviews and homeware roundups.

She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for top publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London and loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far, as well as rigorously testing products designed to make parents’ lives easier on the go. 

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.