I didn't want to spend $80 on the travel bag for my jogging stroller on our last trip (it's big enough folded up that it wouldn't even fit in any other brand bag I could find) so instead, I bought some bubble wrap (Target, it comes in a roll w/perforations so you just tear off as many sheets as you need) and some hand tearable packing tape. Once at the airport, I wrapped the foam handles w/the bubble wrap and bungied the stroller closed. I thought about taking the wheels off, putting them into a small bag, and carrying them on, but decided against it because we were already carrying enough stuff onto the plane. The stroller made it thru fine both ways, and we had to gate check it twice, each way. DH even watched them offload it from the jetway down to the tarmac to be loaded under the plane, and they were actually very careful with it. We've also gate checked a few other strollers and (knock on wood) have never had any problems w/our strollers being ruined. Once the foam handle on one did get torn, which is why I wrapped the joggers handle with packing tape and it worked beautifully. Not to say it never happens but I just wanted to reassure you that it's not necessarily likely either. hth!
