Following their introduction around two decades ago, air or inflatable awnings quickly caught on. This is mainly due to them being lighter to carry and quicker to erect, saving you from worrying about where the poles go, or having to tighten them. Instead, all you need is a pump. In our best air awning for a motorhome guide, we’re running through our favourite options on the market, so you can find the one that’s right for you and your ‘van.
Awnings are nowhere near as useful an accessory for motorhomers as they are for caravanners. After all, motorcaravanning is supposed to be about getting up and going, and having to deal with something large that you have attached to your vehicle somehow goes against that.
But sometimes a motorhome air awning can be a useful addition to take with you, if there is room when you’re loading your motorhome. Especially if it is the drive away variety, which you can detach and leave standing on its own to mark out your pitch if you drive away for the day.
Here is our choice of the best motorhome air awnings you can currently buy online. You can also take a look at our best motorhome awning guide, if you’ve not decided on the type for you yet.
Practical Motorhome is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
What is the best air awning for a motorhome?
Dometic Club AIR Pro Inflatable Caravan and Motorhome Awning
Kampa Cross AIR Driveaway Awning
Narbonne Summerline Liberty Air Pro 330 Drive Away All Season Motorhome Awning
Westfield Vega Caravan/Motorhome Porch Awning
Kampa Touring AIR TC LH Driveaway Awning
Kampa Kielder AIR Driveaway Awning
Outdoor Revolution Cayman Air Driveaway Awning
Vango AirHub Tailgate Low Driveaway Awning
Vango Kela V Air Driveaway Awning
Olpro Cocoon Breeze Inflatable Campervan Awning
The best motorhome air awnings:
Dometic Club AIR Pro Inflatable Caravan and Motorhome Awning
Reason to buy:
- Flexible, not too bulky
Reason to avoid:
- Probably not robust enough for a seasonal pitch
No, your eyes do not deceive you: this is an inflatable awning, made of double coated polyester and with single point inflation.
Dometic’s Club range is designed to look more like a traditional awning, with a dual pitched roof and integrated front canopy to help water run off. The design means you can either leave the two front panels as two doors, or take the whole front panel off to turn the awning into more of a verandah. Other useful features include vents in the apex to let condensation out.
Kampa Cross AIR Driveaway Awning
Reason to buy:
- Practical extra room for a campervan
Reason to avoid:
Orientation means it may not fit on small pitches
Designed for campervans, the Cross Air runs out at a right angle from your vehicle, although the “tunnel” includes a side door. The main entrance door can be fully opened or half opened to create a verandah effect. The air awning is single point inflation, includes a clip-in groundsheet, and has mesh panels if you want to open the side windows.
Weighing just 17.65kg and rolling back up into a pack that is only 76cm long, it shouldn’t take up too much payload or room in your van.
Narbonne Summerline Liberty Air Pro 330 Drive Away All Season Motorhome Awning
Reason to buy:
- All year round use
Reason to avoid:
- On the heavy side
Relatively unknown in the UK, Narbonne is a big name in awnings on the Continent. This single point inflation porch awning is also all season. So, if you have enough payload to accommodate its 35.2kg weight, you can take it with you to provide extra space on even the coldest winter months.
It’s made of heavy duty (220g/sq m) coated polyester, and comes with dual beading (both 4mm and 6mm) so you should be able to fit it onto any motorhome.
Westfield Vega Caravan/Motorhome Porch Awning
Reason to buy:
- Great single point inflation system
Reason to avoid:
- Possibly not quite as weatherproof as some
Westfield is a German brand of awning imported into this country by Quest Leisure. This model is made of waterproof cotton, so the inside should stay cool even if you venture into hotter more Mediterranean climates.
It has Westfield’s Advanced Air System, which is not only single point inflation but is also split into separate sections. So if you have a puncture on site you can easily repair just one section without having to take the whole awning down.
Available in two widths – 330 and 375 – this awning has front and side panels that can be completely removed, and has storm straps that can be put away in their own pockets in the awning so they don’t get lost. And it has dual beading – both 4mm and 6mm.
Kampa Touring AIR TC LH Driveaway Awning
Reason to buy:
- Flexible arrangement
Reason to avoid:
- Only for campervans with door on Continental side
A campervan air awning that runs parallel to the vehicle, this version is designed for Continental vehicles where the sliding door opens on the right side of the vehicle facing forwards. The single point inflation awning is made of breathable polycotton and includes mesh front doors to allow condensation to escape. It also has an integrated front canopy for those balmier evenings outside.
Kampa Kielder Air Drive Away Awning
Reason to buy:
- Flexible with attachments and groundsheet
Reason to avoid:
- Not single point inflation
Made of 150D Weathershield material, this campervan driveaway awning has multiple point inflation. While that usually means it takes longer to put up, it could take less time to take down again because with multiple inflation there are obviously many points the air can escape through.
This awning also comes with a flat entrance door – so you don’t have anything to trip over, and wheelchairs can get through easily. And it has a clip-on groundsheet, which can be quickly removed if the site you are staying on doesn’t allow them. You also get large windows, a canopy over the entrance, and a multiple range of ways to attach it to your van.
Outdoor Revolution Cayman Air Driveaway Awning
Reason to buy:
- Multiple attachment points, popular model
Reason to avoid:
- Sewn in groundsheet could cause problems on sites where they are not permitted
A good mid-price option for anyone with a campervan and a smaller campervan, this popular model has single point inflation and a sewn in groundsheet.
It’s made of material with a hydrostatic head of 3000mm (technically, the height of water there needs to be weighing down in it before it stops being waterproof), which, while not the best in the market, should be more than adequate for the shorter stays you often make in a motorhome. You get mesh panels on both doors, while the rear door can be removed so that you can fit an optional annex. There are also multiple attachment points.
Vango AirHub Tailgate Low Drive Away Awning
Reason to buy:
- Versatile, easy to drive away from
Reason to avoid:
- Only middling waterproofing, not all pitches may be long enough for this awning
Tailgate awnings are a great idea if you have the right kind of campervan because they are easier to edge up to and don’t usually require a huge amount of attaching. This one only has pegging straps and does not rely on the tailgate door of the van itself to stay upright, so you can easily roll the tunnel away and leave it on site while you drive off. The awning also comes with a detachable groundsheet, and the doors on all three sides can be rolled back to turn it into a gazebo instead.
The material it is made from only has a 3,000mm hydrostatic head, but that should be good enough for short stays. Taped seams should stop any water coming through the zips.
Vango Kela V Air Driveaway Awning
Reason to buy:
- Excellent waterproofing, useful cable hanging system
Reason to avoid:
- Sewn in groundsheet may not be acceptable everywhere
Unlike many other models on the market, this driveaway campervan awning is made from ripstop material that has a 6,000mm hydrostatic head, with taped seams, so you should stay fully waterproof whatever the weather.
It also has roof skylights to let in more light, and a cable entry point and hanging system so you can introduce fairy lights to really make for an enchanting evening. It comes with a sewn-in groundsheet too. The pack includes a double action pump for fast inflating and steel rock pegs for harder surfaces.
Olpro Cocoon Breeze Inflatable Campervan Awning
Reason to buy:
- Excellent waterproofing, great size
Reason to avoid:
- At 30kg, a bit on the heavy side
This large awning could more than double your living space if you have a campervan. It should keep you nice and dry too, as the 150D material it is made from has a 5,000mm hydrostatic head. It comes with an inner tent as standard for an extra bedroom, as well as a fitted groundsheet (with optional footprint groundsheet underneath) and a cable entry point. Its striking orange and black colour scheme, unusual among today’s muted greys and neutrals, should make your outfit easy to spot at your campervan campsite too.
Check the latest price at Olpro.
If you’re considering a pre-owned option instead, we talk you through the process of buying a pre-owned awning too.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Motorhome magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things motorhome related.
