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Honestly, I would fly with a travel seat since your son will need to be in it if you are buying him his own seat. But from what I understand, they do not come installed and I wouldn't trust a rental company to install it correctly, so I would be re-installing it anyway.

I've done this once via Enterprise. It was just an option to chose while making the reservation. However, when I arrived at pick up I had to remind them and they didn't have the exact seat I wanted/had DD in. It was also not installed and they will not install it. I had to install it. It worked out, it wasn't great but she was in a car seat. I couldn't have taken her carseat with us bc it was just her and I traveling.

It will not come installed; you will have to do it yourself. When you rent the car online it will give you an option to add a child seat. There are usually 3 options (infant seat, toddler seat, booster seat) and it usually lists the height/weight limits for each one. We've only done it once but had a good experience.

@wrkbrk: Oh yes then. Sorry I missed that part.

I would recommend buying a travel car seat (evenflo tribute or cosco scenera) and using the car seat for the plane and the car. If your LO is under 40lbs, the car seat is on Amazon for $50.

Also, I would get a car seat transporter or a car seat strap that wraps around your luggage. I let my brother use my car seat transporter for his international trip and they were in love with it. They told they would buy another one and sent it to me.

I have this one. I found a used one on craigslist. https://www.amazon.com/BRICA-Roll-Car-Seat-Transporter/dp/B0074JKQ0Y?th=1

Or you could get this one. I don't have any experience with the straps. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTT17QC

@wrkbrk: Sending you a PM

We flew last month with a lap infant and I did a lot of research if we should rent or bring our own car seat.

We ended up bring our own as I didn't want to deal with a car seat with an unknown history and unknown treatment. Plus no idea what seat we would get and the condition it would be in and I saw some horror stories about it - but also plenty of stories where it was just fine.

I kept the box that ours arrived in (we ordered the seat off Amazon). And just checked it that way. We got some funny looks about checking it in the box but no actual issues and there was no charge for it. I felt more comfortable checking it in the box then by itself or a bag as it had been shipped to us that way! It was a little awkward going through the airport with the box but it's only a short distance so it wasn't a big deal and we intentionally bought a light seat.

We have the Cosco 9 pound car seat for travel and we just bought this $8 travel bag for it to lug it through the airport. The car seat is big but so light it doesn't bother us to throw it over our shoulder while we go through the airport.

https://www.amazon.com/Childress-Gate-Check-Bag-Seats/dp/B000RRD7UG/ref=pd_sim_75_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QH6R6X55P498MK02SW0S

I have traveled with two car seats and two under 3 (one checked, one on the plane with us) it sucks. but i have also found people to be super helpful. I never once had to carry it off the plane, someone always asked if I needed a hand with it. I was grateful to be installing seats i knew when we arrived, it was super helpful. I have the added problem of having to take a cab to the airport anyways, so I need to bring our seats.

@wrkbrk do it!!! I promise, having your LO in the carseat will make your flight SO MUCH BETTER. It was totally amazing. He was happy to chill, eat snacks, flip through all the seatback stuff, etc. It is so light and installing it on the plane was no big deal at all. You do have to install it forward facing - it won't fit RF.

@wrkbrk: personally I agree with @MrsADS: that a longer flight 2+ hours is way easier with the kid in a car seat. My son happens to like his car seat though. He just happily climbs right in and stays strapped and trying or wanting to get out never crosses his mind on a plane (because he can't in the car so he just thinks the same on the plane). He also might nap in a car seat on the plane but NO CHANCE he would just sitting on the plane seat. And he does want to get up and roam around in the plane seat. BUT for shorter flights I just give him an iPad and he'll usually sit in the regular seat until we start to land. Then he gets antsy but I can handle that for 20 mins or do. Also, lots of snacks. When we don't use it on the plane and I don't rent, I just check the seat. Regular check, not gate check. When I'm traveling alone with him which is most of the time, I just can't lug around our carry-ons plus the seat plus him. I have the brica bag that has wheels and backpack straps. It's a godsend. And I travel alone with my 3yo a lot so if I can manage him, the car seat and both of our bags, anyone can.
My other big reason for not renting a seat is that they can be pretty nasty. I've gotten a few that were just straight up crusty and stained and it just felt gross. That being said, I'm not like morally against it. I've had some really good brand new ones too! But it's hit or miss and after my own years of experience I've decided that bringing our own is just better all around most of the time. Btw, budget has the worst car seat options. I've had them missing things and just straight up gross, so when I do rent a car seat I try to go enterprise. Theirs have been pretty consistently clean.

So in summary of my long winded response:
- agree that a carseat on the plane is easier for longer flights. With iPad and snacks.
- if you do rent one, go with enterprise. The cheaper rentals have grosser seats.
- if you bring but don't use on the plane, check it with baggage. It's free. It will be fine.
- get the brica car seat bag with wheels and backpack. You won't regret it.

@wrkbrk: I've never tried national but I'll check it out next time!

I was so surprised to read these and just had to add that I rented a car seat and had no problem. My only issue was that it didn't come with LATCH connectors so I had to route the seat belt but now that's my preferred option! It wasn't a high-end seat but it certainly did the trick and was much easier than lugging a car seat (I was also traveling alone with my 3 year old and didn't want to check any luggage so that wouldn't have been an option anyway).