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I bring the carseat. It's safer for the baby on the plane and guarantees the quality of the seat when you get there. Plus I like not having to worry about it getting tossed around with the checked luggage. When DD was in her infant carseat, I wheeled it in a JJ Cole bag and wore her in either her k'tan or Beco (depending on her age). When she moved to a convertible, I bought the GoGoBabyz cart for the seat. She can ride in the seat while I wheel it, or I can toss the diaper bag in there and again wear her (though now on my back because she's bigger). Keep it simple and bring as little as you can on board - I just bring her, the seat and the diaper bag. For sleeping, it depends on where you're going. We keep a pack and play at my parents, have used a hotel crib twice, coslept at the hotel and have checked a pack and play once too. We also have the Inglesina travel high chair and have loved it. I've traveled with her quite a bit and mostly on my own, so let me know if you have other questions!

Babies 'R Us has a fabulous car seat cover to protect your car seat if you do choose to check it a the gate. I decide whether to check it or not based on the length of the flight (long flight, I take it on; short flight, he sleeps in a sling on my lap). Gate check the stroller. I highly suggest a small portable changing pad you can yank out of the diaper bag because the bathrooms are tiny enough without a diaper bag taking up room. We also check our pack n play for him to sleep in.

We just flew a couple weeks ago with our 4 month old. We brought our carseat and travel stroller (b-agile). We gate checked both and I wore him through security. We had a bag for the stroller, but not the carseat. DS sleeps in a PnP at home, and my parents borrowed one at our location for us to use. I did look up gear rental places and was prepared to rent some stuff but we ended up not needing to.

I have to say, the flight down was really unpleasant. I'm mildly claustrophobic and trying to hold the baby while sardined into the plane kinda sucked. On the way back I was determined that if there was going to be any empty seats on the plane, we would use it in the middle. We went all the way to the back and had DH sit on the aisle and me in the window. I figured if someone asked for the seat, he'd move. Luckily it worked and the flight back was much better.

I traveled with our son right about 10 weeks, so yes, our sling was a lifesaver. With our Mai Tai, his legs weren't long enough so that when we sat down he would wake up and fuss. With the sling, he was cradled and comforted in a strange new environment and then we could just sit down without adjusting him. I even wore him through security in it, but they had to pat me down and do a hand swab (whatever, not worth fighting over it and disrupting my baby). And the plane acts as a big white noise machine, which is awesome because he slept the entire time. We just woke him up and offered a bottle when we started to descend for his ears.

Also, formula and water in reasonable amounts, or breastmilk as carry ons are through security. If you have a bottle pre-made up, or liquid formula that isn't sealed, they will open it and smell it, so just be aware.

We took our umbrella stroller and an infant head insert and it worked great. No need to get a bag for it, it survived just fine.

@MrsH: yes, once you get to the gate you go ask the gate agent if there is an extra seat and you can take your car seat on. Sometimes they say yes and sometimes they say no and if the answers no you just leave it right when you get on the plane.

The hotels all have pack and plays for free. We've taken her to at least ten hotels and when we check in we just request a crib. Now whether or not she wants to sleep in it, that's a different question