The BabyJogger Citi Mini is only 16 lbs, has a nearly full recline, and you can get a bar for it that lets you snap the car seat in. It might be the best of all worlds: You can use it to hold the car seat and baby while moving through the airport and then leave the car seat in the car while using the stroller once at your destination.
We took our full sized stroller on our first flight with our oldest kid at 3 months, too. That was the first and only time. Way too big of a hassle.
The City Mini is really a tough stroller. I have gate checked it scores of times (no bag) and have never been worried about it coming back damaged, and it hasn't.
All this being said, if you plan to have a second child within, say, two years, the BabyJogger City Select is my dream stroller. It will hold two kids most efficiently, with the most versatility while still being easy to push. $$$, but it may be worth it depending on your situation.