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Not too sure i'd want any pet of mine stuck in a box in a cargo hold for the duration of a transcontinental flight, or did you have visions of the cat purring contentedly in your lap for the whole flight..Do the cat a favor and leave it home.
I took my cat to see my grandparents for a week via plane. She was 10 weeks old and I had her in a carrier as a carryon. She did great! She was fine in the new environment, and the plane ride went smoothly (this was just a 2 hour flight, but I did have a 4 hour layover). I was able to take her out in the airport and play with her, feed her, and give her water.
She adapted to the new environment in my grandparents' basement just fine. I'd like to note that she has always been fine in her carrier and isn't easily stressed out. Since she was just a kitten, I felt uneasy leaving her alone all day in my apartment by herself.
I picked up a new kitten playmate in the new place and brought back both with me - they did fine. My new kitten was only 6 weeks old (a rescue baby) and the airline allowed me to take two kittens because they fit in the same carrier. I'd recommend against sending them via cargo - taking them both out for playtime in between flights really helped them be less stressed out, and most airports have areas you can play with them for awhile at (they say no pets out of carriers at the gate, but that's more of an actual guideline than a strict rule - nobody bothered me when I took Arya out at the gate to stretch her legs).
I kept both kitties in harnesses and with leashes to make SURE they would not roam away from me in the airport.
It took my new kitten about a week to adapt to my home after traveling from my grandparents' house. I don't know your cat, but if he's a velcro kitty like mine are, I'd take him with you traveling. Some cats are just fine with the change, it really just depends on the personality of the cat. Arya did great.
I also would like to note that I was not required to provide a veterinary certificate for my cats because the flight was domestic. I'd imagine that overseas a cat requires a bunch of paperwork to bring. But that is your hassle, not the kitty's.
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