How to use SeatGuru

SeatGuru allows you to find the best seat on any flight, check out in-flight amenities, shop for flights, and get details about an airline.

History of SeatGuru

SeatGuru was founded by Matthew Daimler in October 2001. It’s a website that features the layout of seating on an airplane, and also shows you how good the seat is.

Related: Complete list travel resources that you need to use

The website began to create traction, and in 2003, it began monetizing its website traffic with Google AdSense. In 2007, SeatGuru was acquired by Tripadvisor.

Today, SeatGuru is an essential resource that you need to use before you select a seat on the plane. It’ll help you find the best seats, and also tell you which ones you need to avoid.

Finding seat maps

Seat maps are one of the most helpful features that SeatGuru offers. Through its website, you can view the seat maps on 1,278 aircraft.

To do this, you’ll need the name of the airline, date of travel, and the flight number.

Before you select your seat, input the details into SeatGuru’s seat map finder.

The following image shows an example with an Alaska Airlines flight number 628 on October 24, 2020.

Once you’ve searched for the flight, you’ll confirm that the details are correct.

You’ll also find out what the aircraft will be. In this example, it’s a flight from Seattle to New York on an Airbus A231. Then, you’ll select View map.

SeatGuru will then show you the seat map, and you’ll notice seats that are color-coded. The following are what the different colors mean:

• Green: A good seat.
• Yellow: Be aware of potential issues. View the comments to see the reasons.
• Red: A bad seat.
• Half green and half yellow: Mixed review.

Additionally, you’ll learn about the number of seats in different classes, the type of seats, what in-flight amenities are available, and an overview of the plane.

You’ll also have the opportunity to read what other SeatGuru users are saying.

Comparing different airlines

Another helpful feature that SeatGuru offers is the comparison of different airlines.

You can learn about the airline, aircraft it uses, partnerships, and popular destinations that it flies to.

Within an airline, you can compare the different aircraft and view seat maps.

It’s a great way to find what you want on a flight, which will help you book a flight on the right plane.

Shopping for cheap flights

SeatGuru also works as a travel search engine. You won’t book your flight on its website.

Instead, it’ll refer you to the airline or a travel agency to make your reservation.

With its filters, you can customize your selections to find the perfect flight at the best price.

For each flight, you’ll also find the FlyScore, which is the rating based on quality, amenities, flight duration, and Tripadvisor reviews.

Comparing flights and classes

It also has a database that compares aircraft based on flight duration and class.

For example, if you’re planning to fly a long-haul flight in economy class, you’ll make that selections, and SeatGuru will show you all of the airlines and aircraft that operate for your selection.

From there, you’ll be able to learn about the features and amenities on the flight, such as the following:

• Seat pitch.
• Seat width.
• Seat type.
• Laptop power.
• Wi-Fi availability.
• Power type.
• Video type.

The classifications that you can view are as follows:

• Short-haul flight in economy class.
• Short-haul flight in first or business class.
• Long-haul flight in economy class.
• Premium economy class.
• Long-haul flight in business class.
• Long-haul flight in first class.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

SeatGuru is an incredible tool that helps you find the perfect seat, compare different amenities, and ensure that you have a comfortable flight. Regardless of how often you fly, use SeatGuru to elevate your travel experience.

More resources:

• How Skyscanner finds cheaper flights
• What’s the difference between Global Entry and NEXUS?
• What are airline alliances?

Featured image courtesy of SeatGuru.