The End of SeatGuru: A New Era for Flight Seat Selection Tools
Tripadvisor's quiet discontinuation of the beloved SeatGuru platform last year left a significant gap for travellers seeking detailed cabin layouts and seat advice. For years, SeatGuru served as the definitive online resource, providing colour-coded seat maps for virtually every commercial flight worldwide. Its departure from the digital landscape has prompted the emergence of several alternative tools, each offering unique features to help passengers secure their ideal high-altitude position.
We've thoroughly evaluated five of the most prominent alternatives available to UK travellers. Our investigation reveals that while all offer utility, their approaches vary dramatically—from platforms featuring slick interactive cabin videos to AI-powered databases promising intelligent seat recommendations. Here's our comprehensive assessment of each contender in the post-SeatGuru era.
1. Seatmaps.com: The Comprehensive Contender
Founded by aviation enthusiast Fred Finn—holder of a Guinness World Record for passenger miles—and technology veteran Djois Franklin, Seatmaps.com immediately impresses with its polished interface and depth of information. The site's aviation and technology pedigree shines through in its user-friendly design, allowing travellers to locate specific flight seat maps within seconds without requiring account creation.
Key features include:
- Interactive 360-degree cabin videos providing immersive perspectives
- Detailed seat colour-coding system (standard, more comfort, some issues, mixed features, reduced comfort)
- User ratings and reviews for each seating position
- Comprehensive seat dimension information
- Links to external cabin reviews
During testing for an American Airlines flight from New York's JFK to Los Angeles, the platform clearly identified seats 11B through 11E as offering maximum comfort while flagging the back row (22A-F) as least desirable due to limited recline and proximity to lavatories. The accompanying interactive videos and detailed descriptions create an exceptionally informative experience.
Verdict: An outstanding, feature-rich platform that sets a new standard for seat mapping tools.
2. Expert Flyer: The Functional Workhorse
Owned by Red Ventures—parent company of The Points Guy travel site—Expert Flyer takes a more utilitarian approach to seat mapping. While the interface lacks the polish of some competitors, it delivers solid functionality for those willing to navigate its requirements.
The platform requires account creation and encourages subscription adoption, though a free trial option exists. Users must input specific flight numbers and cabin categories to access seat maps, which display colour-coded seating with hover-over descriptions drawn from SeatGuru's extensive (though potentially outdated) archive.
Standout feature: The alert system that notifies users when their preferred seat becomes available for booking—particularly valuable for travellers with specific seating requirements or those booking last-minute flights.
Verdict: A no-frills tool that accomplishes its core purpose effectively despite interface limitations.
3. AeroLopa: The Specialist's Choice
AeroLopa.com presents a visually clean interface with well-organised seat maps, but imposes significant usability hurdles for casual travellers. The platform requires users to know the precise aircraft model operating their flight, as searches by flight number and destination aren't supported.
While seat maps display clearly, they lack comfort information unless users create accounts and consent to receiving promotional communications—a potentially frustrating experience for those seeking quick, straightforward information.
Verdict: Frustrating for general users but potentially valuable for aviation enthusiasts with specific technical knowledge.
4. SeatCompare.ai: The AI Innovator
As its name suggests, SeatCompare.ai leverages artificial intelligence through its proprietary "FleetBrain" database to revolutionise seat selection. The platform argues that travellers need "live aircraft and cabin intelligence, not outdated diagrams," and accordingly foregoes traditional cabin maps in favour of intelligent data presentation.
The free, account-free service features an intuitive interface that generates easy-to-read lists of helpful information when users input flight codes, cabin types, and departure dates. Key outputs include best seat recommendations, seats to avoid, and notifications for aircraft changes that could affect seating configurations.
Currently in beta testing, SeatCompare.ai shows promising innovation in how seat information is processed and presented to travellers.
Verdict: A forward-thinking platform that successfully implements AI to enhance the seat selection experience.
5. Seat Maestro: The Ad-Supported Option
Seat Maestro delivers detailed seat information but struggles with user experience challenges. The interface suffers from intrusive pop-up advertisements, and during testing failed to locate a scheduled American Airlines flight from JFK to Los Angeles, instead displaying the airline's entire fleet list and requiring users to identify their specific aircraft.
Despite these frustrations, the seat maps themselves provide valuable information through clear "good," "good but beware," and "beware" classifications alongside traveller reviews and ratings.
Verdict: A platform with solid informational content hampered by intrusive advertising and search functionality issues.
Our Recommendation for UK Travellers
Following extensive evaluation, Seatmaps.com emerges as our top recommendation for UK travellers seeking a SeatGuru replacement. Its combination of comprehensive information, intuitive interface, interactive features, and free accessibility creates an exceptional user experience that honours SeatGuru's legacy while introducing valuable innovations.
Each platform reviewed offers distinct advantages depending on traveller priorities—from Expert Flyer's alert system for seat availability to SeatCompare.ai's AI-powered insights. However, for most UK passengers seeking reliable, detailed seat information without subscription requirements or technical hurdles, Seatmaps.com represents the most complete solution in the post-SeatGuru landscape.
As the travel industry continues evolving, these tools demonstrate how digital innovation can transform even the most routine aspects of journey planning, ensuring travellers can make informed decisions about their in-flight experience regardless of which platform they ultimately choose.
