Seat Guru
FreeAirplane seat map tool by TripAdvisor showing seat ratings, legroom details, power outlets, and user reviews to help travelers pick the best seat on their flight.
What does this tool do?
SeatGuru was a specialized airplane seat selection tool that provided detailed interactive seat maps for specific aircraft and airlines. The platform allowed travelers to view individual seat layouts, identify which seats offered extra legroom, had power outlets, or had obstructed views, and read crowdsourced user reviews rating seat quality. However, the tool is no longer operational—the website now displays a shutdown notice directing users to TripAdvisor, which acquired SeatGuru's parent company. The service was valuable for economy travelers seeking to optimize their flight experience by avoiding poor seats and identifying premium economy or economy-plus options without paying full business class fares.
AI analysis from Feb 23, 2026
Key Features
- Interactive seat maps showing exact seat layouts by aircraft type and airline
- User ratings for individual seats (comfort, legroom, power outlet availability, view quality)
- Detailed annotations identifying seats with restricted legroom, obstructed views, or proximity to bathrooms
- Crowdsourced passenger reviews and comments on specific seat experiences
- Power outlet location mapping and availability indicators
Use Cases
- 1Budget travelers selecting the best economy seat with extra legroom before booking
- 2Frequent flyers comparing seat quality across different aircraft types used by their preferred airline
- 3Passengers with mobility or comfort concerns identifying accessible seats or those with optimal aisle access
- 4Travel planners helping clients choose flights based on seat availability and quality ratings
- 5Long-haul flight bookers avoiding seats with poor recline, limited legroom, or obstructed views
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- Highly specific and detailed seat-by-seat information based on actual aircraft configurations rather than generic airline descriptions
- Community-driven ratings and reviews from actual passengers provided real-world feedback on seat comfort and usability
- Free access to comprehensive seat maps and data without paywalls for core features
Limitations
- Tool is now completely defunct and shut down, with no alternative provided—users must navigate TripAdvisor's inferior seat selection features
- Relied on user-generated content which could become outdated or inaccurate if not consistently maintained
- Only covered a subset of airlines and aircraft types, leaving many flights without detailed seat information
Pricing Details
Pricing details not publicly available. The tool operated as a free service before shutdown.
Who is this for?
Economy and premium economy travelers booking commercial flights, particularly frequent flyers and long-haul passengers seeking to optimize comfort; budget-conscious travelers who want to maximize seat quality without upgrading to business class; travel planners and corporate travel managers helping clients or employees select optimal flights.