SeatGuru, the once-indispensable website that helped millions of flyers avoid bad aircraft seats, has officially closed after nearly 24 years online.
For frequent and business travellers, its disappearance marks the end of a tool that shaped the way people booked flights — but stronger, more accurate alternatives are already stepping in.
Founded in 2001 by frequent flyer Matthew Daimler, SeatGuru quickly became the authoritative source for aircraft cabin layouts. Its colour-coded maps — green for the best seats, red for the worst — made it easy to dodge misaligned windows, limited-legroom bulkheads, and seats placed awkwardly close to galleys or lavatories.
TripAdvisor bought the site in 2007, but by the late 2010s the platform had begun to stagnate. Updates slowed, refreshed aircraft cabins weren’t added, and the database gradually fell years behind the reality of airline seating. By 2020, the site was effectively frozen in time. In October 2025, TripAdvisor quietly shuttered the service and redirected visitors to its main site, ending SeatGuru’s long run.
Airlines now charge premiums for seat selection, from extra-legroom rows to “preferred” window seats. With lawsuits emerging from passengers who paid for window seats only to find no window, independent seat-map sources have become critical.
Airline-supplied maps rarely highlight poor seat locations, and cabin layouts change frequently due to refurbishments. Travellers need reliable third-party tools to know what they are paying for.
Two platforms have now emerged as the most credible successors to SeatGuru’s legacy:
AeroLOPA
Considered the gold standard for technical accuracy, AeroLOPA publishes meticulously detailed cabin diagrams. The maps show seat measurements, recline, IFE screen sizes, galley and lavatory positions, Wi-Fi availability and — crucially — window alignment. For aircraft aficionados and premium travellers, it provides a level of precision SeatGuru never reached.
SeatMaps.com
More reminiscent of SeatGuru’s user-friendly experience, SeatMaps.com features colour-coded layouts, crowd-sourced seat ratings, and in some cases 360-degree cabin tours. It also offers practical travel info including baggage rules and pet policies. It’s the closest equivalent for casual travellers seeking fast, reliable seat advice.
Between them, the two sites offer both technical depth and usability, giving travellers a sharper and more complete picture of what to expect onboard.
SeatGuru’s closure may feel nostalgic for those who relied on it for years, but in truth its usefulness had faded as the site fell behind rapidly changing aircraft interiors. Today’s alternatives are significantly more detailed and actively maintained.
The advice for business travellers is clear: check your aircraft type, consult AeroLOPA or SeatMaps.com before choosing seats, and avoid paying blindly for seat selection.
Cabin swaps can still happen on the day of travel, but with the right tools, travellers can minimise surprises — and ensure their journey starts in the best seat possible.