AeroLOPA’s New App Is The Best Tool For Choosing Airplane Seats

AeroLOPA’s New App Is The Best Tool For Choosing Airplane Seats

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I’ve written in the past about AeroLOPA, which I consider to be the best resource for picking airplane seats. AeroLOPA publishes airplane seat maps that are on a completely different level when it comes to detail and accuracy, and that’s something I really love (both from a practical perspective, and also just due to how nerdy it all is).

Along those lines, AeroLOPA has just launched an app, which takes these capabilities to the next level. While the app is paid (with a free 14-day trial), I think many frequent flyers will find this to be useful.

AeroLOPA launches app, adds SeatGuru founder to team

AeroLOPA has made a couple of major announcements today. First of all, SeatGuru founder Matt Daimler has joined the AeroLOPA team. As many will remember, SeatGuru used to be the go-to website for airplane seat maps. It ended up being acquired by Tripadvisor, only to formally be shut down in late 2025 (after not being updated for years).

That struck me as such a wasted opportunity for Tripadvisor, but fortunately we now have AeroLOPA, which is like SeatGuru 2.0, as I see it. For context, AeroLOPA was founded by Gregor Milne, an architect who started the site as a hobby (which explains why the drawings are so incredibly accurate and detailed). He then teamed up with Jonathan Shapiro, and together they formed the current version of AeroLOPA.

As part of the growth of AeroLOPA, they’ve just launched a mobile app for both iOS and Android, making AeroLOPA the only major seat map service with a native mobile app. This comes with a 14-day free trial, and after that, it costs either $5 per month or $29 per year (so that’s quite a discount for buying the annual membership).

The AeroLOPA website continues to be free to use, with everything we’re used to — that includes architectural drawings of real aircraft, with a level of detail you won’t find anywhere else.

What makes the AeroLOPA app worth paying for, compared to the free website? For one, the idea is that this is easier to use when on the go, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Exclusive features include route-based seat map searches across multiple carriers, a “Sunny Side” feature (showing which side of the aircraft the sun will light up on a specific flight), stored seat maps for when you don’t have internet access, and push alerts for day-of-travel airplane changes.

AeroLOPA has also introduced “Super Schedule,” which compares every aircraft flying between two airports. For each route, it shows what differs from flight to flight, from Wi-Fi speed and availability, to cabin layout, to which lavatories serve each cabin. This also shows what aircraft have really flown each flight over the past 30 days, taking into account any aircraft swaps, which sure can be helpful if you want to maximize your odds of actually getting the product that you booked.

Big picture, what I love about the folks behind AeroLOPA is how wonderfully nerdy they are. I had the chance to speak to them recently about the app, and their enthusiasm for talking about just how much they can do with data, and measuring every little aspect of the passenger experience, is next level. Those are my kind of people, and I’m sure they have even more in store for us.

Playing around with the new AeroLOPA app

The AeroLOPA app is super easy to use. Once you’re on the main page, you can choose how to search seat maps, either by entering your flight number, or by simply browsing by airline and aircraft type.

AeroLOPA currently supports over 200 airlines and nearly 1,600 aircraft types across those. Just to give a sense of the level of detail, AeroLOPA publishes the seat maps for all three variants of Air Peace’s hodgepodge of 777s… how great is that? 😉

AeroLOPA app screen listing airlines and aircraft types available for seat map search
AeroLOPA app
AeroLOPA app screen showing the option to search seat maps by flight number
AeroLOPA app

If you choose to search by flight number, you’ll have the option of receiving alerts for that specific flight. And if it’s within 24 hours, AeroLOPA will even try to show you the exact tail number that’s expected to operate your flight, providing even more certainty to the type of experience you can expect.

AeroLOPA app screen displaying the predicted tail number for an upcoming flight
AeroLOPA app

You can then see seat maps, with seats marked as green, yellow, or red, based on whether they’re recommended or not, with an explanation for why. You can also enter your exact seat, and then it will have a circle around where you’re seated, for even easier viewing.

AeroLOPA app seat map with seats color-coded green, yellow, and red based on recommendations
AeroLOPA app
AeroLOPA app seat map with a circle highlighting the user's selected seat
AeroLOPA app

The level of detail provided about the exact product is also impressive, with a tier rating. Honestly, rating Delta’s 767 business class as “middle tier” is generous, but I understand that’s because they’re going off of objective facts like bed length, rather than the overall state of the product, which is harder to quantify.

AeroLOPA app screen showing a seat's tier rating and product details
AeroLOPA app
AeroLOPA app screen showing detailed seat specifications and measurements
AeroLOPA app

Those who are less familiar with products will also appreciate the ability to search a particular route without entering an airline or flight number, and have AeroLOPA rank the products based on various attributes.

AeroLOPA app screen ranking aircraft products for a specific route
AeroLOPA app

Not only is this app useful, but as an avgeek, it’s also just really fun to play around with. Like I said, the level of detail here — down to the exact location of windows and everything else — is just unlike what you’ll find anywhere else.

Bottom line

AeroLOPA has just launched a new app, which is no doubt the best resource for airplane seat maps. While the website continues to be free to use, the app adds some cool new features, and is also handy if you’re on the go, especially while traveling.

The app has a 14-day free trial, and then costs either $5 per month or $29 per year, so I’d consider that to be pretty reasonable pricing. If you’re an AeroLOPA fan, definitely check it out. Though if you’re happy with the website, you can always just keep using that.

If you have the chance to give it a try, what do you make of the new AeroLOPA app?

Conversations (33)
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  1. Steve_from_Seattle Gold

    I liked the old SeatGuru, when it was still being updated. I don't like that Aerolopa requires you to sign in to see any useful information, but it does show good information if you do. I like being able to punch in an airline, flight number, and date of travel to go immediately to the layout for the aircraft--but I haven't tested it to know if that information is actually correct. I don't like that...

    I liked the old SeatGuru, when it was still being updated. I don't like that Aerolopa requires you to sign in to see any useful information, but it does show good information if you do. I like being able to punch in an airline, flight number, and date of travel to go immediately to the layout for the aircraft--but I haven't tested it to know if that information is actually correct. I don't like that it's hard to navigate back to the form for changing the specific flight.

    My comments are about the website, not the app. Like many other posters, I don't want to buy yet another subscription so likely will stay away from the app.

  2. Spinstars Platinum

    Hmm I think I’ll stick with the free website. Don’t personally think it’s worth another subscription to add to my mounting pile. But love the layouts.

  3. quorumcall Diamond

    AeroLOPA is so much more than SeatGuru ever was, so excited about this one

  4. DontAskMyAge Member

    Also you can view from google flight as well what type of aircraft is scheduled.

  5. DontAskMyAge Member

    Alot of wifi is wrong for Aerolopa, it's ok for free, but I exepct better QA for paid

  6. CPH-Flyer Diamond

    I actually feel that the accuracy of the cabin layouts is starting to deteriorate. The website was great to begin with, but as the number of seat maps grew, and the rush to get them loaded before final information is available and then missing the final touches, the quality startet to drop.

    With seat recommendations, are we now going to get all the pointless 'close to galley' comments from seat guru?

  7. RayFlyer Guest

    Important to me: shows 'window-less window seats.' Clearly shows where the fuselage has no window.

  8. splane21 Gold

    If they also included the same features as Flighty then it could be an all around replacement and they could gather huge market share

  9. Matt Guest

    This is great - thanks for the heads-up on this! Like others, I miss SeatGuru very much, and am glad this is developing. And like others: Please include user reviews! :-)

  10. Retired Gambler Guest

    Love their site but will continue to use the free website instead of the app. Most of my bookings are done from my home office anyway so no problem. The times I may be traveling and need to check a seat location are slim and none with slim having left town.

  11. Jones Guest

    “….. a “Sunny Side” feature (showing which side of the aircraft the sun will light up on a specific flight) …..”

    Sometime ago, right here in the OMAAT comments section, someone mentioned a web-site that does this very thing. Stupidly, I forgot to make a note of its name at the time but IIRC it had the word ‘helios’ in its name.

    Does anyone remember what its name was?

  12. 1990_ Diamond

    Fine. It's the best we got for now, but... *sigh* I miss SeatGuru so much. Can we please bring back user-contributions? Reading through real traveler comments on specific rows and galley noise was infinitely more helpful than just looking at a pretty layout.

  13. Kenneth Guest

    "The AeroLOPA website continues to be free to use, with everything we’re used to — that includes architectural drawings of real aircraft, with a level of detail you won’t find anywhere else."

    Sorry Ben, not gonna let this slide - it is false.

    The drawings are still free (and wonderful), thankfully, but the site has had one level of "enshittification" (technical term - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification ). The details for each seat, for example platform, pitch, IFE...

    "The AeroLOPA website continues to be free to use, with everything we’re used to — that includes architectural drawings of real aircraft, with a level of detail you won’t find anywhere else."

    Sorry Ben, not gonna let this slide - it is false.

    The drawings are still free (and wonderful), thankfully, but the site has had one level of "enshittification" (technical term - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification ). The details for each seat, for example platform, pitch, IFE details, etc, are now hidden behind a login. If it's free, why log in? Well, we all know the answer - the same reason as the restaurant requiring your phone number to turn on the grill. Some may claim it's anti-bot/AI, but we also know that AIs can make accounts just fine, etc.

    There is a real value to the additions you describe on the app. The team has done great work. Additionally, I don't take issue with the team wanting to get paid. Adding value is a great way to do that.

    But do not tell your readers that the website has "everything we're used to" when things have recently changed (earlier this year). Removing or blocking something that used to be casually available leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I've gotten extremely sensitive to this over the recent years.

    Best and sincere wishes to you, Ben, and the AeroLOPA team!

    1. TravelinWilly Diamond

      "...the same reason as the restaurant requiring your phone number to turn on the grill."

      I'm sorry, but what does this mean, or to what is this referring?

    2. Kenneth Guest

      Many restaurants (and other establishments) require a phone number in order to process you as a customer, as a result of their point of sale systems or some other procedure. "Requiring your phone number to turn on the grill" here means that they need some piece of personally identifiable information before they can serve you food, which I find distasteful (and I don't enjoy giving false info either). Neither the food cares who I am,...

      Many restaurants (and other establishments) require a phone number in order to process you as a customer, as a result of their point of sale systems or some other procedure. "Requiring your phone number to turn on the grill" here means that they need some piece of personally identifiable information before they can serve you food, which I find distasteful (and I don't enjoy giving false info either). Neither the food cares who I am, nor do any of the processes leading up to it.

      The specific reason for a restaurant to do this and not offer an alternative is, of course, so they (either the restaurant or, more likely, the point of sale vendor) can spam your phone/email (I'm sorry, I misstated it, they "send you promotional offers you can opt out of") and sell your number, email, and various other data onward to data brokers. I don't know if AeroLOPA is currently doing this, but let's put it this way: you can't (ab)use information you don't have.

      I hope bringing these thoughts into the conversation helps things improve!

    3. travelingposer Member

      Totally agree. The new-ish requirement to sign in to view the cabin specifications is really annoying and does not strike me as a good sign of what's to come.

    4. Kaleb_With_A_K Diamond

      I agree 100%.

      I am not creating an account on AeroLOPA to obtain access to supposedly "free" information.

      I will stick with seatmaps.com.

  14. Jimmy’s Travel Report Diamond

    App looks pretty good. Would like to see a lifetime option.

    1. glenn t Diamond

      hmm.. you'd want an actuary to evaluate that option to see what value it would give!

  15. yoloswag420 Guest

    "I think many frequent flyers will find this to be useful."

    Ironically, it is the frequent flyers who do not need this. They would already know what are the best seats in each cabin or aircraft configuration.

    This is such a crazy thing to try and monetize tbh.

    1. Alvin | YTHK Diamond

      I'd like to come back on this – this is a value-add to many, and the website with actual seat information remains free (it's only paid if you use the app, which is an actual travel enhancement tool). I'm happy to support people who are trying to make a living out of creating travel tools like these, especially given the ad revenue industry nowadays. I see it a bit like if you're using a plugin as a musician, or if you pay for a photo editing app as a photographer

    2. TravelinWilly Diamond

      Alvin | YTHK you nailed it.

      Also, while some people fall down YouTube rabbit holes, I can't tell you how many times I've fallen down AeroLOPA rabbit holes. Those of us who geek out on civil aviation (Hi there!) are thrilled with this app, and I've already happily subscribed today.

    3. jetset Diamond

      Disagree. I'm a frequent flyer but I don't have every aircraft of my preferred airlines committed to memory so I frequently reference AeroLOPA.

      Now, I still think their specific niche will be hard to monetize in the way websites and apps are expected to these days, but I wouldn't say there's no value for frequent flyers.

    4. Steve_from_Seattle Gold

      @jetset--I completely agree. I would add that most airlines have multiple versions of the "same* aircraft so a tool where you can punch in the airline, flight number, and date to get to the correct seat map, with ratings for each seat, is potentially very useful--PROVIDED it's accurate.

  16. josh Guest

    Former Tripadvisor employee here! Totally agree, I wish we had done more with Seats.Aero, and flights in general.
    Quick FYI, the org name changed several years ago to Tripadvisor, dropping the capital A. Thanks for all the great content!

  17. Alvin | YTHK Diamond

    I'd love there to be a ChatGPT function where you can search for a flight (e.g. CX549 in business, 15 Nov 2025) and return a description of what the seat product will be like (e.g. You'll be getting the Aria Suite, Cathay's newest business class produt with a door. Make sure you check out both the Japan Airlines and Cathay lounges at Haneda Airport, and the AmEx Centurion Lounge if you have a Platinum card)....

    I'd love there to be a ChatGPT function where you can search for a flight (e.g. CX549 in business, 15 Nov 2025) and return a description of what the seat product will be like (e.g. You'll be getting the Aria Suite, Cathay's newest business class produt with a door. Make sure you check out both the Japan Airlines and Cathay lounges at Haneda Airport, and the AmEx Centurion Lounge if you have a Platinum card). A bit like ExpertFlyer except it checks AeroLOPA by itself and returns what the seat will be like, as well as other ground experience tidbits.

    If anyone from AeroLOPA is reading this (or anyone who has access to airline seat data and can make GPTs) we should make it happen!

  18. walester Gold

    Thanks, Ben. A very helpful story!

    I checked with ChatGPT, and it claims that the app works for these devices:

    * Android phones/tablets — native AeroLOPA app available from Google Play. AeroLOPA on Google Play⁠
    * iPhone — native app, requiring iOS 15.1 or later.
    * Mac — the iPhone version can run on Apple-silicon Macs (M1 or newer) with macOS 12+, although Apple says it is not verified for macOS.
    *...

    Thanks, Ben. A very helpful story!

    I checked with ChatGPT, and it claims that the app works for these devices:

    * Android phones/tablets — native AeroLOPA app available from Google Play. AeroLOPA on Google Play⁠
    * iPhone — native app, requiring iOS 15.1 or later.
    * Mac — the iPhone version can run on Apple-silicon Macs (M1 or newer) with macOS 12+, although Apple says it is not verified for macOS.
    * Windows — I still find no native Windows AeroLOPA app. Windows users can use the AeroLOPA website through their browser.

    Not sure that this is accurate, but worth confirming.

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Steve_from_Seattle Gold

I liked the old SeatGuru, when it was still being updated. I don't like that Aerolopa requires you to sign in to see any useful information, but it does show good information if you do. I like being able to punch in an airline, flight number, and date of travel to go immediately to the layout for the aircraft--but I haven't tested it to know if that information is actually correct. I don't like that it's hard to navigate back to the form for changing the specific flight. My comments are about the website, not the app. Like many other posters, I don't want to buy yet another subscription so likely will stay away from the app.

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Spinstars Platinum

Hmm I think I’ll stick with the free website. Don’t personally think it’s worth another subscription to add to my mounting pile. But love the layouts.

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quorumcall Diamond

AeroLOPA is so much more than SeatGuru ever was, so excited about this one

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DontAskMyAge Member

Also you can view from google flight as well what type of aircraft is scheduled.

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DontAskMyAge Member

Alot of wifi is wrong for Aerolopa, it's ok for free, but I exepct better QA for paid

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