There are a number of ways to get a better seat assignment when you fly, but if you have a specific seat in mind that’s not available when you book, and you don’t want to constantly be checking back, ExpertFlyer can alert you if and when it does open up.
While websites like SeatGuru and aeroLOPA give you more information—such as the amount of legroom and limited recline—about airline seats on specific aircraft, ExpertFlyer is a search tool that will notify you about seat availability. This may be especially handy if you’re currently stuck in a middle seat or separated from a travel companion, or if you simply want to move elsewhere on a flight that appears to have limited seats open.
While you have to create an account to use ExpertFlyer, the service is complimentary (sort of). The free tier allows you to set up one seat alert—meaning any seat, window or aisle, becomes available—at a time, though you have to pay $0.99 to get notifications for a specific seat. (Note: When we tested the process with a free account, there seemed to be a glitch that forced us to select and pay for specific seats.)
A basic subscription ($4.99 per month) includes 250 searches per month and four simultaneous alerts, while a premium account ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year) allows unlimited queries plus a handful of other flight availability and schedule alerts. With a paid account, you can also search for award tickets and upgrades.
If all you want is a notification for your preferred seat on a single holiday flight, you probably don’t need to pay for an ExpertFlyer subscription. However, if you travel often, care a lot about where you sit, and/or want to be able to see award and upgrade availability, you probably won’t get much out of a free account.
How to use ExpertFlyer seat alerts
To get started, create an account using your name and email, follow the verification instructions, and log in. On your dashboard, click the blue Create Alert button (or tap Create New Seat Alert in the left-hand navigation menu). You’ll be prompted to enter the following information:
- Departure and arrival airports
- Departure date
- Airline
- Flight number
- Cabin class (economy, premium, first, etc.)
On the next screen, you’ll see a seat map with availability and location information (such as exit rows and wings). To create your alert, enter an alert title and select any additional options for your search, such as whether you have preferred status or are willing to pay to move seats, and click Create.
If you want to get alerts for specific seats, you can do so with the free tier, but you’ll have to pay $0.99. With a paid subscription, you’ll also have the option to set notifications for exit row seats or two seats together.
If and when your preferred seat becomes available, you’ll get an email notification. Note that ExpertFlyer can’t actually move your seat for you—when you get an alert, you have to go to the airline or booking service to request the change. You will also be notified only once, after which the service will no longer search for seats related to your alert.
Again, with the free tier, you can have only one alert running at a time. To edit or delete current alerts, tap View Saved Alerts on the navigation menu.
Comentarios recientes