Seats.aero Pro API: Access, Limits, and Usage

The seats.aero Pro API lets eligible Pro users programmatically query award availability across major airline alliances. This article explains who can use the API, how to get access, daily usage limits, and common questions.

Who can use the Pro API

Pro users

Eligible Pro users can access the API for non-commercial, personal use
Includes a daily usage limit of 1,000 API calls
Usage resets daily at midnight UTC
API access may be limited by geography or other factors
Not all Pro users will see API access enabled in their account

If the API tab is not visible in your settings, your account does not currently have API access.

Commercial use

Commercial or production use is not permitted without explicit written approval
To discuss commercial API access, email developers@seats.aero from a company email with:
- Your use case
- Expected request volume
- Company information

API availability by country

The seats.aero API (personal or commercial) is not available in all countries.

If API access is restricted in your region, you may not be able to generate or use an API key even with a Pro subscription.

Availability is determined by seats.aero and may change over time.

How to get an API key

If your account is eligible, you can generate an API key from your account settings.

Steps

Log in to your seats.aero account
Go to Settings → API
Generate or regenerate your API key

Your API key will look like:

pro_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keep this key secure. Anyone with access to it can make requests on your behalf.

How to authenticate requests

All API requests must include your key in the Partner-Authorization header:

Partner-Authorization: pro_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All responses are returned in JSON
Requests must follow the formats defined in the API Reference

Usage limits and tracking

Daily usage limit

Pro API access includes 1,000 API calls per calendar day
The usage limit resets daily at midnight UTC

This is a usage-based limit, not a per-minute or per-second rate limit.

How to check remaining usage

Every API response includes a header showing how many API calls you have left for the current day:

X-RateLimit-Remaining

Once this reaches zero, API requests will be rejected until the daily reset.

API capabilities

Available to Pro users

Cached Search
Bulk Availability
Get Trips
Get Routes
OAuth (consent and token exchange)

Commercial partners only

Live Search API

Live Search is not available to Pro users, regardless of use case. Access is limited to approved commercial partners.

Full technical details are available in the API Reference.

Alternatives for developers and early-stage products

For developers who are not ready for commercial API access, seats.aero offers a “Login with Seats.aero” option.

This allows third-party apps to:

Use the daily API allotment of authenticated Pro users
Avoid paying for commercial API access
Require end users to maintain a seats.aero Pro subscription

More details:

https://developers.seats.aero/reference/overview

Affiliate program

Developers can also apply to the seats.aero affiliate program:

https://signup.cj.com/member/signup/publisher/?cid=7451848#/

Common questions and issues

I don’t see the API tab in my settings

Not all Pro users are eligible for API access. If the API tab is not visible, your account does not currently have access.

I’m getting a 401 or 403 error

Check that:

Your API key is included in the Partner-Authorization header
The key is valid and hasn’t been regenerated
Your request format matches the API documentation

I’ve hit the usage limit. What now?

API access will automatically resume at midnight UTC. There is no manual reset or override.

Can I use the API for a commercial project?

No. Commercial use is not allowed without written permission from seats.aero.

If you believe your use case qualifies, contact developers@seats.aero with your details.

Getting help

For API-related questions:

Email developers@seats.aero (handled by Support)
Technical or business inquiries will be escalated internally when appropriate