How to Search Using Date Ranges in Seats.aero

Seats.aero is designed to help you find award availability across ranges of dates, not just a single day. Using date ranges lets you see more options, spot patterns, and avoid running dozens of individual searches.

This guide explains the two main ways to search by date and when to use each.

Option 1: Search Around a Specific Date (± Days)

If you have a target departure date but some flexibility, this is the fastest option.

How it works

1. Select a departure date.
2. Choose a ± range (e.g. ±1, ±3, ±7, ±14 days).
3. Seats.aero will automatically search that window around your selected date.

Example:

If you select May 18 with ±7 days, we’ll search May 11–25.

Best for

• “I want to fly around this date”
• Finding the cheapest or best option near a specific day
• Quick scans without setting up a full range

💡 Tip: Larger ranges (±14, ±28, ±60 days) are great for premium cabin hunting where availability is unpredictable.

Option 2: Search a Custom Date Range

If your travel window is broader (or not centered on one date), a custom range gives you more control.

How it works

1. Open the date picker.
2. Select Select custom range.
3. Choose a start date and an end date.

Seats.aero will search every date inside that window.

Best for

• “Anytime in March”
• School breaks, holidays, or seasonal travel
• Long-haul award searches where availability may appear on unexpected dates

Using Date Ranges with Alerts

Date ranges work the same way when creating alerts.

You can:

• Set alerts for a specific date
• Use a ± day window
• Choose a custom range
• Select Any date (Pro)

This lets you monitor availability without creating multiple alerts for each day.

💡 Tip: If you’re flexible, a broader date range usually finds availability faster.

Search vs. Alerts: Which Date Option Should I Use?

• Searching: Use broader ranges to explore what’s possible.
• Alerts: Use the smallest range that still fits your flexibility to keep notifications relevant.

Best Practices

• Start broad to see patterns, then narrow once you know what’s realistic.
• For premium cabins, wider ranges almost always help.
• If you’re unsure, try both: run a broad search, then set a focused alert.