How SeatMax works
from setup to savings.
SeatMax turns scattered airport arrivals into coordinated shared rides. Here's every step, from creating an event to the moment everyone's in a car.
Create an event, invite your travelers
Invite links, not passwords
Each Rider gets a unique magic link. One click and they're in — no app download, no password, no friction. They see their event, their ride, and nothing else.
Riders update their own flights
After accepting, Riders can update their own flight details. SeatMax validates flight numbers against real airline data, so it's practically impossible to enter bad information. If a Rider changes their flight, grouping updates automatically.
Enterprise SSO
For organizations with SSO / SAML, traveler lists sync directly from your identity provider. No CSV, no manual entry. Planners just pick the dates and destination.
Two-leg events
SeatMax handles both directions. Set incoming dates (airport to venue) and outgoing dates (venue to airport) independently. Travelers can opt into one or both legs.
Real-time flight data, automatically
Live flight monitoring
SeatMax pulls real-time flight data from AviationStack — the same data airlines and airports use. Arrival times, gate changes, delays, and cancellations are all tracked automatically.
Delay detection & regrouping
When a flight is delayed, SeatMax doesn't just update the ETA — it re-runs the entire grouping algorithm. Travelers are seamlessly moved to a new group that matches their updated arrival time. No Planner intervention required.
Multi-airport support
SeatMax has terminal-level data for over 40 major airports. For cities with multiple airports (NYC, Chicago, London), travelers arriving at different airports are automatically separated into the right groups.
Cron-powered refresh
Flight data refreshes automatically on a daily schedule, and Planners can trigger a manual refresh at any time. By the time travelers land, SeatMax already knows exactly when and where.
Terminal-aware, time-bucketed ride optimization
Per-terminal pickup zones
At airports like LAX, JFK, and ORD, different terminals have different pickup locations — sometimes a mile apart. SeatMax maps terminal-level pickup zones for 40+ airports so riders in the same group are actually at the same curb.
Intelligent vehicle selection
The engine sorts travelers by arrival time, creates time buckets based on a configurable wait window, then fills UberXL (6 seats, $38) before adding UberX (4 seats, $24). Every seat gets filled before a new car is added.
Outgoing leg: 2-hour buffer
For the return trip (venue to airport), SeatMax groups travelers by departure time with a 2-hour airport arrival buffer built in. Travelers heading to the same airport at similar times share a ride — no terminal separation needed since pickup is at the venue.
Real Uber pricing
SeatMax uses real Uber API pricing for each airport-to-destination route. No estimates or averages — the baseline and grouped costs reflect actual market rates for that city, that route, that time of day.
Travelers in different zones are never grouped together — even if their flights land at the same time. SeatMax knows which terminals share a curb and which don't.
Ride Captains, baggage handling, and SMS
Automatic Captain assignment
Every vehicle gets a Ride Captain — the person responsible for confirming everyone is present and initiating the ride. SeatMax picks the best candidate based on configurable criteria: carry-on only travelers are preferred so the Captain isn't stuck at baggage claim.
Baggage-aware eligibility
Planners control whether Captains can have checked bags. When disabled, only carry-on travelers are eligible. This means the Captain is ready at the curb while the rest of the group collects luggage — they can coordinate the meetup without being stuck in baggage claim themselves.
Automatic Captain reassignment
If a Captain's flight is delayed or cancelled, SeatMax automatically reassigns the role to another eligible traveler in the group. The new Captain gets notified instantly. No Planner intervention, no confusion at the curb.
SMS coordination
Riders get SMS notifications with their ride details: vehicle number, Captain name, pickup zone, and co-riders. The Captain gets a confirmation prompt — one tap to signal 'everyone is here' and dispatch the ride.
Flights land, bags clear, rides dispatch
Baggage claim tracking
SeatMax tracks each Rider's luggage status. Carry-on travelers are ready immediately. Checked-bag travelers are marked as waiting until they confirm collection. The ride only dispatches when everyone in the group is ready.
Captain SMS confirmation
When all group members are accounted for, the Ride Captain receives an SMS prompt. One tap to confirm 'everyone is here' — the destination is pre-filled based on the event venue, and SeatMax dispatches the Uber automatically.
Automated Uber dispatch
SeatMax calls the Uber via the Uber Direct API. The pickup location is set to the correct terminal curb, the destination is the event venue, and the vehicle type matches the group size. No one opens the Uber app.
Planner dashboard
Planners watch it all unfold in real time. The simulation dashboard shows which flights have landed, who's at baggage claim, which rides are dispatched, and running cost savings — updated live as the day progresses.
Slack, SMS, and the Rider portal
Slack
Connect your workspace with one click. SeatMax DMs each Rider with their vehicle assignment, Captain name, co-riders, and pickup zone. Slash commands let Riders check their ride and Planners view stats — all without leaving Slack.
SMS
Riders get an SMS when their ride is finalized — vehicle number, Captain contact, and pickup instructions. Captains get a confirmation prompt when all members have arrived.
Rider Portal
Every Rider has a personal dashboard showing their events, ride assignments, Captain, co-riders, and pickup details. Accessible via magic link — no password needed. Riders can update their own flight info at any time.
Verified savings, transparent reporting
Verified, not estimated
Because SeatMax dispatches the rides through the Uber API, we know the exact fare for every grouped ride. We compare that to what individual rides would have cost on the same routes. No guesswork — real numbers in your post-event report.
You only pay when we save
SeatMax's fee is 10% of verified savings. If the grouped rides don't cost less than individual rides, you owe nothing. We're only paid when we deliver real value.
Post-event breakdown
After your event, you get a full report: every vehicle, every route, baseline vs. actual cost, savings per group, and the total. Share it with finance, use it to justify the next event.
Day-of simulation
Before the event, Planners can run a full simulation of the day — watching flights land, bags clear, and rides dispatch in accelerated time. Test different configurations, see projected savings, and build confidence before the real day arrives.
The details
The nuances that make it work.
Ground transport coordination isn't just grouping people by time. It's dozens of edge cases that compound. SeatMax handles all of them.
Terminal pickup zone mapping
40+ airports with terminal-level pickup coordinates. SeatMax knows which terminals share a curb and which are a shuttle ride apart.
Captain eligibility rules
Planners configure whether Captains can have checked bags. Carry-on-only Captains are at the curb first, ready to coordinate before anyone else arrives.
Automatic Captain reassignment
Flight delayed? Cancelled? The Captain role silently transfers to the next eligible traveler. No Planner intervention. No confusion.
Direction-aware grouping
Incoming rides group by terminal. Outgoing rides group by airport only — because everyone departs from the same venue. Two completely different algorithms, one engine.
Rider self-service
Riders update their own flights through a validated form. Flight numbers are checked against real airline data — practically impossible to enter bad info.
Baggage claim timing
SeatMax models baggage wait times (15-45 minutes after landing) and doesn't dispatch until everyone has their bags. No one's left circling the terminal.
Multi-day event support
Set different incoming and outgoing dates. Travelers arriving Monday and leaving Thursday are grouped independently for each day.
Real-time delay cascading
A 30-minute delay doesn't just update one flight — it triggers a full regroup. The affected traveler might move to a different vehicle, and their old group gets a new Captain.