

        📚 GDS Academy

        
            
                
                    Amadeus GDS Commands & Lessons | GDS Hub
                    35
                

            
                
                    Galileo GDS Commands & Lessons | GDS Hub
                    27
                

            
                
                    Sabre GDS Commands & Lessons | GDS Hub
                    20
                

                    

        
            🛠 Tools
            Airport Taxes Database
            Airports Database
            Farebase Generator
            Tax Checker
            Airline Special Services

Amadeus SM Command: Display Aircraft Seat Map

A complete guide to the SM command in Amadeus — how to display an aircraft seat map and check available seats before requesting or selecting a seat.

Before a seat can be requested, it has to be seen. Passengers want to know where they will sit — window or aisle, front or back, near the emergency exit or away from the galley. The SM command is the Amadeus entry that displays an aircraft seat map, showing the seat layout and the seats that are available, occupied, or blocked. It is the first step in any advance seat request, and it can be requested for a specific flight, a segment in a retrieved PNR, or a flight shown on an availability display. This guide explains what SM does, the syntax for each variation, and when it should be used.

What Does the SM Command Do?

SM is the Amadeus GDS command used to display an aircraft seat map.

Category: Seat Map & Seat Selection.

It allows you to view the seat layout and available seats for a flight before requesting or selecting a seat. The seat map shows the aircraft configuration, seat numbers, and the current occupancy status, so you can choose the best available seats for the passenger.

Request a Seat Map for a Flight

Request the seat map for a specific flight, class, date, and route:

SMLH131/C/19AUGMUCFRA

This requests the seat map for LH131 in booking class C, on 19 August, flying from MUC to FRA. Use this format when you know the flight details but the PNR has not yet been created or you want to check seats in a different class.

Request a Vertical Seat Map

Request a vertical seat map instead of the default horizontal layout:

SMRG810/C/19SEPGIGMIA/V

The /V option at the end of the entry switches the display to a vertical layout — useful on wide-body aircraft where the horizontal map is harder to read, or when a different visualisation makes seat selection easier.

Seat Map from a PNR Segment

Request the seat map for a segment in the retrieved PNR:

SM3

This requests the seat map for segment 3 in the retrieved PNR. It is the fastest way to view seats for a booked flight — the system pulls the flight, date, and class directly from the PNR.

Seat Map from Availability

Request the seat map for a flight shown on an availability display:

SM/4

This requests the seat map for the flight on line 4 of an availability display. Use it before selling a segment, to check whether the seat map is available and what seats exist for that flight in the relevant class.

When to Use SM

Use SM when you need to view the aircraft seat map and check available seats before making an advance seat request. Typical scenarios include:

Checking which seats are available before requesting one for a passenger.
Confirming the aircraft layout and seat numbering on a specific flight.
Checking the seat map for a segment already booked in the PNR.
Viewing seats before selling a new segment from availability.
Comparing seat availability between different booking classes.
Checking whether a specific seat (window, aisle, exit row) is still free.
Preparing seat requests for groups or families travelling together.

How SM Fits Into Your Seat Request Workflow

A typical seat request session using SM might look like this:

Retrieve the PNR with RT or display availability for the flight.
Enter SM3, SM/4, or the flight-specific SM entry to view the seat map.
Review the seat map and identify the seats the passenger prefers.
Request the chosen seats with ST for individual passengers or STG for group PNRs.
Verify the request was applied by redisplaying the PNR.
If a change is needed, cancel the existing seats with SX before re-requesting.

How SM Relates to Other Seat Commands

SM → displays the aircraft seat map.
ST → requests seats for individual passengers.
STG → requests seats for group PNRs.
SX → cancels seat requests from all or specific segments.
RT → retrieves a live PNR to work with before seat selection.
RTN → displays passenger names, useful in group bookings.

The sequence is always the same: SM displays the map, ST or STG requests the seats, and SX cancels them when changes are needed.

Important: Not every airline or flight supports advance seat maps. Some carriers only accept seat requests after ticketing, some block seat maps on certain fare types, and others do not offer advance seat selection on group bookings at all. If SM returns no display, the flight likely does not support advance seat requests in your market.

Displaying a seat map does not reserve a seat. Only an ST or STG request places a seat on the passenger’s booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SM do in Amadeus?

SM displays an aircraft seat map showing the seat layout and available seats for a flight.

What does SM3 mean?

It requests the seat map for segment 3 in the retrieved PNR.

What does the /V option do?

It switches the seat map to a vertical layout. For example, SMRG810/C/19SEPGIGMIA/V displays a vertical seat map for RG810.

How do I display a seat map from an availability display?

Use SM/4 to display the seat map for the flight on line 4 of the availability display.

Does displaying a seat map reserve a seat?

No. SM only displays the map. Use ST or STG to actually request a seat.

Conclusion

The SM command is the seat map display tool in Amadeus. Use SMLH131/C/19AUGMUCFRA to display a seat map for a specific flight, SMRG810/C/19SEPGIGMIA/V for a vertical layout, SM3 for a segment in the retrieved PNR, or SM/4 for a flight shown on an availability display. It is the first step in every advance seat request, and it gives the passenger a clear picture of what seats are available before any commitment is made. Remember that SM only displays the map — the actual seat request is made with ST for individuals and STG for groups, while changes are managed with SX. Together, they complete the Amadeus seat management toolkit and give every passenger the seat they want.