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SMSPilot

Flight search, by text.

Text where you are flying and when. SMSPilot searches flights for you and replies with the best options, ranked and easy to compare, on any phone and without an app.

Example conversation

What it does

Ask in plain words

Use city names or airport codes and a date, the way you would ask a person. No forms, no filters, no account.

Get a short answer

SMSPilot compares the options and sends back only the best few, so every reply fits on your screen and makes sense at a glance.

Go deeper by number

Reply with an option’s number for times, fares and next steps. Every follow-up is just one more short text.

How it works

01

Text your trip

Sign up at smspilot.app, then send your route and date to SMSPilot.

JFK to MIA Jan 5
02

See the best options

A ranked shortlist arrives in seconds, each with a number.

Reply 1, 2 or 3
03

Choose and continue

Reply with a number for details and booking options.

2

History

  1. May 2023The ideaA text-message assistant that asks a few questions, searches fares and texts back the options. It was written up as a full requirements document and tested against flight search APIs that summer.
  2. June 2025KSearcherThe first working version. Travellers texted START, answered a few questions one at a time, confirmed with YES and got up to three options per message, with MORE for the next three and a number for a booking link.
  3. July 2025Built for basic phonesSearches moved to their own server so results could take as long as they needed, and every message was rewritten in plain characters after testing on flip phones such as the Kyocera DuraXV.
  4. December 2025KSearcher becomes SMSPilotThe prototype was rebuilt from the ground up as SMSPilot, and TabulaSMS was founded to run it.
  5. May 2026Private betasmspilot.app launched and the first beta travellers began searching by text.
  6. July 2026Registered messagingSMSPilot moved to upgraded, carrier-registered messaging ahead of its public launch.

Search your next flight by text.

Sign-up and the SMSPilot number are on the SMSPilot website.

smspilot.app

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