AirRoster vs SkyCrew 2026: Which Crew Roster App Should You Actually Use?

Last Updated: April 2026 | 8 min read | Crew Roster Apps

SkyCrew has a loyal following among crew at a handful of Gulf and Southeast Asian carriers. It does one thing: pull your roster from AIMS eCrew and display it in a clean calendar view. For that narrow slice, it works.

But "works for one scheduling system" is a significant limitation in 2026, when airlines run on a dozen different platforms, crew change carriers more frequently than ever, and expecting your roster app to survive a single airline transition is not unreasonable.

AirRoster was built without that constraint. 400+ airlines, every major scheduling system, every device including web, automatic sync, and family sharing that requires nothing from the recipient. This comparison lays out exactly where the two apps stand and why AirRoster is the stronger choice for the majority of crew worldwide.

The One Thing That Matters Most

Before comparing any feature, ask one question: does your airline use AIMS eCrew?

SkyCrew is built exclusively for the AIMS eCrew rostering platform. If your airline uses AIMS, SkyCrew can import your roster. If your airline uses anything else — ARMS, NavBlue RAIDO, CAE Crew Access, Sabre, Netline, CESAR, FLICA, PDC CrewConnex — SkyCrew cannot import your roster at all. It is architecturally locked to a single system.

AirRoster supports 400+ airlines across all of these scheduling systems and more. It is not locked to any single platform. If you change airlines tomorrow, AirRoster still works.

That single architectural difference defines everything else in this comparison.

What Is SkyCrew?

SkyCrew is developed by SkyCrew FZE and available on iOS and Android. It connects to the AIMS eCrew platform and displays your roster in a monthly calendar view with crew lists, basic statistics, and calendar export.

The app has a free tier with advertisements and a premium plan that removes ads, increases the number of friends you can view, adds priority roster updates, and enables LogTen Pro export on iOS.

A significant reliability concern: SkyCrew's own terms of service acknowledge that airlines introducing Microsoft or OKTA multi-factor authentication can temporarily prevent roster updates through their platform. When this happens, SkyCrew advises users to fall back to the airline's official website. For a roster app, "temporarily stops working when your airline updates its security" is a fundamental reliability gap.

What Is AirRoster?

AirRoster is developed by Wingman Avtech and available on iOS, Android, and web at app.airroster.com with no installation required. It supports 400+ airlines across every major scheduling system and every major region — the Middle East, Europe, India, the UK, USA, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

AirRoster does three things: syncs your roster automatically, displays it cleanly on any device, and lets you share it with family without requiring them to install anything. No logbook, no messaging layer, no tax tool. Just your roster, reliably.

app.airroster.com

AirRoster - Rosters, simplified

The most beautiful roster app you've ever seen. Effortlessly view, save & share your roster. Try for FREE now.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Scheduling System Support

This is the comparison that ends the discussion for most crew.

SkyCrew: AIMS eCrew only. No other scheduling platform is supported. If your airline migrates away from AIMS, or you move to a carrier on a different system, SkyCrew becomes useless overnight.

AirRoster: AIMS eCrew, ARMS, CAE Crew Access, NavBlue RAIDO, CESAR, Sabre, Netline, CAE FLICA, PDC CrewConnex, and more being added regularly. Your roster app works regardless of which scheduling system your airline runs, and keeps working if you change carriers.

Roster Import and Reliability

SkyCrew: Automatic via the AIMS eCrew API. Background sync frequency on Android is approximately hourly. On iOS, Apple controls the frequency and it cannot be guaranteed. When airlines roll out MFA changes, roster imports can break temporarily with no clear timeline for restoration.

AirRoster: Automatic sync from your airline's scheduling system. One tap, current roster, no login loop, no session timeouts. MFA compatibility is actively maintained as airlines update their security requirements — this is not left as an open risk.

Platform Availability

SkyCrew: iOS and Android only. No web access.

AirRoster: iOS, Android, and any web browser. Your roster is accessible from a hotel computer, a borrowed device, or your laptop at app.airroster.com without installing anything. For crew who do not always have their personal phone on hand, web access is not a convenience — it is a necessity.

Offline Access

SkyCrew: Cached roster is viewable offline once synced. Background sync reliability varies by device, airline, and MFA status.

AirRoster: Auto-caches on every sync across all three platforms. Full loaded period available offline including multiple weeks ahead. Works in airplane mode without qualification.

Family Sharing

SkyCrew: Sharing is available within the SkyCrew ecosystem. Recipients need to be part of the SkyCrew platform. Premium plans unlock more friends.

AirRoster: Family members view your schedule without downloading anything, creating an account, or installing an app. You share a link. They see your schedule. The shared view is clean and does not expose company-internal notes or crew names.

For the partner who just wants to know when you land, AirRoster's approach eliminates every point of friction.

Crew List Visibility

SkyCrew: Shows who you are flying with for each sector. This is one of SkyCrew's most positively reviewed features among its user base.

AirRoster: Crew information is available where provided by your airline's scheduling system.

Career Statistics

SkyCrew: Block hour graphs, duty hour breakdowns, and FTL views. Functional for tracking your flying pattern.

AirRoster: Detailed statistics covering block hours, duty hours, rest periods, and FTL-relevant calculations across custom date ranges.

LogTen Pro Export

SkyCrew: Available on iOS for premium subscribers. Useful for pilots maintaining a digital logbook through LogTen.

AirRoster: AirRoster is a roster app, not a logbook. For logbook needs, Wingman Pilot Logbook (from the same developer) supports direct eGCA upload, CA-39 generation, auto roster import from 400+ airlines, and export to 50+ logbook formats across FAA, EASA, DGCA, GCAA, GACA, UK CAA, CASA, and more.

Pricing

SkyCrew: Free tier with advertisements. Premium pricing removes ads and unlocks additional features.

AirRoster: Free tier with full roster access. No ads on the free tier. No credit card required.

Side-by-Side Summary

Feature	AirRoster	SkyCrew
Scheduling systems	AIMS, ARMS, NavBlue, CAE, Sabre, Netline, FLICA, CESAR, CrewConnex + more	AIMS eCrew only
Airlines supported	400+	Limited to AIMS airlines
iOS	Full features	Full features
Android	Full features	Full features
Web browser	Full features at app.airroster.com	Not available
Offline access	All platforms, multi-week cache	Mobile only, sync varies
Family sharing	No app or account needed	Within SkyCrew ecosystem
MFA resilience	Actively maintained	Can break on airline MFA changes
Crew list	Where provided by airline system	Core feature
LogTen Pro export	No (use Wingman Pilot Logbook)	iOS premium only
Career statistics	Detailed, custom date ranges	Block hours, duty hours, FTL
Free tier	Full roster access, no ads	Ad-supported, limited features
Airline coverage	Global — Middle East, Europe, India, UK, US, Africa, Southeast Asia	Gulf and Southeast Asia primarily

Where SkyCrew Falls Short

Locked to one scheduling system. This is not a minor limitation. It is an architectural ceiling. The moment your airline moves off AIMS or you move to a carrier on a different platform, SkyCrew stops working. In an industry where crew change airlines, airlines change systems, and mergers happen, betting your daily tool on a single integration is a risk.

MFA breaks are acknowledged, not solved. SkyCrew's own terms tell users to fall back to the airline website when MFA changes disrupt the app. A roster app that periodically cannot fetch your roster is not a roster app you can depend on.

No web access. In 2026, a mobile-only roster app means you cannot check your schedule from a desktop, a hotel computer, or any device without the app installed. AirRoster runs in any browser.

Family sharing requires the ecosystem. Asking your family to join SkyCrew's platform to see when you are home adds friction that AirRoster eliminates entirely.

Geographic concentration. SkyCrew's airline support is concentrated in the Gulf and Southeast Asia among AIMS airlines. Crew at carriers in India, the UK, the US, Europe, and Africa using other scheduling systems have no option with SkyCrew.

When SkyCrew Might Still Work for You

If you fly for an AIMS eCrew airline, have no plans to change carriers, specifically value the crew list feature, and do not need web access or frictionless family sharing, SkyCrew is functional for that use case.

But those are narrow conditions that describe a shrinking portion of the global crew population.

Who Should Use AirRoster

Your airline is not on AIMS eCrew. SkyCrew does not work for you. AirRoster does.

You want an app that survives a carrier change. AirRoster supports 400+ airlines across every major scheduling system. Switch airlines and your roster app still works.

You need web access. AirRoster runs in any browser at app.airroster.com. SkyCrew does not.

You want family sharing that requires nothing from your family. No app, no account, no setup.

You are cabin crew. AirRoster is built for pilots and cabin crew equally. SkyCrew's feature set, including LogTen Pro export, is pilot-centric.

You want MFA resilience. AirRoster actively maintains compatibility as airlines update their authentication. SkyCrew's terms acknowledge this is an unresolved risk.

You fly in any region globally. AirRoster covers the Middle East, Europe, India, the UK, the US, Africa, and Southeast Asia across all major scheduling systems. SkyCrew covers a subset of AIMS airlines.

How to Get Started with AirRoster

1. Open AirRoster on iOS, Android, or in your browser at app.airroster.com

2. Select your airline from 400+ supported carriers

3. Tap to sync and your roster imports automatically

4. Share with family using a simple link — no app required on their end

5. Set up daily auto-sync and never think about it again

Your roster, on every device, always current, always offline-ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SkyCrew work for all airlines? No. SkyCrew is built exclusively for the AIMS eCrew rostering platform. Airlines using other scheduling systems are not supported.

Does AirRoster support AIMS eCrew airlines? Yes. AirRoster supports AIMS eCrew alongside ARMS, CAE Crew Access, NavBlue RAIDO, CESAR, Sabre, Netline, FLICA, PDC CrewConnex, and more.

Does SkyCrew work on desktop or web? No. SkyCrew is available on iOS and Android only. AirRoster is accessible on iOS, Android, and any web browser at app.airroster.com.

Is SkyCrew free? SkyCrew has a free tier with advertisements. Premium plans remove ads and unlock additional features including more friends, priority updates, and LogTen Pro export on iOS.

Is AirRoster free? Yes. AirRoster has a free tier with full roster access and no ads. Try it at app.airroster.com with no payment details required.

What happens if my airline changes its MFA setup and SkyCrew stops working? SkyCrew's terms acknowledge that airline MFA changes can temporarily disrupt roster access and advise using the official airline website as a fallback. AirRoster actively maintains MFA compatibility as airlines update their security requirements.

Can I switch from SkyCrew to AirRoster? Yes. AirRoster does not require any data export or migration from SkyCrew. Sign up, select your airline, and your roster loads directly from your airline's scheduling system.

What if I change airlines? If your new airline uses AIMS eCrew, SkyCrew will still work. If it uses any other scheduling system, SkyCrew will not. AirRoster supports 400+ airlines across all major scheduling systems, so it works regardless of which carrier you move to.

Does AirRoster work offline? Yes. AirRoster auto-caches your roster on every sync across iOS, Android, and web. Your full loaded period is available offline including multiple weeks ahead.

The Bottom Line

SkyCrew built a functional product for one scheduling system. That was a reasonable bet when AIMS eCrew dominated certain regions. But the airline industry does not stand still. Airlines change scheduling platforms. Crew change airlines. MFA requirements evolve. A roster app locked to a single integration is a roster app with an expiry date.

AirRoster works across every major scheduling system, on every device including web, with family sharing that requires nothing from your family, and MFA resilience that is actively maintained rather than acknowledged as an open risk. It covers 400+ airlines across every major region globally.

Your roster is something you check every single day. The app that handles it should not come with conditions.

Try AirRoster Free at app.airroster.com

Feature information sourced from official app store listings, developer documentation, and terms of use as of early 2026. SkyCrew MFA limitations are per the developer's own published terms of service.