Summer hasn’t passed yet, and if you’re looking for cheap plane tickets, you should know that a service launched by Google can help. It’s easy to use and all you have to do is enter your departure airport, destination and travel dates, according to Travel+Leisure.
Google Flights also provides price history information. Photo: Archive
If your travel plan is flexible and you want to see where in the world (and when) you can travel to take advantage of the best deal, use the “Explore” tool.
“Just enter the departure airport, which may already be filled in based on your location, and leave the destination blank“said Sophia Lin, director of product management at Google.
“Click on the «Explore» button and you will be redirected to the map“. In addition, you can choose the “flexible” option to see the cheapest flights.
Google Flights also provides historical price information for various routes as long as there is enough data.
“This information will tell you if prices are low, average or high compared to what we’ve seen for similar trips over the past 12 monthsSophia Lin added.
“For example, this information might tell you that the cheapest time to book similar trips is usually two months before departure, and you are now in the best time. Or you might find that prices usually drop closer to departure, so you decide to wait before bookingLin added.
Once you’ve zeroed in on a specific destination, you can set up flight price alerts to monitor any changes.
How to search for flights
The first step is to enter the departure city, destination and travel dates. Google Flights will then display a list of flights, and the initial results are usually sorted based on a combination of factors – such as price, duration and number of stops – to show the best options.
If you have preferences – for example, the number of stops, you can use the filters to narrow down the list of available flights.
If you found an attractive offer and want to book, Google Flights redirects you to various sites. This service provided by Google is a flight search engine, which means that you will not book directly from Google Flights.
“Our aim is to display as many options as possible, including the possibility to book directly with the airline, as well as other prices offered by third-party booking sites”says Lin.
Airports and alternate routes
One of the best ways to save money on flights is to be flexible about your departure and/or arrival airports. Fortunately, Google Flights lets you enter multiple airports in a single search. “For large cities with multiple airports, like New York or London, we’ll include flight options for all airports by default”, claims Lin.
But you can manually enter more airports in your search, expanding your options. For example, you might want to search for flights from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, since the airports are not too far apart. “You just need to enter the first airport in the search box, then press the «+» symbol to add additional airports as you wish. So you can combine airports to get the best deal”says Lin.
How to set price alerts and track flight prices
Google Flights makes it easy to track flight prices, so you can book as soon as you notice a price drop. To enjoy this feature you need to have a Google account.
“From the Google Flights results page, you can enable price tracking for your specific destination and travel dates, and you’ll receive an email notification if flight prices drop significantly”says Lin.
What’s more, you can track prices for routes without specifying dates, which allows you to take advantage of the best offers throughout the year.
Other tricks to save money
If possible, travel off-peak, such as mid-week.
It is usually not recommended to book a flight in basic economy class, as it is an extremely restrictive fare class.
Some airlines, especially low-cost ones, may offer cheaper flights, but charge high fees for checked or even hand luggage. You may end up paying more than the displayed price due to baggage.
“For eco-conscious travelers, Google Flights also shows the approximate carbon footprint for almost every flight in search results – right next to the flight price and duration”says Lin. “That way, when choosing flights at similar costs or durations, you can also factor carbon emissions into your decision.”
Google Flights will also let you know if these emissions are higher or lower than the average for that route.
