How To Use Google Flights To Find Cheap Prices
Before you can go on your next work trip or dream vacation you must first figure out your travel dates and then find the best flight options out there. If you find the right travel or booking platform you’ll hopefully get the best flight price for your round trip or even split up your flight search into separate departure and arrival flights to help save money. Either way, the next time you fly, you might want to research the most affordable place to buy.
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Google Flights: Quick Take
Unlike other travel agency websites, Google Flights acts as a conduit for global distribution, as it allows airlines to directly publish their airfares as well as shows fares from leading travel platforms such as Expedia, Kayak, Hotwire, Priceline or Orbitz. You can see price graphs, track flight prices and search multiple date grids to make sure you are getting the cheapest prices for the specific dates you need.
Google Flights Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
You can book directly through the airline, which can save you money by cutting out the middleman | Not always the cheapest as many online travel agencies cut deals with airlines to allow for bigger discounts |
Higher search volume helps get you the best flights available from many varying resources | The price listed in the search may be outdated when you click through to the airline |
User-friendly features and functions that help you filter your searches to find the best flight for you | You won’t be able to find every airline as there are some that don’t list their airfare through Google Flights or other third-party platforms. |
Booking Flights with Google Flights: A Step-by-Step Guide
Though you will be given many filter options to help you find and book the flight that has everything you need at the lowest price it is still good to know the basics. Here are the steps you take when booking with Google Flights:
Go to the Google Flights page and select the Flight Search option.
Choose your departure city or airport, or select multiple airports close to you so you can compare prices.
Select your desired destination, or again, multiple destinations or airports within the same area so you can get the best price.
Choose your specific dates of travel or multiple dates that could work for your trip.
Select what type of trip you want such as one-way, round trip or multi-city.
Add the number of passengers you’d like to book for and if they need any special requirements.
Google Flights Is Where You Find Flights–Not Book Them
It’s important to note all Google Flight bookings are made directly with the specific airline or online travel agency that has posted that airfare on Google. Your booking transaction or ticket sale does not go through Google so they would not be a point of contact for your flight information aside from where you originally found the listing.
The Book on Google option, though it was largely discontinued outside of the United States, may still be an option for you but otherwise, you will book directly through the airline or online travel agency.
Final Take To GO
The bottom line when booking flights no matter if you’re searching for the cheapest option or want to upgrade to business class, is that when you book you know you are getting the best deal for what you need. Next time you go book a flight before you break out your credit card with travel rewards, make sure you are getting the most bang, and bags, for your buck.
FAQ
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about Google Flights.
How do I see flights on Google?
To see flights on Google you go to the Google Flights page and fill out the following filters:
Choose your departure city or airport, or select multiple airports close to you so you can compare prices.
Select your desired destination, or again, multiple destinations or airports within the same area so you can get the best price.
Choose your specific dates of travel or multiple dates that could work for your trip.
Select what type of trip you want such as a one-way, round trip or multi-city.
Add the number of passengers you'd like to book for and if they need any special requirements.
Why can't I see Google Flights?
Google Flights has its own landing page. As Google does earn money off of travel advertisements, they don't want to overly compete with its business partners so it makes the page less prominent. However, you can simply search Google Flights in Google itself and it will take you straight to the page if you can't otherwise locate it.
Google Flights is still a great way to search for and find cheap flights, but Google discontinued Book on Google outside of the United States, which was a platform used to book hotels, in 2022.
Does Google Flights work anymore?
Google Flights should still be working through Google as a search engine used to find your flights from many different platforms including the airlines themselves. However, this is not to be confused with Book on Google which ended as a hotel booking option through Google for most countries outside of the U.S. in September 2022.
Why is Google Flights cheaper?
Google Flights has a much broader search engine so it can cast a wider net to find almost all flights available for when you are looking to book. They also allow airlines to directly publish their airfares as well as online travel agencies to publish their flights so you can compare all your options and find the cheapest flight that works for you.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How To Use Google Flights To Find Cheap Prices