How to Utilize Google Flights for Airfare Savings, Insights from a Google Employee

If you’re always on the lookout for great flight deals, Google Flights is arguably the best tool available. Powered by ITA Matrix, developed by MIT computer scientists, Google Flights simplifies the process of searching flights across various airlines, airports, and dates. Its filters allow you to narrow down options based on factors like layovers, departure and arrival times, and even carbon emissions. Additionally, you can track flight prices and access historical data to inform your booking decisions. Here’s how to effectively use Google Flights to save on airfare.

Features of Google Flights Search

Google Flights boasts a wealth of search features while maintaining a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate.

Search

The basic search function lets you find flights by simply inputting your departure and destination cities along with your travel dates. It then presents a list of available flights that you can sort by criteria such as price, duration, and departure or arrival times.

Discover

If your travel plans are flexible and you want to explore where in the world you can travel for the best deals, try using the Explore tool. "Simply enter your home airport, which might be automatically filled based on your location, and leave the destination field empty," advises Sophia Lin, director of product management at Google, in an interview with Dinogo. "After clicking the Explore button, you’ll be directed to the Explore map." You can filter results by specific dates or opt for the “flexible” option to find the cheapest flights.

Date Grid and Price Chart

These are two additional tools that can help you identify the best times to travel, provided your plans are adaptable. "The date grid illustrates how prices fluctuate with minor changes to your departure or return dates — for instance, leaving on a Thursday instead of a Friday," explains Lin. "The price chart displays how prices vary for a trip of a certain length over several months. You can scroll horizontally to view today’s prices for your desired trip duration."

Insights

Google Flights offers valuable insights into the pricing history of various routes, provided there’s enough data available. "These insights can indicate whether prices are low, average, or high compared to what we’ve seen for similar journeys in the past year," explains Lin. It also advises on whether to book now based on historical trends. "For instance, you might discover that the best time to secure a similar trip is typically two months prior to departure, and you're currently in that ideal window. Alternatively, you may find that prices tend to drop closer to the flight date, prompting you to wait before making a reservation," adds Lin. "Either way, you can make your decision with more confidence."

Price Notifications

Once you've zeroed in on a particular route, you can activate flight price notifications to track any changes over time. More details about price notifications will follow.

Searching for Flights

If you've ever used standard Google, transitioning to Google Flights will be a breeze — the layout is user-friendly.

Begin your flight search by inputting your departure city, destination, and travel dates. Google Flights will generate a list of flights that match your criteria, with the initial results typically organized by a mix of factors such as price, travel time, and number of layovers, showcasing the top choices first. You can also sort by these individual factors if you prefer.

For those with specific preferences — for instance, preferred airlines or airline alliances — you can utilize filters to refine the flight options. Setting a price range is also possible here.

When you're ready to book, Google Flights will redirect you to various platforms. Remember, Google Flights acts as a flight search engine, not an online travel agency, meaning you won't book directly through Google Flights. "Our goal is to present as many options as possible, including direct bookings with airlines as well as prices from third-party booking sites," explains Lin.

Considering Alternative Airports and Routes

One of the smartest strategies for saving on flights is to remain flexible with your departure and/or arrival airports. Thankfully, Google Flights lets you search multiple airports simultaneously. "For major cities that have several airports, such as New York City or London, we automatically include flight options from nearby airports," explains Lin.

You can also manually add additional airports to broaden your search options. For instance, you might consider searching for flights from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale since they're relatively close. "Simply input your initial airport in the search field, then click the plus icon to add other airports as you wish. This way, you can mix and match to find the best price," says Lin.

Lin further mentions that you can tailor your search by selecting "multi-city" instead of "round-trip." This allows you to designate different airports for each segment of your journey. "This can be advantageous if you have flexibility at both ends of your trip," she notes.

Setting Price Alerts and Monitoring Flight Costs

Google Flights simplifies the process of monitoring flight prices, enabling you to book when prices fall. To access this feature, you'll need a Google account.

"On the Google Flights results page, you can enable price tracking for your chosen destination and travel dates, and you'll receive an email alert if prices drop significantly," Lin explains. You can also track specific flights instead of just general routes, and even monitor prices for routes without setting specific dates, allowing you to take advantage of the best offers throughout the year.

"To manage and view your tracked flight prices, click on the menu in the top left corner of the page and select ‘Tracked Flight Prices,’" adds Lin.

Additional Tips for Using Google Flights

To enhance your experience with Google Flights — and maximize your savings — keep these extra tips in mind.

Keep your travel dates flexible.

If you can, aim to travel during off-peak periods, such as midweek or during the shoulder season for popular destinations (Google Flights offers insights on this).

Be aware that Google Flights displays basic economy fares.

The lowest fare shown on Google Flights is typically a basic economy fare. It's generally advisable to avoid booking this fare class due to its many restrictions. If you find that standard economy fares are slightly higher, don't be alarmed — you can also filter for better fare options.

Verify baggage fees.

Certain airlines, especially budget carriers, might have lower flight prices but impose hefty fees for checked or even carry-on luggage. This means you could end up spending more than the initial fare due to baggage costs.

Check your flight's carbon emissions.

"For eco-conscious travelers, Google Flights provides the estimated carbon footprint for almost every flight listed in the search results — right alongside the price and duration," explains Lin. "When selecting flights with similar costs or timings, you can also take carbon emissions into account." Google Flights will indicate whether those emissions are above or below the average for that route.

Change the currency at the bottom of the page.

When searching for flights abroad, Google Flights automatically shows prices in the local currency. You can change this by scrolling to the very bottom of the page and selecting your preferred currency.