Why Google Flights and Wikipedia Are Your Ultimate Travel Companions

Typically, Wikipedia isn't hailed as a credible source for information—at least not in public discussions—and certainly not for planning trips. Yet, this free online encyclopedia provides comprehensive details on virtually every major and many minor airports worldwide. This information includes the various global destinations accessible directly from those airports, along with the airlines that service them. If you’re looking to optimize your frequent-flyer miles, this information is particularly valuable.

The ITA Matrix tool utilized by Google Flights reveals all the destinations you can reach from a specific airport—and their costs. With just a click (plus a few tips), you can create an interactive map of destinations that outlines all your global travel possibilities, aiding you in choosing your next adventure. Additionally, you can track fares for particular flights and receive alerts when prices fluctuate.

When used effectively, Wikipedia and Google Flights become formidable allies in travel planning. Here’s how to maximize the benefits of both resources.

Wikipedia's 'Airlines and Destinations' Section

Each airport featured on Wikipedia has a section titled “Airlines and Destinations,” where you can find details about the airlines that service the airport and the destinations accessible directly from there. While this might seem like basic information, it serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking for nonstop flight options or mileage redemption opportunities.

To illustrate this with a practical example: Four of us plan to visit my cousin in Charleston for Memorial Day weekend 2024, ideally using our miles. Fortunately, Charleston boasts its own airport, Charleston International Airport (CHS), located just a short drive from downtown. Since we’re based in South Florida, our family prefers avoiding connecting flights.

When I navigate to the Charleston International Airport page on Wikipedia, I select “Airlines and Destinations” from the Contents menu on the left. This brings up a table listing the airlines operating at Charleston and all the cities they fly directly to. To check for direct flights to or from Miami, I use Control-F to search for “Miami,” and discover that American Airlines/American Eagle offers nonstop service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Charleston. I perform a similar search for “Fort Lauderdale” and find that JetBlue and Spirit Airlines are available options for flying from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

I have discovered various options for purchasing cash tickets as well as potential points redemptions. Now, I head to Google Flights to compare prices for cash tickets from either MIA or FLL to CHS between May 24 and May 27, filtering for “nonstop” flights only. The lowest fare is offered by American Airlines at $187 for a round-trip in Basic Economy per person, or $247 in Main. JetBlue follows with round-trip fares of $293 in Basic Blue and $317 in Blue, while Spirit presents a price of $283.

Next, I check the ticket prices in miles. I visit the websites of American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit to find their mileage redemption rates, which align closely with cash prices through their loyalty programs: 21,500 miles for American Airlines, 21,600 for JetBlue, and 27,000 for Spirit, each requiring $11.20 in taxes. Given that American Airlines has numerous airline and loyalty program partners, I further investigate mileage rates through the British Airways program, a oneworld partner. I find the same route from Miami to Charleston priced at 16,500 British Airways Avios (points) plus $11.20 in taxes (compared to a cash fare of around $247). Acquiring British Airways Avios is straightforward as they are a transfer partner with American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One. The typical transfer ratio is 1 credit card point to 1 Avios, although I often transfer points during annual promotions where ratios can reach as high as 1:1.3. Currently, I have a surplus of Avios. Consequently, I decide to book the tickets using Avios, effectively paying less than 13,000 points each (16,500/1.3) for a total of 52,000 points plus $45 in taxes for four passengers, instead of $988.

As another case, my friend has moved to Mérida, Mexico, for her job and is eager to plan some quick weekend trips. However, she is unsure about her direct and convenient travel options from this smaller city. The Wikipedia page for Mérida International Airport reveals several possibilities for her, primarily within Mexico, as well as flights to Atlanta, Guatemala, Miami, and Texas.

Wikipedia often provides the latest information on seasonal and forthcoming flight routes.

Wikipedia also offers insights into which routes are seasonal and which ones have been suspended. Moreover, in the same "Airlines and Destinations" section, you can learn about new routes as they are announced and their expected launch dates. Conversely, you can also find out which flight routes are set to be discontinued and their termination dates.

For instance, a quick search in early March 2024 for Orlando International Airport (MCO) indicates that charter airline Iberojet will launch flights from Madrid in June 2024, and LATAM will resume its seasonal service to Santiago de Chile. Additionally, Southwest will introduce several international routes from MCO in June, including destinations such as Cancun, Grand Cayman, Nassau in the Bahamas, Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and San José, Costa Rica. Furthermore, the direct flight from Orlando to Pensacola operated by Silver Airways will stop on March 4, 2024.

The information about Southwest Airlines is particularly relevant for Orlando locals, especially those holding a Companion Pass, who can now bring a guest for just the taxes on six new international routes. Furthermore, since many traditional airlines often open up mileage award seats on new or seasonal routes well ahead of time, it's wise to check for bargains—particularly in business class. With LATAM restarting its Orlando to Santiago de Chile (MCO–SCL) flight, let’s evaluate the cost of a business class ticket for a trip in July. If purchased with cash, this ticket would set you back $3,058 for a round trip. However, LATAM’s award availability can be conveniently accessed through the mileage search options of its partner, Alaska Airlines. On Alaska’s site, the same round-trip in business costs 90,000 Alaska Miles plus $75. That's a fantastic use of your miles!

Maximizing Google Flights’ ITA Matrix Software

The ITA Matrix software is the backbone of Google Flights, providing a streamlined and user-friendly interface that helps consumers find the best fares. By entering your origin and destination on Google Flights, you can discover the cheapest one-way, round-trip, and multicity fares usually available up to 330 days in advance. An interactive calendar feature lets you browse date ranges and identify the lowest fares by airport code, city, or nearby airport.

Beyond just searching for specific flight routes, you can explore wider travel options and get pricing information using Google Flights' interactive map. On the Google Flights homepage, enter your departure airport but leave the arrival airport blank. Input your desired travel dates and click search. You'll be presented with a list of destinations you can reach during your specified dates along with their prices. You can refine your search by nonstop flights, airlines, duration, and more. Hover over the interactive map to uncover destinations and their corresponding prices worldwide. (Note: While nearly all airlines have been fully integrated into the ITA Matrix software, Southwest Airlines, Frontier, and Allegiant Air are exceptions; they will appear as options, but tickets cannot be purchased directly through Google Flights.)

Imagine you're situated in New York City and want to conclude your summer with a memorable trip to Europe but haven’t decided where to go yet (with flight prices being a key consideration). By entering travel dates from August 24 to September 2, 2024 (the last week of August, returning on Labor Day) from JFK, you’ll find numerous options under $650 for round-trip tickets, with fares to Dublin starting as low as $440 and to Rome from $560.

Suppose you’re open to traveling to Europe at any time over the next six months. You work remotely, are willing to go anywhere if the price is attractive, and have complete flexibility with your dates. You can conduct a broad search by entering your departure airport without specifying a destination or dates, then clicking on the option that says, "Explore Destinations" on the right side below the date fields.

This action takes you to an interactive map on Google Flights, allowing you to explore flexible dates, date ranges (up to six months ahead), and trip lengths. You can select options for a weekend, one week, or two weeks (though sometimes the results may add or subtract a day or two), then choose a specific month or all months, and just like that: Google will display the most affordable options based on your criteria. My recent search from New York City showed a round-trip fare to Berlin for only $366 in the upcoming months. I clicked on the price icon on the Google Map and found it was a nonstop flight from Sunday to Sunday, May 5 to May 12, 2024.

Although I hadn't planned a trip to Berlin, the airfare is so affordable, and I prefer to skip Europe’s summer crowds. I begin researching activities in Berlin, channeling my inner Heidi Klum, and conclude that it must be destiny that led me to this flight. Purchased for just $366!

Monitoring fares on Google Flights

One of the valuable features included in Google Flights is price tracking. This tool is particularly handy if you're interested in specific flights on certain dates. To make the most of this feature, you need a Google account, be logged in, and authorize Google to send you email notifications about price changes (which is as simple as clicking a button).

Suppose I decide against the Charleston trip and opt instead for a journey from Miami to Los Angeles over Memorial Day weekend. I input the necessary details and specify the dates May 24 to 27, 2024. After Google Flights generates my options, I select early-morning JetBlue flights for both my outbound and return trips. Once I’ve chosen my preferred flights, I see an option in the upper right corner to "Track Prices." I click the button, and I'm now signed up for email notifications about any price changes. Google Flights also allows me to keep an eye on fares for similar flights, which I choose to do.

From that point on, Google Flights will keep track of those flight prices until the departure date or until I decide to cancel tracking, whichever happens first. You can monitor prices for multiple flights, which will be sorted by date under “Tracked flight prices,” available via the navigation bar in the top left corner of the Google Flights homepage. Clear graphs will display how prices fluctuate over time.

There are times when you might want to use Google Flights to track fares until they potentially hit your target price. Depending on the airline’s policies, you might also consider using Google Flights after booking to take advantage of fare adjustments. For instance, I bought a JetBlue ticket from Charleston to Nassau for $226 during summer 2023 (with a Blue Basic fare of $186). I received notifications about a price drop three weeks later, followed by another drop in December 2023, bringing it down to $145 for Blue ($105 for Blue Basic). In both instances, I managed to receive fare adjustments as Travel Bank credits with JetBlue. (I prefer Blue fares since they have no change fees, unlike the cheaper Blue Basic.) To get my price refund, I simply went to “Manage my Reservation” on JetBlue.com, adjusted the flights to the same ones at the new lower price, and that was it! While JetBlue won't email me about price drops for fares I've already purchased, Google Flights will keep me informed. It’s then up to me to grab the savings. Although the “Track Prices” feature is useful, it’s not infallible. There have been several occasions when I didn’t receive email notifications for price drops (despite being subscribed), so I suggest regularly checking those flight price graphs as well. If this seems like a chore, believe me, it can be.

As a quick tip, if you prefer not to track prices and request price-drop refunds (like I do), consider booking flights through Capital One Travel with a Capital One Venture credit card. The platform tracks price drops and automatically provides statement credits when they happen.

Key Takeaways

By leveraging the capabilities of Google Flights and Wikipedia, you can discover efficient and cost-effective ways to reach your destinations, even plotting out trips worldwide and connecting the necessary dots. It may require some practice, but you’ll soon find these two tools are among the most powerful for travel planning.

Once you’ve mastered these two tools and are seeking another resource, explore how Kayak Direct can assist you in identifying budget-friendly nonstop destinations.

This article was first published in 2022 and was last updated on March 9, 2024, to reflect the latest information.