How to Save Time and Money Using Google Flights
How to Save Time and Money Using Google Flights
If you are flexible with when and where you travel, sites like Secret Flying and Airfarewatchdog Fare Deal can help you snag cheap flights.
For those less flexible on dates and destinations, you can save time and money using Google Flights to book airfare.
Instead of constantly checking flight aggregators for deals, simply set price alerts for flights matching your exact criteria. You will receive notifications when the price drops or when Google expects the price to increase.
Use this guide to make the most out of the Google Flights tool!
Also be sure to check out choosing a flight in Plan a Trip: The Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Travel for additional factors to consider when choosing a flight.
Searching for flights using Google Flights
1. Go to https://www.google.com/flights.
2. Select your ticket type, number of passengers, and fare class.
3. Enter your departure city, destination city, and travel dates.
Tip: Searching by city includes all nearby airports.
4. Click Search.
5. Filter your results by number of stops, airline, price, departure time, arrival time, layover duration, or flight duration.
Tip: Use the Bags drop-down to include the cost or carry-on and checked bags in the total price.
6. Use the Dates, Price graphs, or Airports options to see cheaper days to fly or cheaper airports.
Google displays the best departing flights based on your selected criteria. You can also sort this list price, time, or duration.
7. Click the caret next to a flight to display flight details.
Tracking prices using Google Flights
You must be signed into your Google account to start tracking flight prices.
1. After searching for flights, click the Track prices switch to start receiving price alerts for all flights matching your criteria.
2. To track prices for a specific itinerary, click the caret next to the flight and click Select flight.
If this is a round trip or a multi-city trip, repeat this step to select each flight leg.
3. Click the Track prices switch to start receiving price alerts for this itinerary.
4. To view your tracked flights, click the hamburger menu in the top left corner and click Tracked prices.
From this page, you can view price history, delete alerts, and turn off email notifications. If the price of your tracked flight is expected to increase, Google sends you a notification.
That’s it! You are on your way to finding a great flight!
Before booking, check out Booking your tickets and reservations in Plan a Trip: The Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Travel for details to keep in mind before clicking Book.
Questions or comments? See something that needs an update? Let me know below!