Google Flights is a useful flight booking tool that you can use to find flights anywhere in the world. It’s a popular tool that makes it simple to find flights, check prices, compare routes, and more—all with Google’s focus on ease of use.
But while you may be familiar with it already, and you may have even used it to book a flight, you probably don’t know all the hidden tips that can help you to find a better bargain.
Here are some of the best tricks that you can use today to find a cheaper flight.
Fly to a Region Rather than an Airport
With Google Flights, you don’t have to search for a specific airport as your destination, even if you know where you want to go. Instead, you can search for a region like Europe.
So you can compare the cost of flying to your destination (Rome, for example) to flying to a nearby destination like Venice.
You can compare the flights, the duration, and more, and then work out how long it will take to get to your destination and save money.
You can also search for different airports in one city. You may have a preference, but what if you find out it is cheaper to fly to another airport nearby? It’s a useful feature, and a great way to use Google flights to fly for less.
Let Google Do It For You
Sometimes you just want to go on holiday somewhere nice. Perhaps you have a region in mind, or perhaps you don’t. Why not let Google give you some ideas?
Use the “I’m feeling lucky” option, which is based on the same feature that Google has for search. Just pick your departure city when planning your trip and let Google do the rest. It uses details like your search history and popular destinations at the moment to help come up with a trip idea.
See the Cheapest Flights By Day
If you are not strict with your dates of travel, this feature can be a good option. It allow you to see the prices for every day of the month so you can choose the cheapest one.
Use the Useful Tips
Sometimes you want more than just the cheapest flight. After all, the cheapest flight may involve a 10-hour stop in a connecting airport. If you want to find the best overall flight, you can use Google Flights to find this for you rather than just the cheapest flights.
You can clearly see details of what each of the flights entails, and you will also get tips on how much you can save if you fly on slightly different dates from the ones you have chosen.
Monitor Flights Over Time
Perhaps one of the most useful tools that you can use on Google Flights is the one that allows you to search for a flight and then monitor it over time. Google makes this very easy to do.
Simply save the itinerary once you find a flight you light, and Google will track it for you. If the price drops, you will know instantly via an alert on Google Now on your Android phone, helping you to snap up a bargain.
Use It As a Quick Start to Your Plans
Google Flights is sometimes most useful as a quick way to find out what is available when you are planning a trip and want to book a cheap flight. Simply look at a range of dates and destinations, and use it as a quick and convenient way to start planning your trip.
What Else Can You Do to Save?
Using Google Flights is a great way to save money on your next trip, but there are other more general things that you can do to make further savings.
For example, always start the search early if you can. This doesn’t always mean booking early, but do start looking to find out what is available. Flight prices change all the time, so make sure you compare them for a week or longer before deciding which is the cheapest.
Be flexible with as much as possible, including your dates, your airline, your destinations, and more. The more flexible you are, the better deal you are likely to get.
Search for singles as well as round trips. Sometimes two singles are cheaper than the round trip, so it’s always worth checking.
Fly Cheaper on Your Next Trip
Google Flights is an excellent tool that can help to make the process of booking flights a lot more convenient, as well as saving you money on your ticket. Use it for your next journey by air to experience a different way of buying a flight, and use the tips above to power your search and get even more out of this excellent tool.
Erin Nicholson knows how to find the cheapest price for a flight, and how to get through the airport without having a meltdown! She shares her travel tips on various travel and lifestyle blogs online.
