Dreaming of your next big adventure but worried about the cost of flights? Let Google Flights be your trusted travel planning companion, helping you uncover the best time to book. With a little guidance, your dream trip could be closer—and more affordable—than you think. Whether you’re booking with cash or redeeming your hard-earned points and miles, Google Flights offers features that make it easy to uncover hidden savings and snag the best prices.
But there’s a trick to making the most of it: setting alerts and tapping into insider tips. This blog dives into how you can use Google Flights to fly smarter, not harder, covering everything from finding cheaper flights to mastering points and miles for award travel.
Finding Cheaper Flights with Google Flights
Google Flights is much more than just another travel search engine. It’s packed with clever tools to help you unearth the best airfare. Here are some standout features:
Flexible Dates Are Your Best Friend
Flexibility is key when it comes to cheap airfare. If your travel dates are somewhat flexible, Google Flights can guide you to the best prices. Simply click on the calendar icon after entering your route to view a price grid or price graph. This will highlight fare differences across dates, usually with the cheapest days marked in green. Moving your trip by just a day or two can save you hundreds of dollars.
Explore Map for Inspiration
Not sure where you want to go? Use the “Explore” feature. Enter your departure city and leave the destination blank. Google Flights will populate a map with price tags to various destinations across the world. You can even filter locations by budget or interest types, like “beaches” or “history.” I love using this feature to find inspiration for where to go during school holidays. It’s such a great way to uncover new destinations and plan memorable adventures that make the most of those special breaks.
Search Multiple Airports
If you’re in a city with multiple airports, like New York, or heading to a region with several airport options (think Los Angeles or London), include all possibilities in your search. Google Flights allows you to add up to seven airports for both departure and arrival. Sometimes flying to or from a less popular hub can result in surprisingly lower fares.
Price Insights
Ever wonder whether a seemingly good deal is actually as great as it looks? Google’s Price Insights tool has the answer. Google will tell you if the price for your chosen route and dates is lower, higher, or about average based on historical data. Even better, they might suggest the best time to book for maximum savings. When I have the flexibility to wait before booking, I usually set an alert to monitor price drops. I also pay attention to patterns in the airfare’s pricing history. If I notice the price fluctuating, it’s a good sign that I might catch it during a dip, giving me the best chance to book at a lower rate.
The Power of Price Alerts
Setting price alerts is where Google Flights truly shines. With alerts in place, you can leave the heavy lifting to Google while it tracks deals on your behalf.
How to Set Price Alerts
- Head to Google Flights and input your departure city, destination, and travel dates.
- Once the search results are displayed, find the “Track prices” toggle. You’ll see it at the top of the page or near specific flight options.
- Customize your alerts for:
- Specific dates: Great for fixed schedules.
- Any dates: Ideal for the flexible traveler looking for the lowest prices over a range of months.
- Specific flights or airlines: Perfect if you’ve got a preferred carrier in mind or see a great itinerary you’d like to watch.
What Does Google Notify You About?
- Major price drops for your tracked flight or route.
- Prices where fares are about to increase or expire.
- Recommendations for locking in good deals when appropriate.
VIP Alerts for Apple Users
If you’re tracking flights and don’t want to risk missing a deal, set Google Flights as a VIP sender in your Apple Mail app. This prioritizes price alert emails with distinctive notifications, helping them stand out from the clutter of your inbox. I’ve configured it to send push notifications directly to my phone.
Using Google Flights for Points and Miles
Google Flights isn’t just about finding great deals with cash. You can leverage it to plan award travel with points and miles to make the most of your loyalty programs.
Search for Cash Fares First
Many airlines use dynamic pricing for both cash tickets and points/miles redemptions. This means points needed for a ticket tend to drop when cash prices fall, making Google Flights a great starting point for identifying routes and dates where points/miles costs are likely to follow suit. Domestic carriers often release saver fares for cash and mile bookings simultaneously.
Leverage Third-Party Tools for Award Space
Once you’ve locked in a route with attractive cash prices, move over to specialized tools like Seats.aero. This platform helps you search for award availability across airlines and alliances.
Create Alerts on Seats.aero
Seats.aero offers tailored alerts for specific airlines, cabin classes, and routes so you’ll be notified as soon as award seats or lower redemption rates become available. This is crucial since availability can change in real time.
Understanding Transfer Partners
Not all airlines partner directly with your credit card loyalty programs. A quick trip through Google Flights will show you what airlines operate your desired route. Cross-check this list with your credit card’s transfer partner chart to find a points-compatible airline.
For instance, if your route is served by United but you hold Amex Membership Rewards points, you might be able to transfer them to Star Alliance partner Aeroplan to book your flight. Booking through Aeroplan is often cheaper than with United.
Why Google Flights Is the Ultimate Travel Tool
By combining Google Flights’ robust set of options with third-party tools like Seats.aero, you’ll be better equipped to reduce travel costs and travel more efficiently. Here are some key takeaways:
- Stay flexible with travel dates for maximum savings.
- Aim to track multiple routes or airport combinations with price alerts enabled.
- Leverage price drops to snag award travel at a fraction of the usual points cost.
Whether you’re planning a spontaneous weekend getaway or mapping out your next international adventure, Google Flights offers a user-friendly and powerful solution to elevate your travel game.
How often do I use these tools? Honestly, for every single trip I plan. They’ve become such a game-changer for me. Over 99% of the time, I manage to snag a cheaper flight than when I first start searching, and that little victory always feels so satisfying. How long does it take? Well, that really depends. Some trips it’s just a matter of days, but other times, I end up waiting for months because I love planning my journeys well in advance. It’s all part of the excitement for me—dreaming about where I’m going while keeping an eye out for that perfect deal.
Next Steps to Make Your Travel Dreams a Reality
Now that you’re armed with strategies to fly smarter, it’s time to put them into action. Start by exploring Google Flights, setting alerts, and exploring award tools like Seats.aero. With a little savviness, you’ll be jet-setting to your dream destinations while saving big on both cash and points.
Happy travels!