Booking a trip? Google will now tell you the cheapest time to book your flights – here’s how
- Google’s tool lets travelers see when the best time of year is to book flights
- Google pays you even if the price of purchased tickets has dropped
The trade-off between booking flights early and postponing them in the hope of a cheaper deal is a dilemma many travelers face year after year.
But Google may have a solution for this now, with the launch of a new tool that gives frugal travelers the chance to hunt for the lowest fares.
While the tech giant claims that booking early is usually the safest bet, the new search feature allows users to discover the best times of the year to buy tickets.
This is backed up by “reliable trending data,” with the tool providing useful insights into whether prices are overstated or discounted.
“These insights can tell you, for example, that the cheapest time to book similar trips is usually two months before departure, and you’re currently in that sweet spot,” Google said.
Google’s tool lets travelers see what time of year they need to book flights
Or maybe you find out that prices tend to drop closer to the start, and decide to wait before booking.
“Either way, you can make that decision with a greater sense of confidence.”
To take full advantage of this, travelers can even sign up to receive regular updates on their chosen destination and dates.
This means that when prices drop, users will be notified via their email account, provided they are logged into Google.
Sometimes Google is so confident in its price prediction ability that a rainbow “price guarantee” badge appears on its deals.
In these cases, Google checks the price of your purchased flight every day before departure.
If the price drops, the tech giant will refund the difference via Google Pay.
Currently, however, this is only part of a pilot program available for a select group of flights in the US.
“Beyond these tools, we’ve gathered other information to help you travel on a budget,” Google said.
“Last year we shared information based on historical price trends on Google Flights.
“We’ve re-crunched the numbers with the latest data, and most of the tips from 2022 still hold true: making layovers or avoiding weekend departures are among the best ways to save on your next flight booking.”
If your purchased tickets have a price guarantee, Google will monitor your flights and pay you if the tickets drop in price even further
Users can also sign up for email notifications about specific ticket price changes
The tool is backed by “reliable trend data,” with the tool providing useful insights into whether prices are overstated or discounted
To take advantage of these flight resources, search for “Google Flights” in a web search bar.
The feature should be one of the first to appear and clicking it will take you to another search bar.
Here you have the option to select a holiday destination and also indicate which dates are more expensive or cheaper for flights.
Tapping “Search” before clicking “View Price History” will give you a more comprehensive overview of the itinerary you’ve chosen.
This includes charts showing price over time, in addition to average prices and alternative options.
The same window also displays a “Track Prices” switch just below the search bar.
When enabled, alerts will be sent to your email about any ticket price changes.