Google Flights will now make travel-planning stress-free and cost-effective

If you think Google has quietened down for some time after releasing its Google Allo, Google Trips and Google Play Music in India, think again. The multibillion dollar conglomerate is set to become the lead in the realm of travel and technology. To further this goal, they recently updated their Google Flights features, which will now help you save money by finding the best deal on flights.

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Previously, Google Flights allowed you to look up fluctuating flight prices through a calendar-view of changing fares and even search for destinations that would fit your budget, features that competitors like MakeMyTrip and Yatra have been offering for a while as well. However, the updated version will now include a few new features that will be turning all travel-heads in its direction, just in time for the holiday season!

How it works

If you have selected a flight to a particular place but haven’t booked it yet, Google Flights will keep you updated about when the prices are expected to change according to historical data. For instance, if you have selected a flight for the fifth of November to New York on October 20, then Google Flights will notify you with a message stating that the price of the same flight will double by the October 25. In this way, you will know the amount of money you can save by booking the flight on the 20^th instead of the 25^th, cashing in on the best available deal at the time.

If you have been looking up a destination without selecting any particular flight, then it will roll up a notification bar that offers tips on picking the best, most cost-effective route. It could suggest alternative routes and dates for the same trip, as well as provide you with information on when the prices are expected to rise and by how much. This will help you pick a route that is most convenient to you, thereby saving you from hours of scouting various travel websites.

Google Flights also sends you notification emails with alerts on changing prices on either a particular flight or even a preferred route you have saved. For instance, you might receive a mail from Google stating that the flight you selected on October 20 to London via Delhi priced at Rs 45,000 for November 5 will rise to Rs 49,550 by October 25. This feature is a great plus point because it negates the need to constantly look up changing fares on the website every couple of hours. Instead, you will be notified automatically.

All these features are based on historical data saved by Google. Citing an offhand example, for a flight from Delhi to Berlin, Google Flights will note that historically, the fares always seem to double seven days before departure. Keeping that in mind, it will thus inform you of the same.

Another added bonus is its ‘Explore’ tab, which will help you figure out where you could possibly visit at a certain date for a predefined time-period. Along with this, it has also added new features to its hotel search, making it easier to search for the best deals for lounging in the respective destinations. According to Google, the service will now alert you to savings that are available to loyalty members on the hotel’s website.

The company has announced that the updated features of Google Flights will be made available to its users in the “next few weeks” in places where Google Flights is available. This is smart move considering they are prepping for a re-launch right at the crux of the holiday season.