Google Flights has added a new feature that organizes the cheapest flights for your destinations in a separate tab. The feature is aimed at budget-conscious travelers who aren’t worried about convenience or time.
‘Cheapest’ tab
Travelers who use search engines such as Google Flights, Expedia, and other aggregate engines usually focus on getting the best deal. Now, Google Flights has introduced a feature aimed directly at travelers who sort by lowest price first.
Photo: Google Flights
The default page will still be the ‘Best’ tab, which shows a mix of convenience and cost. However, users can easily see the cheapest fares with just a single click.
According to Forbes, the ‘Cheapest’ tab organizes the cheapest flights from multiple airlines to your destination based on various factors. It essentially ransacks the internet for flights through different airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) to piece together a cheaper flight for you than anything else on the web.
However, there are some trade-offs. These include:
- Flying multiple airlines
- Different arrival and departure airports at your destination.
- Significantly longer layovers, including overnights.
- Purchasing flights on different websites and piecing them together.
- Self-transfers between different unrelated airlines (which require you to check in and re-check your baggage again).
It’s a lot of extra effort, but those willing to do the legwork will be rewarded with significantly cheaper fares than what is usually offered. Especially if the route is expensive or you’re traveling with multiple people or as a family.
How does it work?
As mentioned, the feature aggregates fares for your route and given dates from many sources, including airlines, third-party travel agencies, and other airports. It allows users to compare the most economical fares on the market at a glance.
The feature will first be introduced in the US and will expand to other markets within two weeks. It is scheduled to go live in the US in November this year.
Showcasing travel trends
Google Flights also offers travelers plenty of data and travel information to help them book tickets when they are the cheapest. It also shows us the environmental impact of the route we choose by showing us the percentage increase or decrease in emissions of each flight route.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
According to the website, these are the prevailing travel trends:
- For domestic flights within the US, tickets are at their lowest prices 38 days before departure. However, prices remain relatively low within 21 to 52 days before departure.
- For international flights, Google suggests booking tickets 101 days before departure. Prices tend to increase within 50 days before departure.
- Google Flights outlines that Tuesday is the cheapest day to book tickets, but it is only 1.3% less expensive than Sunday, the most expensive day of the week.
- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the cheapest days of the week to fly out. Monday is 13% cheaper for international flights than the weekend, and for US domestic flights, it is 20% cheaper.
- Flights with at least one layover are up to 25% cheaper than direct flights to the same destinations.
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