This New Google Flights Tool Will Help You Get the Best Price

Google Flights announced Monday (via USA Today) it’s updating some features which will help users secure bigger discounts on air travel.

Google Flights has always advised travelers if the price they’re paying for a specific itinerary is a good bargain. Now, the service is upgrading the option even further. If you're booking a trip and aren’t seeing any good deals, Google will advise on the best time to book when deals might be available, whether that's soon or several weeks away. 

“These insights could tell you that the cheapest time to book similar trips is usually two months before departure, and you’re currently in that sweet spot. Or you might learn that prices have usually dropped closer to takeoff, so you decide to wait before booking,” Google said in a statement announcing the updates. “Either way, you can make that decision with a greater sense of confidence.”

Additionally, Google Flights has now enabled price tracking for specific itineraries. This allows users to track flights on specific days, as well as an “any date” option for those with more open schedules. Google Flights will continue to offer its price guarantees for certain airlines and routes, if Google has enough data to suggest lower priced options won’t become available.

Google advised in their statement that now is the time to make plans for holiday travel, as prices will only increase in the coming weeks. “For trips starting in mid-December, you’re most likely to find deals around early October,” the company said. “Average prices tend to be lowest 71 days before departure—a big change from our 2022 insights, which found that average prices were lowest just 22 days before departure. And the typical low price range is now 54-78 days before takeoff.”

Those planning a jaunt to Europe, though, should act quickly. “Average airfares from the U.S. to Europe only tend to increase over time, especially once you’re about 10 weeks from departure,” the statement concluded.