Google Flights Makes It Easier To Hunt Down The Best Rate

Google Flights, in general, is programmed to make it easier for customers to book the lowest possible airfares — but as of today, it is upping the level of its game.  Consumers will be able to see when prices are expected to bounce up for certain flights — so consumers can beat the fare hike with their bookings.  On top of that, Google will be including tips that will help customers shop for better ticket prices.

And because customers booking flights tend to need places to stay once they land, Google is also upgrading its Google Hotels to make it easier for customers to book the best room rates.

The airfare-related upgrade builds on Google Flight’s already established ability to let consumers see the fluctuations of fare prices over time with a calendar. It also gave consumers an option to search for cheap destinations based on their location and travel dates.

The new version goes one step further by notifying shoppers when the current fare is expected to expire so they can get a feel for how much an immediate booking might save them.

If you haven’t yet selected a specific flight, but are rather tracking a destination, Google Flights will display a notification bar offering tips on picking the best route. This may recommend alternate airports or dates that could save you money, for instance, or inform you about when prices are expected to increase and by how much, based on historical data.

Coming soon, Google Flights will also be able to send customer specific notifications about flights or routes — that functionality will be seen in the “coming weeks.”

The new service menu levels up Google’s competition with Hopper — currently the favored site for helping travelers book with optimal advantage price-wise.  Hopper, however, is mobile only — and Google is rolling out with a heavier tilt toward desktop, though Google does note that the site is mobile optimized so customers can track and manage saved flights via their phones.

The updates come as holiday 2016 is getting set to ramp up — and consumers will be both booking more travel and gifting travel to others. Google is increasingly serious in its efforts to become an omnibus platform for all kinds of commerce — and this seems to be its latest step at niche-building in the travel segment.

The company has also recently launched a personalized mobile travel guide called Google Trips, while the travel inspiration focused Google Destinations has officially gone worldwide and expanded to the desktop.