Google Flights fare search tool

[omni550]

Short tutorial on using some of the new features in Google Flights fare search tool:

https://www.sfgate.com/chris-mcginnis/article/How-to-use-new-Google-flights-12957759.php

For anyone totally new to Google Flights here's a tutorial to get you started:

https://thriftytraveler.com/use-google-flights-find-cheap-flights/


omni

 

[audreyh1]

I noticed the basic economy filter last time I looked. Much needed!

 

[Major Tom]

I didn't know there was a Google flights but, seeing as there is a Google-everything-else, this makes sense.

 

[stepford]

I'm very disappointed in the new-look Google Flights. It used to be that one could search for arbitrary trip lengths (1 to 29 days) in any 3 month window you wanted. Now it seems that "flexible dates" means trips of only 2, 7 or 14 days. This eliminates a lot of the ultracheap fares of odd duration that I used to prey upon. I can always go back to the Matrix search tool, but Google Flights was much faster and allowed coverage of a much broader range of destinations in a single search - great for the daydreaming process that occasionally coalesced into international travel.



I'm sure I'll find an adequate substitute somewhere, but I really miss the old Google Flights.

 

[omni550]

I'm very disappointed in the new-look Google Flights. It used to be that one could search for arbitrary trip lengths (1 to 29 days) in any 3 month window you wanted. Now it seems that "flexible dates" means trips of only 2, 7 or 14 days. This eliminates a lot of the ultracheap fares of odd duration that I used to prey upon. I can always go back to the Matrix search tool, but Google Flights was much faster and allowed coverage of a much broader range of destinations in a single search - great for the daydreaming process that occasionally coalesced into international travel.

Sometimes Google giveth...and sometimes Google taketh it away....

omni

 

[Freedom56]

Short tutorial on using some of the new features in Google Flights fare search tool:

https://www.sfgate.com/chris-mcginnis/article/How-to-use-new-Google-flights-12957759.php

For anyone totally new to Google Flights here's a tutorial to get you started:

https://thriftytraveler.com/use-google-flights-find-cheap-flights/


omni

It's an improvement over other flight search engines. They at least show fare calendars for business and first class to help find better deals. But they still don't have access to gray market business class fares. When they do the remaining discount travel agencies that have survived, will be hit hard.

 

[frugal-one]

This is the flight search I use. You have to book with the airlines but it gives you LOTS of options.
Matrix - ITA Software by Google

 

[stepford]

This is the flight search I use. You have to book with the airlines but it gives you LOTS of options.
Matrix - ITA Software by Google

Matrix was my favorite a few years ago, but then it started to bog down and crash - especially if many airports were searched simultaneously. Google Flights, however, allowed for quick, crash-free searches to all of Asia or all of Europe, for instance, and was great for brain-storming trips. It had been my fave for the last 2-3 years for this reason. I'll go back to Matrix, but really miss the global search capabilities of the OLD Google Flights.