Google Flights introduces new feature to help travellers secure affordable bookings

Mountain View: Google Flights has launched an innovative feature aimed at assisting travellers in making more cost-effective choices when booking air travel.

This recent addition, revealed through a blog post on Monday morning, provides users with valuable insights from Google on the optimal timeframe for purchasing flight tickets. By offering guidance on the most budget-friendly period for booking flights, this feature complements the platform's existing tools such as price tracking alerts and a price guarantee option.

The newly introduced feature is designed to empower travellers with information that aids in making informed decisions about the timing of their flight bookings. Google shared the details in the blog post, stating, "For searches with reliable trend data, you'll now see when prices have typically been lowest to book your chosen dates and destination."

To illustrate, this innovative feature could inform users that the most affordable time to book flights for similar trips is usually about two months before the departure date, aligning with the current timeframe. Alternatively, the tool might indicate that prices tend to drop closer to the takeoff date, prompting travellers to wait before finalising their booking. In either case, users gain increased confidence in their booking decisions due to these insightful recommendations.

Google has also revealed its flight booking trends for 2023, derived from historical pricing patterns observed on Google Flights.

The blog post highlights, "When you book one of these flights, we'll monitor the price every day before takeoff, and if the price does go down, we'll pay you back the difference via Google Pay." It's important to note that these price guarantees are initially available as part of a pilot program for select Book on Google itineraries departing from the US.

According to Google's data, for trips beginning in mid-December, the most favourable deals are typically found in early October. The average prices show a significant change compared to insights from 2022, as the lowest average prices now occur around 71 days before departure, a substantial departure from the previous pattern of around 22 days before departure. The optimal price range for flight bookings has now shifted to a span of 54-78 days before takeoff.

Google's analysis further reveals that average prices have been consistently at their lowest 72 days or more before departure. This suggests that airfares from the US to Europe generally increase as the departure date approaches, particularly once travellers are approximately 10 weeks away from their flight date. Hence, travellers keen on embarking on a European adventure are advised to secure their flight bookings as early as possible.

Google's efforts to provide data-driven insights aim to equip travellers with the tools they need to make well-informed decisions about their flight bookings, ultimately enhancing the overall travel experience.