Google Flights’ hidden trick that can save you thousands on holiday travel bookings

Looking for holiday travel deals? These Google Flights hidden tricks and AI tools will help you find cheaper flights, hotels, and flexible destinations fast.

With the holiday season approaching, travellers are searching for ways to get the best deals on flights and hotels. Google Flights has become a powerful tool for planning cost-effective trips. While many users rely on its basic search features, the platform includes hidden options that can help find cheaper flights and accommodations, especially if you have flexible travel dates or destinations.

Here’s how to use Google Flights to find the cheapest holiday flights and hotel deals. (AFP)

How to Find Cheaper Flights

The first step is to go to the Google Flights website and enter your departure city. Here’s the key trick: leave the destination field blank or select suggested options on the interactive world map. You can enter travel dates, but it is not necessary.

Next, choose the type of ticket - one-way, return, or multi-city, and customise your search using filters for stops, preferred airlines, and other preferences. Click the "Explore" button to open a map displaying the lowest ticket prices for multiple destinations, both domestic and international.

From there, browse options, compare prices, select a destination, and pick travel dates. This approach increases the chance of finding the most affordable tickets available.

How to Use Google’s AI-Powered Flight Deals

Google has also introduced Flight Deals, an AI-powered feature designed for travellers who want flexibility and savings. Available in the U.S., Canada, and India, Flight Deals works through natural language input. Instead of manually adjusting dates, destinations, and filters, you can describe your travel plans as if talking to a friend.

For example, you can enter phrases like “week-long winter trip to a city with great food, nonstop flights only,” or “10-day ski trip to a world-class resort with fresh powder.” Google’s AI interprets your request and identifies matching destinations, including options you may not have considered.

The tool connects with real-time data from Google Flights to offer up-to-date options from hundreds of airlines and booking sites. Access Flight Deals via its dedicated page or through the menu on Google Flights. The standard Google Flights interface is still available and is being updated, including the option to exclude basic economy fares for trips within the US and Canada.

In short, travellers can plan trips more efficiently and discover savings that might otherwise be missed by combining the map-based search trick with Google’s AI-powered Flight Deals.