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Google discusses new features coming soon for Google Flights searches

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Summer of savings? New analysis shows airfare has dropped significantly - The Points Guy
Google discusses new features coming soon for Google Flights searches
Research
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Clint Henderson Managing editor | The Points Guy

Google Flights continues to expand its offerings, according to a recent discussion between The Points Guy and James Byers, group product manager for travel at Google. Byers highlighted several tools available through Google Flights and addressed common myths about booking air travel.

One of the features discussed was Google Flights Explore. "You can search without a destination in Google Flights and see a whole range of possibilities on a map and then continue on to filter them," said Byers. "[You can] look at trip length and budget and kind of find that trip you might not have expected, and, in fact, the majority of our users are destination flexible." He added, "Explore really scratches that itch when users are trying to figure out where to go next."

Byers also pointed out that many users overlook tools such as the date grid and price graph within Google Flights. "So when you're looking for when to fly and you want to see what leaving a day earlier or a day later might do for you, the date grid is a great option to kind of visualize what those small changes might make," he explained. "The price graph lets you look across a whole range of dates for a same duration trip, and see how prices fluctuate over time."

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The ability to search multiple origins and destinations simultaneously was cited as another useful feature. Byers described how travelers can input different departure cities—such as New York or Philadelphia—and compare options with multiple destinations like Rome or Milan: "You could put in both [New York and Philadelphia], and then choose Milan and Rome as your destination[s], and see all the combinations filtered by best [to] see what might work for you."

Notifications are another area where Google has invested significantly. According to Byers: "Knowing ... when the right time is to book, setting a notification and letting us ... tell you as prices change lets you hone in with confidence on that great-price ticket," he said.

Addressing reports that some users now have the ability to filter out basic economy fares from their searches on Google Flights, Byers commented: "Well, it's something we've been experimenting with for a while. We think there's a real continued need to invest in the fundamentals of finding flights. You'll see that with features potentially like basic economy in the future, and best versus cheapest, [which] we launched recently." He noted there is no official announcement yet but promised The Points Guy would be among the first informed if broader changes occur.

The conversation also included clarification around flight-booking myths—specifically whether booking flights on certain days yields better deals. According to Byers: "Our data shows that not really, there is a little tiny bit of an advantage... It's about 1.3% cheaper over time to book on a Tuesday versus Sunday, which is the most expensive day. But you know it's a very, very small effect; 1.3% is probably not gonna swing it for a lot of consumers." He advised instead focusing on seasonal trends and recommended booking domestic flights one to three months ahead or international trips three to five months in advance—a view consistent with industry guidance.

Another myth tackled was whether clearing browser cookies leads to better airfare prices online. Byers stated: "For Google Flights... it's false. We show the same price across all of our users within a particular country." He added that while airlines may vary pricing based on country or point-of-sale data, Google's platform does not influence these differences within individual markets.

Looking ahead into late 2025 and beyond, Byers noted increased interest in solo travel as well as growing curiosity about artificial intelligence's role in booking trips—though he believes many consumers still prefer seeking deals themselves.

"Users really love finding deals," said Byers. He observed an uptick in demand for travel hacks recently—a topic frequently covered by The Points Guy—and emphasized flexibility as key both for securing lower fares and maximizing points-and-miles strategies.

Both parties agreed flexibility remains essential for travelers hoping to optimize their savings going forward.

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