Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
With interactive maps, historical price charts, and lots of filters to help you find the perfect flight, there’s a lot to love about Google Flights.
While there are many online travel agencies and flight comparison sites, none are quite like Google Flights. While you can’t use Google Flights to display prices using points and miles, the many features that can make it worth using when redeeming your hard-earned points and miles.
Explore routing options
One of the hardest parts about booking a long-haul flight by points and miles is figuring out all of your routing options, especially the ones with the least travel time. It’s not difficult to find airlines that offer direct flights between the two cities. For example, British Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic operate direct flights between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
But what if you fly into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)? Without a direct option, Google Flights can help you quickly find a one-stop route.
In this example, the site found over 80 one-stop options:
You can explore new routing options to help you find bonus space. For example, in this search, Google Flights shows that Air Canada operates a direct flight from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Bangkok. Assuming there’s a prize space, it could be an ideal way to travel Thailand using Sweet spots on Air Canada’s Aeroplan.
Related: Is your credit card score worth more? Air Canada and Emirates expand partnership
Filter by alliance
If you have points and miles with a member airline of Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam, you can usually use your loyalty account to book reward trips on partner airlines.
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With so many partner airlines, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. But don’t worry: Google Flights has you covered.
Let’s say I want to redeem my United miles to fly to Bangkok on Star Alliance. Stick with Star Alliance, I will get Benefits of Star Alliance Gold, such as access to a business class lounge on any member airline. Click “Airline” at the top and choose the union you want:
Your results are then filtered to show only carriers in that alliance, allowing you to focus on the exact flights you want. In this case, Google Flights provided me with four of the best Star Alliance matches from SFO to BKK (taking into account practicality and convenience). Each flight will have a different Star Alliance carrier. I can also change the order of flights to show the lowest fare, earliest departure/arrival times, and minimum travel time and emissions.
For additional tips on how to take advantage of these programs, check out these tutorials:
Related: After 10 years, non-stop service between North America and Thailand will resume
Compare prices
While each of us has different criteria when deciding whether to use miles, Google Flights can help compare cash and bonus prices.
For example, in the search above from San Francisco to Bangkok, where a Singapore Airlines flight is available for $571, I might choose to save my miles to use for something else when the cash price is higher. To book this flight, I would consider using fixed value rewards. After all, with Chase Sapphire ReserveI can book this flight with 38,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points and potentially earn Premier qualifying points to help me qualify for English Premier League Status next year.
Even if you don’t want to use your points and miles, it makes sense to start your search with Google Flights. Sometimes, when booking a return flight, it is cheaper to book two separate one-way tickets, even on two different airlines. While not every online travel agency offers this option, Google Flights shows you the lowest price and determines that you are booking separately.
Related: Maximize Your Airfare: The Best Credit Cards to Book Flights
Show alternate airports
You’ll want to be fully informed of your options when looking for bonus spaces. That includes knowing about all the nearby airports.
On initial search, you can select a city instead of a specific airport, so the results will include all applicable airports in the metropolitan area:
Many travelers are willing to plan depending on bonus space, so the difference between flying into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) instead of Miami International Airport (MIA) isn’t worth it. tell. The same is true for other cities with multiple airports, such as Heathrow and London Gatwick (LGW) Airports. Google Flights will show flight itineraries to nearby airports.
Related: No major airport near you? Here’s how travel experts still get great flight deals
Inspire your next trip
You can leave the destination box blank if you need inspiration for your next reward trip. Google Flights will show a map of prices from your original city to various domestic and international destinations. You can drag the map to see other parts of the world and apply filters to find flights that work for you. Looking for a non-stop after-hours flight in the next six months? You can adjust your filters accordingly to provide amazingly customized search.
This map can also show all available non-stop flights from your home airport. Here is the search result for the cheapest non-stop flights from Denver International Airport (DEN) including at least one hand baggage.
Of course, this doesn’t mean these flights are available as rewards, but Google Flights can be a great starting point to see where you can get from a certain airport or city if Your final destination is flexible.
Related: 9 great features you may not know about Google Flights
Additional filters
These search features come with Google Flights’ great additional filters, allowing you to customize your search the way you want. You can filter by number of stops, airline, baggage, price, duration, emissions, etc.
I also like the calendar view, which quickly shows you a two-month snapshot of prices based on your chosen search criteria. In this calendar you can see prices for the various filters I’ve added: non-stop flights from SFO to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on United include one hand baggage (i.e. no basic economy).
Related: United Airlines orders up to 200 Boeing 787s, paving the way for wide-body fleet renewal
2 important notes
While Google Flights is a great way to quickly view flight options, there are two very important things to keep in mind.
Google Flights is not an OTA
Although Google Flights knows more information about flight prices than any other site on the internet, it is not an online travel agency through which you can purchase airline tickets. Instead, once you’ve found the flight you want, Google Flights will compare prices for you and help you find the cheapest option — whether with an actual OTA or through direct flight booking.
In this example, if you started your search with Expedia, you could pay nearly $50 more than you should.
In many ways, ideally Google Flights is not an OTA. Usually, it is cheaper to book tickets directly with the airline.
By booking directly with the airline, you are guaranteed to earn credit card rewards if you pay with a card like Platinum Card® from American Express or American Express® Gold Card (as these rewards are only awarded on flights booked directly with the airline). It will also ensure that your flight won’t code as a special fare or bulk fare that is not eligible for mileage accumulation and may not count towards elite status.
Google Flights not showing prize space
Other than not allowing you to pay for flights, the site has nothing to do with prize availability. Just because you find a flight or an itinerary on Google Flights does not guarantee that it is available using points or miles. It depends on whether the operating carrier (or carriers) offers award seats on the flight(s). For that step in the booking process, you’ll need to search the website of a particular airline or use a service like ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures).
For some tips on the best ways to find bonus availability, check out these posts:
Related: What are points and miles worth? TPG Monthly Valuation in December 2022
bottom line
Google Flights has become a tool that many travelers appreciate. Simply put, I have not seen another website that offers the same level of visual customization as Google Flights.
Whether you’re looking for routing options, cheap paid flights, or backup itineraries available in case of delays, Google Flights’ massive data sets and intuitive user interface make it becomes the right tool for most of your flight needs.
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.
