Google Flights will now guess when prices will increase

Alan Martin October 18, 2016

Google Flights isn’t huge in the UK – everyone I know uses Skyscanner to compare their flights – but Google is about to roll out an update that could change all that. Using data the company has gathered through plane spotting over the years, the service will now give you warnings if its algorithmic spidey-senses tell it that prices will be increasing soon.

Google Flights will now guess when prices will increase

“You may also see a new tip telling you about an expected price jump based on historic prices for that route,” explains Nabil Naghdy, Google Flights product manager on The Keyword blog. “When you tap on the card, you’ll see more details like how much the price is likely to increase and when.”

You’ll be able to set up email alerts to inform you of likely price changes on routes you’re watching, with the feature due to roll out “everywhere Google Flights is available” over the coming weeks. google_flights_alert

Given these price-hike notifications are based on historical data, there’s no reason to suspect they’ll be perfect, but it still beats frantically checking and rechecking rates to make sure you can still afford the trip.

Naghdy began the blog post by highlighting that 69% of American travellers worry that they’re not making the best decisions when they book (I wish I was like the remaining 31%, but I’m definitely not) – if this can offer those travellers a little peace of mind, then it’s hard not to love this update.

Image: Sidney SL Lam used under Creative Commons