How Does Google’s AI Flights Tool Work For Travellers?

Google has announced a new AI-powered search tool within Google Flights called Flight Deals. The feature is made for travellers who want to save money and do not have fixed destinations or dates in mind.

Instead of manually choosing flight dates, times and destinations, users can describe their trip in natural language. So, someone could search for “week-long trip this winter to a city with great food, nonstop only”. The tool would then search for relevant flights and shows the cheapest available options that match the request.

Flight Deals uses Google’s AI to interpret the details of each request, including less obvious preferences. It then uses real-time Google Flights data to pull in offers from hundreds of airlines and booking sites. This means users get updated results without having to refresh or redo searches manually.

 

How Does It Work?

 

The tool works within the Google Flights platform. Travellers can either go to the dedicated Flight Deals page or choose it from the top left menu in Google Flights. Once there, they can type in a sentence about their travel plans rather than filling out traditional search fields.

The AI considers multiple factors from the description, such as preferred travel season, destination type and whether direct flights are required. It then finds destinations that fit the criteria, even if they were not originally considered.

Google has said that an option to exclude basic economy fares will be added for flights in the US and Canada. This will help travellers who want standard baggage and seating rules without having to sort through fares that have restrictions.

 

 

Where And When Will It Be Available?

 

Google will roll out Flight Deals over the next week in the US, Canada and India. The tool is being launched in beta, meaning Google will collect feedback from early users before expanding or refining it further.

This launch will not replace the existing Google Flights search system. The standard features of Google Flights will continue to be available for those who prefer more traditional searches with manual filters. Google says the new tool is intended as an extra option for those open to flexible travel ideas.

Travellers in the 3 launch countries will be able to access the service without signing up or activating any special settings. As soon as it appears in their Google Flights menu, they can start using it.

According to Jade Kessler, Product Manager for Google Flights, the goal is to make trip planning easier for people who want affordable options without spending hours searching. The company believes that AI can simplify the search process for people who are open to a range of destinations and dates.

Travel booking can often involve checking different date ranges, destinations and fare types before finding a deal. Google’s AI tool handles much of this work in the background, presenting travellers with a short list of matching results.

Rolling out Flight Deals in beta will give Google a chance to see how users respond before deciding how to develop it further.