AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
One of the best tools for searching for flights is Google Flights. Powered by Google’s powerful search capabilities, it is one of the best utilities for checking out flights around the world. When the service first started, you could find flights, but you could not book directly through the Google Flights interface. This has changed over the years as Google added the ability to book directly with various airlines. The most recent addition is Virgin America, and you can now book flights directly with the company through the Google Flights application.
Booking your flight is very simple; all you need to do is head over to Google Flights and perform a search for your desired destination. Below is a sample itinerary from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO).
Once you have selected your desired flights you have the option to proceed to a check-out facility and book the flights directly with Google Flights. Although the booking is done through Google, it appears that it is processed directly through with the airline, which means that you should be able to earn any bonus multipliers for spending on travel with your credit card.
New Features
Google has consistently updated the service offered by Google Flights, such as being able to book separate tickets, coupled with the recent launch of Google’s travel organizing app Google Trips. Google's approach of providing incremental, new functionality within the travel space has been working well for them to date, and the ability to book through their site and services continues to add value by allowing a purchase to occur with even less effort.
Overall
This is a great improvement from Google and Virgin America and makes hunting around for the best airfares even easier. Currently, Virgin America is the only domestic carrier to offer the direct booking option with Google Flights. Hopefully, in light of the Alaska purchase of Virgin America, it will only be a matter of time before another airline is added to the stable of options for booking directly with Google Flights.
Source: The Points Guy/Nick Ellis
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Nice, having to click on outside links was always a pain. Hopefully AA UA & DL do the same soon.
Which is a better tool regarding getting the cheapest flights – google flights or kayak? Can anyone advise?
I personally use both — but Kayak, will often show more combinations of results than Google.
Thanks Howie. By combinations of results do you mean more options, or maybe combinations of more than one carrier for one itinerary?
Combination of more than one carrier for one itinerary. Google flights will do this, but I think Kayak does it better and is more aggressive in doing this to piece together a better fare.
One issue with using multiple carriers is that one has to either check to see that the 2 carriers have a baggage handling agreement, or allow for a long enough connection to be able to retrieve and re-check baggage, if the baggage cannot be checked through to the ultimate destination. I imagine that some people might be willing to put up with that inconvenience if the ticket is very cheap.
Kayak doesn’t present options (at least that I have seen) where you’d be split across two non-partner/alliance carriers in any given direction. Kayak will show one airline for the outbound and perhaps a different, non-partner, for the return.
Nice and easy looks like!
I think eventually you’ll be able to book most airlines through Google Flights. The instant price comparison would be awesome for consumers. Time will tell.
It’s confirmed, booking Virgin right through Google Flights works great!
I’m personally loving the AS / Virgin duo! Wish the points transfer was a bit better, but still. A couple of great airlines!
Very useful news. Thank you.
I’d love to see other airline companies being added.
Google Flights has a much better interface than most airlines do themselves – great to see Virgin America added!
Now we just need SW to appear and flight searches could all be done on one engine (wishful thinking)
Google flights is very impressive, very powerful and very fast.
I love the way you can search from multiple airports to many destinations at the same time. and can use filters to restrict results to business or economy and to particular airlines or alliances.
I love the ability to price watch using google flights
I hope Alaska is added/
Google flights is unbelievably fast. Also I use it to open the calendar and see at a glance which days are cheapest for my flights over time.
Good to hear that booking is becoming available. I just tried site and it worked well for other airline besides Virgin.
Jon, you were able to book other airlines?