Hot – or not?…
Of all the factors that lead to travel panic, it’s the moment when your details are entered, your credit card number is punched in, and you’re about to press “book” that finally makes you cave. Inevitably, when you reach that final screen, a percentage of you is certain you’re booking at the wrong time, or to the wrong place, or worse – that someone will get a better deal. It’s natural, we get it – and apparently, so does Google Flights. Google has rolled out a new suite of travel tools, which help find the best prices on hotels and flights, including a temperature gauge to tell you if a deal is “hot” or… not. We like “hot”.
Whether you know your destination or are “just browsing”, the new hotel comparison tool is a very handy feature. Google has created a special tool to offer data science help with picking your Thanksgiving, December Holiday or New Years destination, along with side tips like arriving a day early, or leaving a day later for even better deals. And for after the holidays, you’ll now get help via data analytics whenever you search hotels on Google. Like, let’s say you search for the Andaz Hollywood, in California. The new tool will tell you if rates are rising, falling and if the price you’re seeing is above, or below average. In addition, it’ll even offer similar alternatives, with prices for comparison. See? Handy!
Just like the Netflix catalog, some things are hot – and some things are just not. Google Flights new analysis tool uses colors you can understand, like “green means go” and “red means stop” to offer suggestions and insights about the so called flight “deal” you’re about to book, and whether it’s even a deal at all! If you see the needle on the red, chances are you’re looking at prices much higher than usual, and should think twice – and if you’re smart, maybe wait. On the other end of the spectrum, if you see the arrow green lighting the flights you’re looking at, you’ll really know you’re onto a winner, and should probably book ASAP. This tool is already live on Google Flights on mobile phones – right here, for flight searches originating the U.S. If you’re abroad, fear not, this clever tool is just getting started.
Heard Southeast Asia is really great in the fall, but can’t name half the places your friends mentioned? You’re far from alone. If you’ve got a bit of flexibility, and some big dreams, the new destination finder tool is brilliant. You can enter things like “Southern Europe” or “Southeast Asia” in the destination field of Google Flights, when in “Explore Map” mode, and the app will analyze flight deals from where you are, to all the places you might want to go. It’ll present you with the lowest priced options that fit the region you’re hoping to visit, and of course, a nice green barometer telling you these deals are hot, errr good. It’ll also offer cool info about what to do when you actually get there too. All set!
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