Google Flights is adding a new feature to help you save money on your next plane ticket.
The service already has a price history feature that lets you see a graph of ticket prices over the last few months and a feature that suggests when the best date to purchase might be, but now there’s no more guessing.
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Right now, when you enter your destination and dates, Google Flights shows options sorted by a mix of price and convenience — what’s generally considered the “best” options. But best doesn’t always mean most affordable.
If you’re looking for a rock-bottom price and are willing to sacrifice some conveniences, you’ll want to check out Google Flights’ new “Cheapest” tab, which will be rolling out over the next two weeks. This new tab lets you sort potential trips purely by price.
Using the cheapest tab, Google explains that you might be able to save money by booking with a third party rather than the actual airline, or you might save money by flying back to a different airport than your departure.
Google calls the options under this new tab “creative.” You’ll see flights with possibly long layovers, self-transfers, or even different legs purchased through different airlines or different booking sites. “The new tab gives you an easy way to see the lowest prices available,” Google says, “and then decide for yourself what tradeoffs you want to make.”
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Google priced a flight from New York City to Vancouver to demonstrate the feature. Under the traditional results, the first flight was an eight-hour and 40-minute trip with a stop in Calgary priced at $350. Flipping to the cheapest tab drops the price to $284 but routes you through Atlanta for a 10-hour and 53-minute flight – a savings of $66 for two hours of your time.
This tab is coming just in time. If you’re prepping for Thanksgiving or Christmas travel, Google’s recent study of holiday travel trends says October is usually the cheapest time to book those trips.
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