Out of all the several Skyscanner alternatives to muscle the long-running service out of the aggregating game, Google Flights has been one of the top contenders alongside firmly established companies such as Expedia.
While you still aren’t able to purchase airfares directly from Google Flights and there are no exclusive deals, the powerful search engine’s flight comparison service has become an easy go-to for anyone looking for the cheapest possible flight to anywhere thanks to the company’s efficient way of crawling the internet.
That solid reputation as a reliable flight comparison checker should only get stronger from here on out, especially now Google Flights has introduced a new feature to price guarantee the lowest airfare for any flight. That’s an ambitious claim to make, especially since flight comparison services are notorious for getting things wrong, especially if you search multiple times. Although it seems the tech giant is willing to put its money where its digital mouth is.
Currently being trialled in the US is a new Google Flights Price Guarantee feature that will tell you when an airfare can’t possibly get any cheaper. And to be certain, Google will continue to monitor the price and pay you the difference if the airfare drops any lower.
As the feature begins to roll out users will start to see a “Price Guarantee” badge next to an affordable flight, indicating that this is the lowest airfare and has no chance of being cheaper in the future. You will be able to book that flight without worrying about missing out on another price drop. However, if you do then Google will pay you the difference through Google Pay.
All flight aggregators claim to be able to find the best deal for their customers but to date, none have introduced a feature like this. There is some fine print, of course, but for the most part, it’s a nice step towards helping consumers feel a bit more confident amid wildly fluctuating prices for air travel.
Google Flight Price Guarantee is only available for airlines that use “Book on Google” so that you can book that new-found fare directly with the airline. Airlines like Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines haven’t yet opted into the feature and several others are still yet to make the move.
Right now, there’s a limit to Google’s generosity. The service will only pay you up to around $500 per year for a maximum of three bookings using the Price Guarantee. And you’d need to make sure you have the Google Pay app downloaded to receive the cash back.
Note that, as above, this new Google Flights feature is being trialled in the US and is currently only available for flights outbound from the States. Though there’s little doubt Aussies will be seeing the benefits soon enough.
