BEV BUTULA: Google lands its flight search

Google’s new Flight Search launched last week. The service is designed to help online users locate deals on airfares.

The FAQ page indicates that in addition to finding flights available to a specific destination, the search engine allows researchers to explore travel options, and locate dates with the lowest prices on flights.

Similar to a Google web search, options to help narrow your search are offered on the left side of the screen. These options include the number of stops, choice of airline, specific airports to connect through, and time of day.

I ran a search for a flight from Milwaukee to Dallas (see below). It listed several flight options. I was unable to book the flight through Google, however. I received a message instead to contact the airline directly. I then selected a flight, and was rewarded with the ability to book the flight.

(Image courtesy of Google Flights)

Like most things “Google,” the interface is clear and easy to use. However, I will most likely continue to use the other online travel services for a while.

There are several articles discussing the various online travel tools and how Google’s Flight Search currently compares. If you are interested, check out IB Traveler’s article, PC World’s test drive article, and Search Engine Land’s article.

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