Google Launches Flight Search

Wow, I got a totally unexpected feeling of joy of getting immediate, concise results from a flight search instead of the usual drag of navigating through 3 - 4 screens and getting long waits, pestered with ads, special offers, etc. If Google can link this to actual bookings then they are on to something huge, especially if they tie it into their other services (think - book flight, have it appear in your calendar with maps in the entry etc.). More or less like TripIt but more integrated and convenient.

Re: Google Launches Flight Search

#6

Post by die_sekte » Mon, May 30, 2011, 11:25 PM UTC

Vivtek wrote: post #2

I'm not seeing flight information in my Google search results. Anybody else?

Seems to work only with US to US flights. "LGA to ORD" works, "FRA to SIN" and "HAM to TXL" don't.

Re: Google Launches Flight Search

#7

Post by hugh3 » Mon, May 30, 2011, 11:29 PM UTC

thematt wrote: post #3

Vivtek wrote: post #2

I'm not seeing flight information in my Google search results. Anybody else?

I see it. I tried this: flights from nyc to seattle

All I see is schedules of direct flights, making it orders of magnitude less useful than, say, hipmunk.

If it could plot non-nonstop routes and quote me prices for specific days, then it'd be really disruptive. But as it is, if I want to go somewhere surely I'll take the extra few seconds to check a proper travel site?

Re: Google Launches Flight Search

#8

Post by hugh3 » Mon, May 30, 2011, 11:30 PM UTC

die_sekte wrote: post #6

Vivtek wrote: post #2

I'm not seeing flight information in my Google search results. Anybody else?

Seems to work only with US to US flights. "LGA to ORD" works, "FRA to SIN" and "HAM to TXL" don't.

Works for international flights with one end in the US. (SFO to LHR, SFO to SYD I've tried...)

Re: Google Launches Flight Search

#9

Post by JeremyBanks » Mon, May 30, 2011, 11:32 PM UTC

hugh3 wrote: post #7

thematt wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see it. I tried this: flights from nyc to seattle

All I see is schedules of direct flights, making it orders of magnitude less useful than, say, hipmunk. If it could plot non-nonstop routes and quote me prices for specific days, then it'd be really disruptive. But as it is, if I want to go somewhere surely I'll take the extra few seconds to check a proper travel site?

Did you RTFA? Google's made a recent major acquisition in this field that will give them access to the data you mention, but they haven't had a chance to use it yet; this is a very preliminary product.

Re: Google Launches Flight Search

#10

Post by die_sekte » Mon, May 30, 2011, 11:42 PM UTC

hugh3 wrote: post #8

die_sekte wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems to work only with US to US flights. "LGA to ORD" works, "FRA to SIN" and "HAM to TXL" don't.

Works for international flights with one end in the US. (SFO to LHR, SFO to SYD I've tried...)

Hm. JFK-FRA works, JFK-SIN doesn't. SFO-(AKL|SIN|BKK|BJS) don't, JFK-WAW doesn't, DEN-MEX doesn't, JFK-YYZ doesn't. So, US-US, US-Western Europe, US-Australia. Strange dataset.