As members of Going know, when we send an amazing flight deal to members, we include a link to a sample search; often this sample search is on Google Flights or Skyscanner, and sometimes, we link to both.
Members have asked which is better, but it’s not so much a matter of one being better than the other. Rather, we recommend using both to cover all your bases and make sure you’re unearthing the best flights at the lowest prices. Additionally, neither site is perfect. In some cases, the downfalls of Google Flights mirror the benefits of Skyscanner, and vice versa.
Why we love Google Flights
Google Flights is a super fast flight search site with lots of great capabilities to help you find the lowest price quickly and easily. Google Flights allows you to search up to seven destination and departure airports at once and the calendar shows you the cheapest dates within a two-month period. The Google Explore Map will show you the cheapest place to go from your airport during a particular time frame.
Google Flights also allows you to set price alerts so you’ll be notified when prices on a tracked route or flight change. And, Google Flights has also rolled out a pricing guidance tool (not yet available on all routes and dates) that tells you if the prices you’re seeing are average, high, or low for that route on those dates, based on historical date.
Weaknesses of Google Flights
Google Flights is not always the best at finding the absolute lowest price for a particular flight, because it doesn’t search many of the smaller OTAs. Similarly, many Mistake Fares, which happen when an airline or OTA accidentally discounts a price by up 90% off, don’t show up on Google Flights. Finally, prices on Google Flights sometimes “ghost,” which is when the price shown no longer exists and the real fare is much higher.
Skyscanner has some of the same great features as Google Flights. Skyscanner advanced search allows for flexible date searching and makes it easy to see when cheap flights are available. It also allows a lot of flexibility on location; you can search for flights from an entire country rather than from a specific city or airport, and the Search Everywhere tool shows you the cheapest destinations from your airport during the time period you choose. Like Google Flights, Skyscanner also allows you to track flight prices and get alerted when the prices for a particular trip change.
Additionally, Skyscanner can unearth some fares Google Flights misses, as it searches lots of small OTAs, which can sometimes have cheaper prices.Skyscanner fares can even be cheaper than the airlines.
Weaknesses of Skyscanner
As with Google Flights, Skyscanner sometimes displays ghost fares that are no longer active. And, while it does have great flexible date searching, its fare calendar doesn’t live-update, which means the pricing you see for less frequently searched routes might be incomplete. Finally, some of the OTAs that Skyscanner searches are questionable. You can see an OTA’s star rating on Skyscanner, but you may need to do some additional vetting before you buy.
Features comparison of Google Flights and Skyscanner
Bottom line: Google Flights and Skyscanner are two of the best sites for searching for flights. Both have some great functionality, but each also has some areas for improvement.
That’s why we often recommend pairing multiple search sites to ensure you're getting the best deal. E.g. you may want to start out on Google Flights to refine dates and location and then move to Skyscanner (and/or Kayak or Momondo) to check prices on smaller OTAs to compare prices and make sure you’re getting the best deal possible for your particular trip.
Join Going and get amazing deals right in your inbox. Members save an average of $550 per international economy ticket and $2,000 per international business class ticket off regular prices.
Members have asked which is better, but it's not so much a matter of one being better than the other. Rather, we recommend using both to cover all your bases and make sure you're unearthing the best flights at the lowest prices.
While Google Flights allows you to enter up to seven airports or cities or origin, Skyscanner lets you choose only one. Both Google Flights and Skyscanner have calendar views, alerts, and filters. He also mentions that Skyscanner includes more travel agencies and regional websites with tempting deals.
Each of these flight search engines has its unique features and strengths. While Skyscanner is undoubtedly a popular choice, exploring alternatives like Kayak, Google Flights, and Momondo can give you additional options and help you find the best flights and deals for your travel needs.
Skyscanner's top competitors include Kiwi.com, AirWander, and Momondo Group. Kiwi.com is a global travel company that offers services providing users with options for cheap flights, hotels, car hire, and train travel, with a focus on finding bet…
Google Flights is a reliable, legitimate, and trustworthy site for flight searching. In general, its prices are accurate and reflect the same prices as you'll find on the airline websites and other OTAs. However, in rare instances, Google Flights prices are wrong, or more accurately, the price info is outdated.
Find the cheapest flights anywhere with Skyscanner! Millions of people use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals instantly. We search hundreds of airlines and compare prices for thousands of destinations around the world to find you the cheapest flights to wherever you want to go.
Skyscanner is highly reliable. And the reason why is this… Skyscanner is an independent company with the sole goal of helping you find the best option for your personal travel plans. Every month, over 100 million customers trust Skyscanner to help them find the best deals on flights, hotels, and car rentals.
As previously mentioned, booking airfare on Sunday is cheaper than other days of the week, especially Fridays. Be willing to fly mid-week. Since Thursdays tend to be the cheapest day to fly, see if you can tweak your travel plans so you depart and fly home during the week instead of on weekend days.
Tuesdays may not be favorable for booking, but if you're hoping to score major savings, booking your departure on a Tuesday or Wednesday is a surefire way to do so. Mid-week flights offer the best deal prices in comparison to flights departing the rest of the week.
Generally, airlines will offer cheaper tickets directly from their website as they don't have to pay a commission to the travel agency. However, some travel agencies may be able to offer discounts or special deals that can make them cheaper than buying directly from an airline's website.
"To celebrate our nation's freedom, Southwest is making the freedom to fly even easier with these spectacular low fares," said Joyce Rogge, Southwest Airline's Senior Vice President of Marketing.
Once you've launched the “Explore” feature, you'll immediately see a map with the cheapest round trip economy fares to various destinations from the departure airport you've chosen. “Explore” defaults to a one week vacation in economy class within the next six months.
Despite the longer journeys if you are serious about travelling without flying, then buses are not to be overlooked as a good form of sustainable travel. If you are looking for the cheapest way to travel and don't mind a bit more space confinement, then you can also take a bus to reach your destination.
Look no further. If you're wondering, “Is Skyscanner reliable?” the answer is a resounding yes. With over 100 million satisfied customers every month, it's the ultimate metasearch engine for flights, hotels, and car rentals.
The truth is, Skyscanner is a legit and reliable fare comparison site. But here's the catch: the success you have with any fare comparison site, including Skyscanner, depends on how smartly you use it. It's like having a good tool in your hands, but it's up to you to make the most of it.
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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