A trip to Italy seems like the perfect opportunity for a travel agent, but Google Flights can be a great place to find cheap flights with minimal effort.
In this article, we explore the features of the Google Flights search tool and show you how to use it for your next trip to Milan, Rome or Venice.
Of course, for the best deals on first and business class seats, Business Class Experts has you covered. With insider access to flight deals that aren't even available through Google Flights, business class experts can help you book the cheapest first class flights. You will no longer be forced to fly with no legroom, no food, and no privacy!
Italy is a luxurious destination, but your flight there doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Using Google Flights, your next trip will be more affordable and easier to find. Here’s how to navigate the search tool once you’ve landed on google.com/flights.
Apply Italy filter
Italy is a relatively large country, with tons of things to do, so finding the cheapest flights will depend on the arrival airport. On Google Flights, you can search an entire country in the destination to see what the prices will be like. Type in the airport or city you're departing from, then type "Italy" in the arrival section.
Your search result will display a list of Italian cities on the left. A map view with relative locations and prices will appear on the right. These overviews give you an idea of what flight prices look like based on location. You'll need to select a specific city to start exploring airlines, specific dates, or potential stopovers.
The beauty of Google Flight search results is how quickly they display information. For example, suppose an itinerary includes tickets from separate airlines. In this case, it will alert you, as well as long layovers, frequent delays or baggage restrictions.
Filter airlines
Now that you know which Italian city you're visiting, you'll want to take advantage of rewards programs or filter out airlines you don't like to fly with. Let's say you selected Rome as your destination and you are departing from Los Angeles. On the left side you will see an overview of available flights; In this case, Google Flights determined that the cheapest flight was a 35-hour trip on Norwegian Airlines.
You can also filter results by several other flight options, including:
Round trip, one-way or multi-city itineraries – Adding additional stops to your trip is a great way to explore more of what Europe has to offer.
Number of Passengers and Passenger Type – Select the number of adults, children or infants, even those seated on laps.
Choose your cabin type – Economy Class, Premium Economy, Business Class or First Class. Depending on your selection, some flights may require additional stopovers, alternate days or specific airlines.
Carry-on baggage allowance: Selecting the cheapest flight carries the risk of baggage restrictions. Don’t let lack of overhead compartment space hamper your trip!
Carbon Emissions – Flying produces a lot of carbon emissions. Environmentally conscious travelers can filter flights based on their environmental impact.
Number of stops – You can select non-stop. You can also save money by adding a stopover to your itinerary and taking advantage of the lounge before boarding your flight.
Flight Duration – Our example flight was a 35 hour marathon travel session. Not everyone has this endurance and you can filter by flight duration.
Connecting Airports – maybe you’re a fan of New York’s airports over Atlanta. You can select your connecting airport via the filters in the search tool.
Filtering features are available by clicking the “Show Flights” button below these initial options. A new page will appear with all the flight results, where you can then filter for airlines offering 35 hour flights. Or you can filter which airlines you have a credit card with and enjoy all those extra points!
Select your travel dates
In our example flight to Rome from Los Angeles, Google found that the cheapest available flights were in mid-November. But what happens if your travel dates don't match these deadlines? You can use the date grid search tool. The Date Grid displays a week-by-week grid with prices so you can explore the dates that suit you best.
The date grid also allows you to toggle dates to view results from different upcoming weeks or months. Of course, you can select specific dates by using the calendar view and selecting the date at the top. The calendar view will also show you the price of flights by departure date. This tool is useful for travelers with flexible dates.
Check the price
Filtering, by nature, reduces overall results and layovers are a significant factor in flight prices. In our example from Los Angeles to Rome, the cheapest flights had at least one layover, with the most affordable having an 11-hour overnight layover overall. In contrast, a nonstop flight requires a total date change and more than $400 for economy class and almost $1,000 for business class.
A layover is a great way to save money and explore a new city at the same time. Business class or first class flights generally offer passengers lounge access for added comfort. You can even use the Google Flight search engine to track prices and send notifications when a flight deal appears!
Book your tickets
You can use Google Flights to find cheap flights. However, price changes may occur, just like with online travel agencies (OTAs) like Orbitz, Kayak or Expedia. What sets Google Flight Search apart is the ability to book directly on an airline's website. While this can be a benefit, it can also mean paying a premium price for tickets.
Make planning your trip easier: use Google Flights for your research. Then, team up with Business Class Experts, your airline specialist, to help you find the lowest price on first and business class flight options. Once you can still travel with the airline alliances you love, select the seats you want and enjoy all the premium amenities available!
When you use Google Flights, planning your next trip to Italy is child's play. Flight search capabilities allow you to compare prices, airlines and routes. You can even filter the departure time and return flight. There is really no shortage of filters to find the best flight!
Although a Google Flight search can yield great results, the cheapest way to book flights to Italy is with business class experts. Upgrade to business class or first class, even on last-minute flights, at prices you never thought possible! Ditch those boring premium economy seats once and for all with business class experts.