Mastering the Art of Flight Selection: A Comprehensive Guide

In this insight I’m going to show you how I usually pick a flight when I need to travel for work or personal purposes! This is the best way I found so far, let me know in the comment if you found other better solutions!

Personally, the flight search engine I find closer to my needs is Google Flight: https://www.google.com/travel/flights. There you can select a departure, a destination, a flexible range of dates or even use the function “Explore” that Google provides. What I think makes Google Flight the most powerful search engine for flights, is a sum of multiple factors.

1. Departure and destination don’t have be airports

When you select the departure, you don’t have to choose a specific airport like you usually do when searching for a flight, but you can select a whole city! For example, Milan is considered to have 3 airports: Malpensa, Linate and Orio Al Serio. Usually, if you wanted to depart from Milan, you’d have to do the search 3 times, one for each different departure airport. Now you can avoid this process and directly add a whole City which will automatically include all its airports: really a time saving option! This can be applied to destinations also.

2. Multiple departure and destination options

Beside what I mentioned in the previous point, you can even select more than 1 departure or destination. When you enter a departure, you can select the “+” that will appear close to the input area, which will allow you to add a departure up to a total of (currently) 7 different departure cities! The same maximum of 7 can be applied to destinations.

3. Flexible dates

After entering your departure and destination details, click on the departure date field. Opt for the “Flexible dates” or “Flexible month” option, which will present a calendar illustrating the lowest fares across different days. You can either choose specific dates or maintain flexibility to view price fluctuations over a broader range. Google Flights will then generate a list of available flights with corresponding prices based on your flexible date selection. This feature empowers you to easily compare fares, aiding in the discovery of cost-effective travel options.

4. Additional filters

Following your flexible date search on Google Flights, you can further refine your results by utilizing various filters. These include options to customize your preferences based on the number of stops, preferred airlines, or specific times for departure and arrival. These refinements allow you to tailor your flight options more precisely, ensuring that the chosen itinerary aligns with your preferences and travel needs.

Bonus point – Destination: Anywhere

If you are just in the mood for a vacation and you feel like being surprised, on Google Flights you can use the “Anywhere” destination function! In order to do so, visit the website and navigate to the “Explore” tab. Instead of specifying a particular destination in the “Flying to” field, opt for “Anywhere.” This signals to Google Flights that you are open to exploring flight options to various destinations worldwide. You can also combine these with the “Flexible dates” option, if your travel plans are more open-ended. Once your preferences are configured, click on the “Explore” or “Search” button. Google Flights will then generate a map displaying a multitude of potential destinations, each accompanied by corresponding flight prices. Use the filters on the left side of the screen to refine your search, including options like specific travel dates, trip duration, interests, or price ranges. You can also zoom in and out of the map to focus and have more details on specific areas. This feature is particularly useful for travelers seeking inspiration or those with a sense of spontaneity, allowing them to discover exciting destinations and find affordable flight options tailored to their preferences.