Your New Flight Finder Friend

How using Google Flights can help you save hundreds on international travel!

While For The Story Vacations no longer books international flights gatekeep I will not! One of my absolute favorite tools to use when searching for the perfect flights is none other than Google Flights.

This powerful search engine is easy to use but looks at flight patterns from a variety of airlines to help you find the best deal! To give you an idea of how it works venture with me as I book international flights from Kansas City to Rome Italy for April 2023!

1. Enter Your Info

Start with your Departure City, Arrival City, and plug in the dates you’re looking at. The first thing you’ll notice when selecting your dates is the pop-up menu gives you a preview of what tickets will cost each day. This is great for travelers with flexible dates, allowing you to choose the least expensive options!

For this trip, let’s select a departure of Wednesday, April 5th, and a return date of Friday, April 14th. Hit Done and wait for your results!

2. Reviewing Your Flight Options

Your departure will be the first result. Google automatically displays the best departing flights based on a combination of factors including price, the convenience of routing, and time of travel. Use the arrows on the right-hand side to expand your flight details including layover information.

Once you’ve decided which option is the best fit simply click on the flight and move on to your return flights!

A couple of things you’ll want to keep in mind when looking at flights:

• Keep an eye out for layover times and airports. Avoid flights that require you to change airports during your layover for a less stressful experience.

• Make sure you give yourself enough time during layovers to go through Customs and make your connecting flight.

• It is possible flying one airline at your departure and a different airline for your return is the better option. Don’t be afraid to mix airlines!

3. Select Your Fare Option

Once you’ve selected your flight pattern you’ll be prompted to select your Fare Type. This is the type of seat you’ll have on the plane as well as additional features like checked luggage, legroom, and meal options.

4. Book Your Flights!

Once your flight has been selected and you’ve decided on your fare Google Flights will send you to the airline’s website to book. You can proceed to enter your passenger details, loyalty number, seat selection, and pay for the ticket. All elite and other loyalty benefits are honored on flights booked through Google Flights as if you had started directly on the airline's website!

Additional Fun Features

Google Flights' handy historical price guide shows whether the fare you have found is a low, high, or standard price for flights on this route.

Not quite ready to book? Track prices! Just enter the date range you’re interested in going, and Google will send you email notifications on flight deals!

Search for flights based on your personal travel preferences, such as airlines, price, stops, and more with their search bar!

Wondering what your environmental footprint will be for this trip? Google Flights will even show you what the average emissions are for the flights you’re searching.

While booking international flights might seem intimidating, Google Flights makes the entire process easy! Don't forget For The Story Vacations will still take care of booking any internal European flights once you arrive overseas, as well as bus or train transfers.

Have more questions? Ready to book your next adventure? For The Story Vacations is now accepting travel for March 2023 and beyond! Schedule your complimentary consultation by clicking here.