Google launches tool to search airfares
This screenshot shows the new "flights" section of Google.com.
Google's airfare search tool has debuted, offering what the search engine company says is a faster, more flexible online way of finding the lowest fare between two locations. Reviews have been mixed, but Google says it plans to upgrade the site soon.
The tool -- found at google.com/flights -- shows domestic, round-trip and economy-class fares. Flights to many small cities are not included.
The Google site shows prices for all carriers and enables travelers to filter flights by price, number of stops and duration. Other features let travelers see ticket prices over a span of dates and from several airports in a region at the same time.
But none of this is groundbreaking. The big advantage of the Google site is its speed.
"It's almost instantaneous," said Ed Perkins, a contributing editor for the website Smarter Travel. For now, he said, the site won't be very popular with business travelers, who typically want a selection of seat classes and don't have much flexibility in their schedules.
