Online services to search for flights
I'll start by listing some services that you can use directly from your browser. You will not have to install any additional plugins and, above all, you will not have to pay anything because the services I am about to offer you are totally free. Indeed, it is thanks to these services that you will probably be able to save even some money!
Google Flights
I could not begin this discussion on the main services to search for flights online without mentioning Google Flights, the service made available by the most used search engine on the planet. To use this service you have to connect to the main page of Google Flights or Google Flights, if you prefer. Then just fill in the required fields to proceed with the search for available flights.
You can, for example, book a flight Andata e ritorno o One way. By booking a flight with the option More citiesInstead, you can book a flight by setting multiple destinations (e.g. from Milan to New York, from New York to Tokyo and from Tokyo back to Milan). At the top right there is also a menu through which you can choose the class and number of passengers to book.
Using the options you find a little further down, however, you can set the maximum number of stopovers to make. To do this, just click on Scali and choose from the available options. If you want you can also choose the airline to travel with: just select from the voice Airline company the option that suits you best. By clicking on the item ScheduleInstead, you can set the departure and arrival times by dragging the mouse pointer to the right or left.
A peculiarity of Google Flights concerns the possibility of receiving an email notification in the event that flight prices change. Don't you think it's a very useful feature? I would say yes. To monitor prices move up ON the switch that you find inside the box Monitor prices And that's it. The box in question will only be displayed after searching for a flight and after logging in with your Google account. If you haven't created a Google account yet, I invite you to do so by following my guide on how to create a Google account.
Still on the subject of prices, Google Flights allows you to look at prices at a glance through a special chart. If you opt for a one-way flight you will have to set the lowest price, while if you will make a return flight you will have to set a minimum number of days. Furthermore, to find the lowest price, I recommend using the function of Flexible dates. This option, available when looking for a return flight, allows you to find the lowest price at certain times of the week or month. To access this feature, click on the field Data and then select the option Flexible dates.
Expedia
One of the most famous and popular sites for travelers is Expedia. Once you arrive on the main page of this service, you will be "greeted" by a form through which you can book both your flight and your hotel at the same time. This is a very handy feature, isn't it? However, you can also decide to book the hotel later by clicking on Flights (airplane icon), the option you find in the top bar.
To actually search and book your flight you will need to indicate in the field Flight from the city or airport you intend to depart from. In the box Flight to, instead, you will have to type in the location or airport you want to arrive at. Using the field Departureinstead, you can indicate the exact date on which you intend to leave.
When you click on the field Departurein fact, you will have access to a sort of small calendar. If you click on the white arrows on a blue background in the calendar you will be able to scroll through the various months of the year, while if you hover the mouse pointer over the days of the month, the day box will be highlighted in blue. Just click on the day highlighted in blue to select your departure date. Really very simple right? The same procedure must be performed for the field Return, in which you will indicate the date on which you intend to return from the trip.
The booking form offered by Expedia is packed with multiple features, you have already noticed that. As if this were not enough there are also some Advanced options. Click on this part of the form. As you can see, you will now also be able to choose which class to travel in. There are four options available: Economy class, Economy Premium, Business, First class.
Once you have completed all the required fields, click on the yellow button Search. Now evaluate which flight is best suited to your needs, as well as to your pocket, and click on Select and then Continue with the booking. Now fill out the required form by entering your personal details and confirm your flight.
Momondo
Momondo is another useful service you can use to search for flights online and book them in just a few clicks. Using this portal is really very simple. All you have to do to search and book a flight with Momondo is to log on to the main page of the site and use the booking form to search for the flight you wish to travel on.
The form is very reminiscent of what we have already encountered on Expedia. In the field Departure city or airport, characterized by a placeholder with the letter “A” written on it, you will go to type the place from which you will start. In the field City, country or region which as you will notice is characterized by a placeholder with the letter "B" written on it, instead, you will enter your destination.
If you want to choose the departure date, just click on the appropriate field. You will see that you will have access to a calendar through which you can choose the exact day on which to leave. The same applies to the field dedicated to the return date (which will remain disabled if you choose to make a one-way trip). Also from the booking form you can choose how many passengers to book the flight for, you can set your preference for direct flights and include nearby airports. All this in just a few clicks.
Once you have entered all the required parameters you will have to press the button Search. At this point you will see the offers currently available. Choose the one that seems most convenient to you and finalize the purchase of your ticket by visiting the website of the chosen company.
Skyscanner
Our discussion continues with Skyscanner, another flight search engine that allows you to compare offers from different airlines. Once you have connected to the main page of this service, you will be able to search for your flight using the form that has been prepared specifically for this purpose. You will see, using Skyscanner is also quite simple.
The Skyscanner booking form must be completed in its entirety if you want to obtain an accurate search that can perfectly fit your current needs. In the form Country, city or airport, indicate the place from which you intend to leave. In the second form of the same name, however, indicate your destination.
You can use forms Departure e Return to indicate the departure and return dates you intend to set. Obviously, as already seen with the services listed above, you can include nearby airports, book direct flights only, book multiple destinations and so on.
Once you have set all the parameters you will have to press on Search flights to start the actual search for the flight you have selected. Then you will need to choose the flight that suits you best and confirm using the option Guarda. Finally, you will need to complete the reservation by entering your personal data on the website of the company you have chosen.
Kayak
The last online service that I point out to you, but certainly not in order of importance, is Kayak, a search engine much appreciated for its ease of use and for its captivating graphics. Also in this case to use Kayak you will have to connect to its main page. Once you have done this, you will need to fill in the form found on the home page.
In the field Da, you must enter the place from which you intend to leave. In the field Ainstead, you have to enter the place where you want to arrive. In fields DataInstead, you have to fill them in using the appropriate calendar that can be viewed immediately after clicking on the fields themselves.
With Kayak you can also select your preferences in terms of number of passengers to book, class, etc. Set all the desired parameters and then perform the actual flight search clicking on the arrow white on an orange background that you find in the box on your right.
At this point you will have access to all offers that correspond to the parameters from d and indicated in the booking form. Now you will need to click on See offer in order to proceed with the booking of the flight you are looking for. After you click on "View offer", in fact, you will be redirected to the website of the company that takes care of your flight to complete the booking.
App to search for flights
Now I would like to point out some apps that you would do well to install on your device if you want to stay updated in real time on price changes by sending some “alerts” from the apps themselves and if you want to follow the status of your flights. The apps I'm about to list are free and are available for both Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices.
Skyscanner (Android/iOS/Windows Phone)
The official app of Skyscanner offers all the advantages made available by the homonymous service analyzed in the previous paragraphs. In addition to this, the app allows you to receive price alerts, a function that can be particularly useful and that could save you a little bit. The app can be downloaded for free on both Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
To search for a flight with the Skyscanner app, all you have to do is log in with your Facebook, Google or email account, tap on Flights from the initial screen and set the various parameters indicated in the forms (place of departure, place of arrival, dates, etc.). To set an alert you have to tap on the button Search (the green one to be clear) and then touch thebell icon that you find at the top right. Finally, confirm by tapping on Crea.
Kayak (Android/iOS/Windows Phone)
The other app that I highly recommend is Kayak. Also in this case the app offers the same features offered by the service available from the web browser. However, the app offers some more features. One of these features concerns the possibility of having real-time information on the flight booked.
After searching for the desired flight and after completing the booking procedure having indicated in the appropriate fields the departure airport, the destination airport, the days, and so on, it will be possible to know if the flight is delayed or less. How?
Just scroll down the main page where the booking form is located and select the option Follow the status of a flight. Then you will have access to a page where the flight status will be summarized. You will then know if your flight is on time or delayed. You can download the Kayak app on both Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
More apps to search for flights
- Momondo: the service we talked about earlier can also be used as an application for mobile devices. Download the Momondo app for your Android, iOS or Windows Phone smartphone.
- Expedia: this excellent app, named after the service mentioned a few paragraphs ago, can be used to search for flights online both on Android devices and on iOS and Windows Phone devices.
