Google AI Mode adds flight price tracking and hotel booking help

In short: Google says its AI Mode can now track flight prices, help people book hotels, and show travel costs in points or miles.

What happened

Google announced new travel features for AI Mode, which is its chat-style search tool where you can ask questions in plain language and get an answer back. Instead of only showing information, AI Mode can now help with parts of planning a trip.

For flights, you can tell AI Mode where you want to go and when. It will show options and current prices using data from more than 300 airlines and travel sites. If you ask it to track prices, Google says it will email you when prices change. Google says flight price tracking in AI Mode is available in more than 180 countries.

For hotels, Google says you can talk through what you want, like location or preferences, and get a list of options with reviews and key details. If you decide on a hotel, AI Mode can guide you to finish the booking by choosing “Continue on Google,” selecting a room, reviewing things like the cancellation policy, and paying with Google Pay. Google says the hotel or booking site handles the reservation and customer service.

Google also says AI Mode can show prices in points or miles for flights and hotels, depending on what you ask. This feature is available globally.

Why it matters

Many people plan trips by jumping between airline sites, hotel sites, and comparison pages. Google is trying to make that process feel more like talking to a travel helper that can also take action (like setting a price alert), not just a search box.

Source: TechCrunch AI