Google’s AI Mode Now Monitors Flight Prices, Aids with Hotel Reservations, and More

On Thursday, Google announced improvements to its AI Mode, aimed at assisting users with trip planning and bookings. Users can now ask AI Mode to track flight prices, make hotel reservations, and view costs for flights and hotels using points or miles.

These enhancements reflect Google’s goal to transform AI Mode into a comprehensive digital travel agent, moving beyond simple information retrieval to facilitate various aspects of trip planning and bookings directly.

Users can provide AI Mode with their preferred travel dates and locations, and the tool will showcase the best available choices along with up-to-date prices from more than 300 airlines and travel services. If they wish to proceed with a booking, AI Mode can help them create their itinerary. For users who prefer to wait for possible price drops, a simple command such as “track these flight prices for me” will suffice.

Users will receive an email alert if there are any changes in prices for their selected travel dates and destinations. Currently, AI Mode’s flight price tracking feature is available in over 180 countries.

For hotel bookings, users can interact with AI Mode to search for and reserve hotels based on their travel details and preferences, receiving options along with reviews and important information.

Once they find a hotel that meets their needs, users can ask AI Mode to assist with the booking, requiring them to select the “Continue on Google” option that appears among Google’s partnered services, which include various hotel chains and travel sites.

From there, they can choose their room, check essential details like cancellation policies, and complete their reservation using Google Pay. Google emphasizes that the actual booking and customer support will be managed by the hotel or booking platform.

Hotel booking features in AI Mode have started to be rolled out in English across the U.S. and will gradually be accessible in the coming weeks from partners like Booking.com, Choice Hotels International, Expedia, Hilton, Hotels.com, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Priceline, Trip.com, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Moreover, Google has introduced a feature allowing AI Mode to display flight and hotel costs in points or miles. For example, users can say, “I want to fly from Atlanta to Miami using my AA miles. Help me find nonstop flight options leaving on Oct 9 and returning on Oct 12.”

Users will then be informed about the miles required to book the relevant flights. This update is available worldwide.