I Tried AI for Finding Cheap Flights, but It Was a Bumpy Ride
Hunting for flights is all part of the summer travel adventure, but it can quickly take a turn for the worse when I feel like I'm playing cat and mouse with Google's algorithm. Log out. Turn the VPN on. Use an incognito browser window. Switch between my MacBook and iPhone. These days, any strategies often fall short when you try to "trick" the algorithm so that it doesn't hike up the cost of the flight after seeing your repeated interest in that route and those dates.
Google Flights is my favorite booking platform, so I wondered if I could use Google's AI, Gemini, be the new most underrated travel hack for 2025? With the price of flights these days, I sure hoped so.
Gemini was released in March 2023 (when it was known, briefly, as Bard) and is one of the biggest AI models on the market. It's free to use if you have a Google or Workspace account with admin-enabled access to Gemini. There's also a paid version, which is $20 a month, with a two-month free trial.
See also: Traveler's Prep Checklist: Tips for Easier Flights and Road-Trips
For me, an Australian who lives in the US, the cost of flying home and back is in the thousands. Any savings AI can find would make a world of difference to my bank account.
How to use AI to find cheap flights
With a dedicated Google Flights extension, I had expected Gemini to transport me to the best deals. I followed the prompts to enable extensions, but I couldn't get it to work -- even after poking around in my Google admin console all afternoon.
A CNET editor was able to use this tool as expected (see screenshot below), so it's worth testing out to see if it works for you.
Gemini / Screenshot by CNET
Annoyed by the lack of ease, I ran a quick search for AI tools that could save me money on plane tickets, and in my "travels" I discovered Karma, an AI coupon code extension that I could easily install.
I saw Expedia on its list of affiliated brands, so I used that travel platform to search for flights. I picked dates four months away for a hypothetical trip home to Australia. The cheapest return flight was $1,443. Not bad, but Karma pinged me with a coupon. I clicked "apply coupons."
See also: Worried About Expensive Holiday Airfare? 5 Easy Tips to Save Money on Plane Tickets
I copied the code and continued in Expedia, assuming it would automatically apply at the checkout page, but there was no area to apply a code. Turns out Karma coupons can't be applied to all Expedia purchases; maybe I could have found a way to use one somehow, but it wasn't working for this flight option.
But for me, it's strike number two.
Back to Gemini, but for some advice this time.
I asked Gemini how AI can help me save money on flights. The answers were to be expected, but two words piqued my interest: "secret fares."
Gemini / Screenshot by CNET
I checked the age of those two links Gemini referenced and they were from 2018, so I responded to Gemini asking what platforms have "secret fares."
Gemini / Screenshot by CNET
While skiplagged sounds like an adventure in itself, I'm too old to fly with no check-in luggage or risk being blacklisted by airlines. When there's only one (practical) way to enter my country (by air), the potential reward wasn't worth the risk.
It was interesting that Hopper wasn't mentioned in Gemini's list, although it was the source of the original "secret fares" information. It had come up in my own research, so I decided to give it a shot.
Hopper's Price Prediction function is only available in the app. I downloaded it.
See also: Travel Planning With AI: I Tested It for a City I Know Inside and Out
Once I set myself up in Hopper, I ran a quick Google Flights search and found a good option for $1,256. Hopper's cheapest option was $1,272 (for that same flight), but it said I could save up to $199 by waiting longer before booking. I turned on Price Watch notifications.
And waited. I checked back in a day later and it hadn't changed, then the following day it had gone up. I opened the app a few days later and again it had gone up, not down.
If you have more time, it could take a few weeks for Hopper to identify a lower price. As always, there's no guarantee.
Strike number three.
Double-check flight pricing
If you're using a flight booking platform like Google Flights, Skyskanner or Expedia, these sites do have AI features built in. This might be sufficient, and you can use AI chatbots on those sites for travel advice.
For confirmation, I checked with ChatGPT. It gave me tools I'd already tried out.
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
What I did discover via ChatGPT is the new Google Flights refund feature on itineraries departing from the US. If the price drops on a booking (that had a price guarantee badge), you get refunded through the Google Pay app.
Pretty cool.
That one feature alone is enough for me to stick with Google Flights, alongside accessing advice from AI chatbots. You can also use AI to plan out a strategy to use credit card points to save on flights. However, AI has been found to pull up outdated card bonuses and rewards information, so it's important to vet it before applying for a new credit card.
The verdict on finding cheap flights using AI
After multiple attempts to use AI to save money on flights, I unpacked my bags. While I expected Gemini's Google Flights extension to be as smooth as Google Flights itself, I couldn't get it to work, even with the features enabled in my Google account.
Gemini also admits it doesn't always get it right, so be sure to check the flight details on the airline's website. Given flight tickets are often in the thousands, you don't want to risk any mistakes.
In short, using AI to find flight deals still has a way to go. I did, however, find some interesting things via AI, such as the refund feature.
AI is a great thought partner but not yet a booking partner.
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