You'll Know When You Can Book That Trip At A Discount.

Planning a vacation often revolves around the delicate art of booking flights and hotels at just the right moment to get a great deal, and Google knows it. The internet pioneer is rolling out a slew of updates that, for the most part, are focused on getting you the best possible bargain. To start, you'll see automatic "deal" labels in searches whenever a hotel rate goes below the norm, and tips when tweaking the dates of your stay could save you some cash. You can also filter hotel searches for very exact criteria -- if you want to look for four-star hotels in Chicago that allow pets, you can. The tips and filters are only now rolling out (filters are limited to the US at first), but they'll be available worldwide over the course of the year.

You also won't have to worry that you're missing out on a low-cost flight. Google Flights is getting price tracking that can tell you when prices change for date and destination combos or specific flights. You'll only have to wait for email or a Google Now card to know when it's time to take action. This tracking will only be available in the 26 countries where Google Flights is available, but it'll reach all of them in a matter of weeks.

Most of Google's other updates today are more helpful for advertisers (such as a companion banner that lets you browse their wares while watching YouTube). However, there is one big user-friendly upgrade in the works: it's testing a shopping tweak that shows currency conversions in results, so you'll know just how expensive that Canadian sweater would be if you bought it in the US. The feature should be widely available in the weeks ahead.

Source:
courtesy of ENGADGET

by Jon Fingas

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