Google today announced that it is introducing three new search features to make it easier for users to find hotels, book their next plane ticket, and discover things to do while on vacation. Most notably, the company is testing a new “price guarantee” badge for flights.
If you see a flight with the price guarantee badge, it means Google believes the price you see today won’t get any lower. If you book with Google, the company will keep an eye on the price and if it drops, you will get the difference back. You can already tell if current prices are low, typical, or high compared to historical averages, but this new badge goes beyond current offerings.
Image Credits: Google
“We monitor the price every day until departure, and if it drops, we’ll refund you the difference via Google Pay,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Now you can book with the confidence that you won’t miss out on much. During this pilot program, price guarantees are only available for ‘Book on Google’ itineraries departing from the United States.”
The search giant is also introducing a new way for users to browse and discover hotels on mobile. Now if you search for something like “Soho London hotels” and tap to see more, you’ll find a new option to explore each property in a swipeable story format. From here you can browse photos of the hotel and get a better idea of it. You can also save the hotel, retrieve more information about the area or view a summary of what people find remarkable about the property. When you’re done, you can swipe up to continue browsing.
Image Credits: Google
Plus, the company makes it easier to find things to do on vacation. You can search for an attraction or tour company on Search or Maps, and you’ll find prices right on their listing, along with a link to book your ticket. For attractions, such as the Tower of London, you will also find suggestions for related experiences, such as a tour of the entire city with multiple stops.
The rollout of the new features comes a few days after Google announced it was introducing new ways for users to verify information on Google Search and plans to launch new extreme heat warnings designed to surface information to help people help you stay safe during heat waves.