If you're not someone who enjoys planning travel logistics but still wants to save money during your travel planning, you might find searching for flight deals frustrating.

Booking flights from Singapore always seems expensive when I look, but I've heard many people find cheap flights to the US or get great deals on business class without using their miles!

That's where Google Flights can be really useful for your research. There are many features to explore, based on your preferences, to maximize its benefits.

Here are our tips on how to use it effectively.

What exactly is Google Flights?

Google Flights is essentially Google's search engine for commercial flights.

It displays flights from multiple airlines, allows you to track fares over time, compares dates and airports, and even predicts whether prices are likely to increase or decrease.

It's excellent for finding the lowest price for your flight, based on your preferences, which you can set using the search parameters. These include:

• Your travel dates
• Number of stopovers: You can specify if you prefer a direct flight or are okay with a layover for long-haul trips
• Airlines: Select the airline you prefer or wish to avoid
• Bags: Adjust the number of carry-on bags you need
• Price: Set according to your budget
• Times: Choose your preferred departure or arrival times
• Emissions: Opt for flights with lower emissions
• Connecting airports: Choose if you want any and your layover duration
• Duration: Total flight duration

What it doesn't do is handle flight bookings directly. You'll be redirected to the airline's website or a third-party travel platform.

But that's okay. Google Flights is best utilized as a research and strategy tool. Once you find the right flight, you can book directly with the airline. This approach is safer for refunds and changes anyway.

Pro tips to find cheaper flights

1. Use the "Explore" map to find deals

If you're undecided on where to go and just want an affordable destination, there's a handy feature that shows numerous flights at a glance. Click on "Explore" and you'll see a world map displaying fares from Singapore to various destinations.

The map reveals the cheapest flights to other places as you move it. Look at the map below. You can observe that flying to Perth costs about the same as flying to Hong Kong, and is cheaper than a flight to Seoul.

Of course, these prices reflect the cheapest flights and airlines, but some things might not be included. For example, the flight to Perth is operated by Jetstar, a low-cost carrier, so meals and checked baggage will incur extra charges. Similarly, the flight to Seoul is operated by AirAsia and includes a layover of over 2 hours in Kuala Lumpur.

2. Turn on price tracking

If you haven't set your budget yet, or are hoping for flight prices to drop, you can track them.

Or if you notice that prices are generally high when you search, you might want to use the price tracking feature.

There's a small toggle under the search bar that lets you track the prices of your desired routes. Switch it on and Google will email you when fares change. There's no need to constantly check various airlines for deals or set reminders for when to book.

3. Play with flexible dates

If your travel dates are flexible, the calendar view is one of the most powerful features. Shifting your trip by just a day or two could save you a significant amount.

Check this out. Using random dates for a trip to Seoul, you can see that the biggest savings can be up to $165 just by flying on different days. From this, it's clear that flying on weekdays is usually cheaper than on weekends.

4. Check alternative airports

If a city has multiple airports, flying into or out of a different one can save you money.

For instance, Tokyo Haneda versus Tokyo Narita. While Haneda is very close to the city, flights there are generally more expensive. Most people fly to Narita because it's much cheaper.

London, for example, has Heathrow, Gatwick, and other airports. Comparing these two, flights to Gatwick are slightly cheaper. Traveling into the city from both airports takes about the same time, depending on your accommodation location.

There are also occasions when departing from Kuala Lumpur instead of Singapore makes more sense financially if the timing works for you.

5. Use filters to avoid price shocks

Now you can see how some prices are extremely cheap and seem too good to be true. Often, they are from budget airlines or flights with very long stopovers that aren't practical.

To save time on repeated searches or avoid surprises when you click through to the booking site, apply the various filters provided to exclude them.

If you're considering budget flights, remember that budget airlines typically charge for checked baggage. If those low fares appear too good to be true, they probably are.

Toggle whether you want stopovers or a direct flight. Sometimes a short layover saves hundreds of dollars; other times it's not worth the hassle.

Singapore-specific hacks

• Time your searches around school holidays. Fares increase before Chinese New Year and during the June and December holidays. Use Google Flights to see if flying a day earlier or later saves you money.
• Monitor prices for popular Singapore routes. Everyone loves traveling to Japan and Korea, so if you're planning for next year's cherry blossom season, set a price tracker immediately to know when to book as prices drop.

Use Google Flights for research, but always double-check budget airlines and final booking terms.

Stack even more savings

Of course, the best way to save more money is by taking advantage of promotions.

• Credit card: Ensure you pay with the right card. Use miles cards (like Citi PremierMiles, DBS Altitude, UOB PRVI Miles) or cashback cards to gain extra value.

• Book directly with airlines: Use Google Flights to search. Sometimes, you might find that full-service carriers have promotions when you search. You can then book your flight directly with the airline instead of through a third-party agent. This is more reliable if you need to change or cancel your flight.

• Cover yourself with travel insurance: Protects against cancellations, lost luggage, and medical emergencies.

  

Common mistakes to avoid

Having said all that, there are some mistakes to avoid, such as waiting endlessly for airfares to drop, especially during peak travel periods.

Don't forget about luggage costs, either. That flight may not be cheap once you add luggage and meals.

If the price seems too good and you're directed to a random third-party agent's page, you should think twice. Some of these platforms have poor refund policies and minimal customer service.

Search for reviews online, check what Reddit users say. If there are too many complaints, and you still decide to proceed, it's best to have travel insurance ready and hope that nothing goes wrong with your flight.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.