New ‘Google Flights’ app now predicts when a flight will be delayed

Adobe

We all know how stressful traveling can be: Getting to the airport, giving yourself enough time to go through security, finding your gate, dealing with canceled flights and delays—it’s the worst.

But luckily, Google has officially made the lives of travelers much easier thanks to the newest feature on its Google Flights app. This new app not only confirms flight delays, but will also tell you why there are delays, and in some circumstances, even predict delays before they happen. Yes, predict delays!

While the results aren’t guaranteed to be 100 percent correct all the time, Google is about 80 percent confident in its predictions.

“Using historic flight status data, our machine learning algorithms can predict some delays even when this information isn’t available from airlines yet—and delays are only flagged when we’re at least 80 percent confident in the prediction,” Google wrote in a recent blog post. “We still recommend getting to the airport with enough time to spare, but hope this information can manage expectations and prevent surprises.”

The app is super easy to use: You just need to search for the airline, and flight number or flight route, and you get the details instantly.

The Google Flights app has also been updated to include more specific details on fares. So now we’ll know what “Basic Economy” really entails when it comes to added costs for things like baggage and seat selection. When you use the search selection, you can now see what it costs for an upgrade from “Basic Economy” to “Regular Economy” and what that includes.

We all know that an airline’s lowest published price might not include the desired “extras” you hope it does. So, we’re glad this app now does the work for us. It’s really never been easier for travelers and those looking for the best deals to compare prices and airline perks.

What other apps do you use to make travel less stressful?

News, Technology, Travel
, , ,

Related posts

iPhone and flight info screenshot
This easy iPhone trick lets you track flight info without an app
Solar eclipse as sun sets behind airplane at airport
You could win a trip to see the solar eclipse from an airplane
person sleeping on a plane
How to sleep on a plane (yes, it can be done)
Denver International Airport
This airport has a surprising reputation for conspiracy theories

About the Author
Chelsea Davis
Chelsea is a freelance journalist based in New York City whose passion revolves around traveling the world, immersing herself in foreign cultures, and of course, eating and drinking everything delicious. She covers all things food, drink and travel and is always up for an adventure, whether that means an adrenaline-pumping excursion or trying a new cuisine. Follow her on Instagram at @cheycheyfromthebay and keep up with her latest work at www.chelseadavis.com.

From our partners