Google Flights Adds SpiceJet, Cleartrip Options for Ticket Bookings in India

Google said on Thursday it has partnered with Indian airline SpiceJet and online travel services company Cleartrip to offer additional ways to allow users in India to purchase tickets through its Google Flights service.

As part of the partnership, Google said, users browsing through tickets on Google Flights can now choose Cleartrip and SpiceJet to make the purchase. Prior to the announcement, Google Flights had offered a range of other options including travel services Priceline, Via.com, and airline Etihad, GoAir, Jet Airways, AirIndia, and Vistara among others.

Google Flights was launched in India in 2015, and it lets customers find flights availability, and compare different flight fare with each other on the pricing. Google Flights, which offers real-time information, users data provided by airlines and third party data providers.

Executives from Cleartrip and SpiceJet said they were hopeful that their partnership with Google help them extend their reach in the country.

"At SpiceJet, our endeavour has always been to provide the highest value to our customers, and this partnership enables us to provide more options to India's rapidly growing air travellers," Ajay Singh, CMD at SpiceJet said. "India's online travel sector is incredibly vibrant and has seen extensive growth and innovation," Vikas Agnihotri, Industry Director, Google India said.

India's travel market is projected to be worth $48 billion by 2020, with air travel itself expected to be worth $30 billion, according to a report by Boston Consultancy Group. But for Google more things on stake.

The company has been aggressively expanding its offering. This year, it has also partnered with Uber and Ola to allow customers to discover ride-hailing options when they use certain keywords. Customers see various cab options on Google, and they are required to open the respective apps to place the booking.