Google Now Starts Tracking Prices of Flights You Search

After rolling out an update to search for alternative flights in case of flight delay, the search giant has started rolling out another update to Google Now on its Search app for Android, tracking flight prices for users based on their recent destinations and itinerary searches on Google and Google Flight Search (Google Flight service).

Google however has not yet announced the update officially. It is also not confirmed whether the roll-out is global, or still in a testing phase with select users.

Spotted first by Android Police, the updated Google Now service drops a Flight Price Monitor card whenever the price of the flight you've searched for drops, and also asks users whether to 'Continue receiving the Flight Price monitor card?' or not.

Notably, while Google's Flight Search service is quite useful (especially for international flights), most users search for flights using specialised apps or Web services, like Expedia, Kayak or MakeMyTrip. Unfortunately, the Google Now service will not track flights and show price changes on flights searched at such sites.

Launched in 2011, the Google Flight Service allows users to check the different cities a user can fly to with a base fare given alongside. It also shows photos of top attractions for each city, as well as price changes based on seasonality.

Google has been working hard to push its Search app to be the first choice of frequent travellers with some recent app updates. The company released an update to Google Search for Android which alerted users when to get off public transport at the stop nearest to their saved destination. The update was initially rolled out in the Netherlands, and last week made its way to other regions that supported the public transport feature.

Prior to this, Google brought a new feature to its Search app for Android that checked Gmail for hotel bookings to provide suggestions of nearby things to do and places to visit. Another update brought the 'Parking location' card to Google Now.