Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Gemini gave me surprisingly specific guidance, not generic flight advice.
It pushed me toward cheaper airports and an open-jaw plan that fit my trip.
The prompts helped me understand risks like bag fees and layovers.
I want to take a family vacation in late August. The plan is simple: travel from upstate New York to Florida, spend a few days at Disney World in Orlando for my daughter (who will be five then and loves Mickey Mouse), and then head to Miami so we can see the ocean and catch a Miami Hurricanes home game at Hard Rock Stadium. Sounds fun, right?
The problem is I live in a rural area, and my airport options are not convenient. There is Montreal (which involves customs and traffic jams), Burlington, VT (a ferry ride plus a 4-hour drive), or Plattsburgh, NY, which is 1.5 hours from my home. Plattsburgh is my preference, but it's a really tiny airport, and I don't want to pay triple just for the benefit of a short driving distance.
Also: Tell Google's new AI tool about your travel needs and it'll find flight deals for you now
The other dilemma I have is that Google's own research suggests the optimal booking window for a late summer/early fall trip is 13 to 43 days in advance. I am sorry, but my anxiety could never wait until weeks before a family vacation to book flights. I need to do research now and either book soon or maybe in the spring, preferably, but it all depends on the price and what I find.
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