It happens all the time: You found a great deal on Google Flights, only to click the link and realize that it’s a basic economy fare. That means a hefty surcharge for regular economy, with such arguable must-haves as seat selection, early boarding and free ticket changes.
Now for those who want to more easily compare prices with a reasonable level of amenities, Google Flights has launched a new search filter for trips within the United States or Canada.
The top bar of the search page has a pull-down that now lets you switch between “Economy (include Basic)” and “Economy (exclude Basic).” That’s in addition to higher classes such as premium, business and first.
For example, for an October nonstop round trip from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Toronto, we found $402 for a Basic ticket on Air Canada. When we excluded basic, though, the best fare jumped to $619 for a Main Classic ticket on Delta Air Lines. Good times!
The new filter appears to rule out Sun Country Airlines, which charges add-on fees for seat choice, bags and other options. (For that Toronto trip, Sun Country by far had the lowest base fare at $249.)
