AI vs MakeMyTrip vs Google Flights — which actually finds cheaper fares for Indian travellers?
By Aarav Sharma (Aarav Sharma covers Indian airline operations, airport infrastructure and route economics. He writes about Tier-1 and Tier-2 airport developments, IndiGo and Air India fleet strategy, and the unsung Indian aviation hubs travellers should know about.) · Published · 12 min read
For Indian travellers in 2026, the honest answer is that no single tool wins on every route every time — but AI flight search, MakeMyTrip and Google Flights each have a specific scenario where they shine. Here is the actual comparison, with concrete examples.
TL;DR — which tool wins where
For Indian travellers doing AI flight search versus MakeMyTrip versus Google Flights in 2026: Google Flights' calendar view is the best date-flexibility tool for international routes; MakeMyTrip wins for UPI and card offers, EMI and bundled hotel deals; and AI-powered search like FlightGPT wins for plain-English queries, destination discovery and flexible multi-airline comparisons in one go. For most international bookings, the ideal workflow is: use AI or Google Flights to find the right date and airline, then book on MakeMyTrip or the airline's own site to capture any card cashback or UPI offer. On domestic routes, IndiGo's own app and Ixigo often price-match or beat MakeMyTrip.
How each tool actually searches for flights
Before comparing prices, it helps to understand what each tool is doing under the hood:
- MakeMyTrip is a licensed OTA (Online Travel Agent). It pulls inventory from GDS systems, airline APIs and its own negotiated allocations. It earns a commission on bookings. This commission structure sometimes means it can offer card-linked cashback or HDFC/ICICI bank offers on top of the base fare — which is a real advantage.
- Google Flights is a metasearch — it aggregates real-time prices from airlines and OTAs, shows you the calendar view and best-time-to-buy insights, and then redirects you to book on the airline or OTA directly. It doesn't book itself and earns referral revenue. The calendar heat-map is genuinely excellent for spotting cheap windows.
- AI tools like FlightGPT layer a natural-language interface on top of live flight data. You type in plain English, the AI parses the intent (route, date range, flexibility, airline preference), and it returns results from the underlying data source. The AI advantage is in query handling and date-range exploration — not in exclusive inventory that others don't have.
The key point: the underlying fare data is broadly the same across all three. Airlines publish fares through GDS and NDC channels that all major search tools can access. The differences come from query flexibility, UX, payment offers and how each tool handles date flexibility.
Head-to-head: calendar view and date flexibility
| Feature | AI / FlightGPT | MakeMyTrip | Google Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible date grid | Yes — ask in plain English | Partial — "nearby dates" toggle | Best-in-class calendar heat-map |
| Multi-airline comparison | Yes, in one query | Yes, on results page | Yes, on results page |
| Plain-English queries | Yes — the core feature | No — form-based only | Partial via "Explore" view |
| Price prediction / trend | Varies by tool | Shows "prices are low/high" | Yes — "track price" and trend graph |
| UPI / card offers | No — search only | Yes — HDFC, ICICI, UPI cashback | No — redirects to OTA/airline |
| Booking on platform | No — search only | Yes | Redirects to airline/OTA |
| Hotel bundling | No | Yes — flight + hotel packages | No |
When MakeMyTrip wins
MakeMyTrip's real advantage is payment offers and bundling. If you have an HDFC Diners or ICICI Sapphiro card, MakeMyTrip regularly runs 10–15% instant discount offers that can be worth ₹1,500–4,000 on an international booking. Their "MyBiz" offering for frequent business travellers and their flight + hotel packaging can also save money versus booking each component separately.
For UPI payments, MakeMyTrip has consistently run ₹250–500 cashback via PhonePe tie-ups. If you are booking a domestic flight and have a relevant card offer active, MakeMyTrip can genuinely be cheaper than the airline's own site — not because the base fare differs, but because of the payment layer on top.
Where MakeMyTrip frustrates me: the interface is cluttered with upsells at every step ("add travel insurance", "add cab from airport", "add hotel"), and the cancellation and refund process involves dealing with an intermediary rather than the airline directly. On an IndiGo booking where I once needed to change a date, it was a 45-minute call to MakeMyTrip versus what would have been a 10-minute self-service change on IndiGo's own site.
When Google Flights wins
Google Flights is the strongest tool for international date flexibility and price trend analysis. The monthly calendar heat-map — where dates shade from green (cheap) to red (expensive) — is the best visual tool for spotting cheap windows on any route. If you know you want to go to Amsterdam from Mumbai in spring 2027, open Google Flights, set the date range to March–May and look at the calendar. The cheapest weeks jump out immediately.
Google Flights also shows a price history graph for specific routes — useful for knowing whether today's fare is historically high or low. The "track price" feature sends email alerts when the fare drops or rises. For planned trips that are not time-sensitive, this is genuinely useful.
The limitation: Google Flights doesn't let you book. It redirects you. On Indian routes, it sometimes redirects to US-based OTAs that don't support Indian payment methods well, or to airline sites that still have ₹ pricing issues. Always click through to verify the actual booking price, which can differ slightly from what Google displays.
When AI flight search wins
AI tools like FlightGPT win on query naturalness and destination exploration. If you know what you want, Google Flights' calendar is hard to beat. But if you are still figuring it out — "cheapest international destination under ₹20,000 round-trip from Bengaluru in September" or "compare flying via Doha versus via Abu Dhabi to Lisbon" — plain-English AI search handles these without forcing you into a rigid form.
For Indian travellers who are not aviation-fluent (don't know IATA codes, don't know which hub airlines operate through, aren't sure about terminal differences), AI lowers the barrier significantly. You describe what you want in normal language and get an answer.
FlightGPT is free and designed for Indian routes specifically — worth bookmarking for both flexible-date searches and destination-discovery queries. It won't replace Google Flights for calendar heat-maps or MakeMyTrip for payment offers, but it fills a genuine gap in the middle.
The workflow that actually works in 2026
For an international booking from India, the sequence I'd recommend:
- Explore with AI or Google Flights: Use FlightGPT or Google Flights' Explore view to identify the right destination, season and rough price range. Let the flexible date view show you the cheapest windows.
- Narrow to airline and exact date: Once you know you want IndiGo to Bangkok on October 24, confirm the price on IndiGo's own site and on Google Flights to ensure the number is accurate.
- Check for payment offers on MakeMyTrip or Ixigo: If an HDFC or ICICI offer is running, the effective price on MakeMyTrip after cashback might be cheaper. Compare the final amount, not just the base fare.
- Book: Either on the airline directly (better for post-booking changes) or on MakeMyTrip/Ixigo if the card offer makes it cheaper.
Fares and offers change constantly — check the live price before you book.
Bottom line
Honest answer: none of these tools is always cheapest, and the fare data is mostly the same across all three. The differences are in UX, payment offers and query flexibility. Use AI search for exploration and plain-English queries; use Google Flights for calendar heat-maps and price tracking; use MakeMyTrip when a card offer or UPI cashback makes the effective price genuinely lower. All three together take about 10 minutes and usually lead to a better outcome than using any single one.
Frequently asked questions
Does MakeMyTrip always show the cheapest flight fares?
Not always. MakeMyTrip's payment offers and card cashbacks can make the effective price lower than booking elsewhere, but the base fare is usually the same across OTAs. Always compare with the airline's own site and Google Flights before booking.
Is Google Flights available in India and does it support INR?
Yes. Google Flights works in India and shows prices in INR. It's a metasearch — it doesn't book directly but redirects to airlines and OTAs. The calendar heat-map and price-tracking features work for Indian routes.
Can AI flight search tools find fares that MakeMyTrip doesn't show?
Rarely — the underlying inventory is broadly the same. The AI advantage is in flexible-date query handling and destination exploration, not in exclusive access to different inventory.
Which is better for booking international flights from India — MakeMyTrip or the airline's own site?
The airline's own site is better for post-booking changes, name corrections and refunds. MakeMyTrip is worth using when a live card or UPI offer makes the effective price meaningfully lower — compare both before you book.
Does FlightGPT book flights or just search?
FlightGPT is a search and discovery tool — it shows live prices across airlines and flexible dates but redirects you to book on the airline's site or a licensed OTA. It's free to use at flightgpt.in.