Let the Map Decide: How I Use Google Flights to Plan a Spontaneous Trip Anywhere

Last Updated on February 23, 2026 by Lauren Belzer Sanford

If you’re a born wanderer like me, you probably go into full panic mode the moment no upcoming flights are sitting in your calendar. If you want to know how to use Google Flights to find cheap flights with zero destination in mind, you’re in exactly the right place.

There’s truly nothing worse than opening your airline apps and seeing a painfully empty “Upcoming Trips” section staring back at you. I try not to let that happen — but when it does, and I don’t have a specific destination in mind (or I’m trying to stay within a reasonable budget), I play a little game I like to call Google Flights Roulette.

It’s my go-to way to plan a spontaneous trip anywhere in the world using Google Flights’ Explore map — no destination required and no rigid timeframe. The idea is simple: you start with just your departure airport, stay flexible, and let the map (and pricing) guide you.

A quick note before we begin: once you get to the later steps and start clicking into specific flights, you may need to backtrack and choose a different destination if nothing works for your preferences. That’s part of the fun — and exactly why I recommend playing Google Flights Roulette when you have nothing but time, a glass of wine (or coffee), and space to daydream about your next getaway.

Here’s how it works:

1. Navigate to Google Flights

First things first: head to Google Flights. You can do this by typing either of the following into your browser (they both lead to the same place):

• flights.google.com
• google.com/travel/flights

Pro tip: If you’re already on Google, click the Google apps menu in the top right corner, select “Travel”, and then click “Flights.” Easy.

2. Input Only Your Departure Airport

Once you’re on the Google Flights page, enter only what’s necessary:

• Number of travelers
• Your departure airport

That’s it. Leave the Where to?, Departure, and Return fields completely empty. (If you prefer a different cabin class than Economy, you can adjust that too.)

Then click the blue Explore button and let Google take it from there.

3. Explore the Map!

This is where the fun begins.

Once you hit Explore, you’ll be taken to an interactive world map showing flight prices from your departure airport to destinations across the globe. Click and drag the map to different regions, zoom in or out, and hover over destinations to see pricing.

By default, Google Flights will show prices for a one-week trip sometime in the next six months, automatically selecting the lowest-priced dates in that window. On the left-hand side, you’ll see the specific dates associated with each price — and you can scroll through them or click directly into a destination on the map for more details.

For this example, I scrolled across the map over to Europe (because… obviously). While I recommend keeping the default one-week for a spontaneous European jaunt, you can adjust this if needed based on the type of trip you’re looking for (like a short domestic getaway). Click into that field to filter for options like a weekend trip or a specific month.

That said, as long as you stay within the Flexible dates option, you’ll typically have better pricing and more freedom. The moment you switch to Specific dates, you’re no longer really playing Google Flights Roulette — at least in my opinion.

4. Pick Your Destination

Let’s say a trip to the south of France catches your eye, and Marseille is showing flight prices that feel reasonable for dates you can make work. Perfect — you’ve found your destination! Click on Marseille on the map, and it will populate in the left-hand sidebar. Google will show you whether pricing is considered low, typical, or high for that timeframe, along with top flight options, duration, airlines, and stops.

As you scroll, you’ll also see hotel suggestions, weather insights, best times to visit, and FAQs. These can be helpful, but I personally prefer to do my own research for my trip once I’ve locked in flights!

5. Select Your Departing Flight

Now it’s time to choose your flight! At first glance, a British Airways option from LAX to Marseille looks promising, so I click into it. If none of the initial “top” options appeal to you, click View flights to see everything available.

This page opens with Google’s suggested dates and a full list of flight options. You can sort by price, duration, departure time, arrival time — whatever matters most to you.

If you belong to an airline alliance or mileage program, this is where that comes into play. For example, I’m part of the Oneworld Alliance through Alaska Airlines, so I’ll often prioritize those flights (if available). Otherwise, you can simply choose what’s cheapest or most convenient.

One important thing to note: Google’s algorithm suggested a nine-day trip for this example itinerary. If that’s too long, you can adjust the return date — just keep in mind that changing dates often increases the round-trip price (though you may save on accommodations and meals).

When reviewing flights, always click the dropdown arrow to check layovers. In my case, the “best” option in the initial Explore map had a 1-hour and 15-minute layover at London Heathrow — which I personally would never risk, given the extra security required there. I prefer at least two hours at LHR, ideally more.

After reviewing other options, I landed on an Air France flight with a 2-hour and 10-minute layover, only about $40 more than the original cheapest option. Still well within my comfort zone — so Marseille it is.

Once you’re happy, click Select flight. Don’t worry — nothing is booked yet.

6. Select Your Return Flight

Next, you’ll choose your return flight. On the way home, I like to minimize total travel time as much as possible (and flying from Europe to the U.S. gives you time back anyway), so I usually sort by duration and then weigh price against timing.

For this example, two return flights stood out. One saved about $80, so I selected the 9:35 AM option, double-checked the details, and clicked Select flight. $544 round trip? NOT BAD!

7. Review & Book!

You’ll now be taken to a final review page. Take your time here — open the dropdowns, review layovers, and make sure everything looks right.

Below your Selected flights and their details, Google will show you Booking options across airlines and partners. If you’re part of a mileage program, I recommend booking directly with that airline when possible. Otherwise, choose the best-priced option. In this case, booking through Air France or Delta came out to the same total: $543.63. When prices match, it really comes down to which airline’s mileage program aligns best with your travel goals.

Once you’ve booked, that’s it — you’re officially on your way! From here, it’s time to start planning your itinerary and dreaming up the details. If you’d rather search flights and hotels together in one place, you can also use Expedia or Booking.com.

You did it!

Need inspiration for where to go? Browse my travel guides for Italy, Spain, and Portugal — all destinations I’d personally put into that search bar without a second thought. And once you’ve booked, here’s what I never travel without

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At the end of the day, Google Flights Roulette isn’t about finding the perfect deal or planning the most optimized itinerary — it’s about permitting yourself to go. To be open. To let curiosity (and a reasonable flight price) guide you somewhere new. If you know you want to travel but don’t know where to start, this little game takes the pressure off and turns planning into something fun again. So pour yourself a drink, open the map, and see where it takes you next — you might just surprise yourself!