Find Flights MCP Server: Comprehensive Travel Search Tool for AI Applications

Overview: What is Find Flights MCP Server?

The Find Flights MCP Server is a specialized Model Context Protocol (MCP) infrastructure aimed at enhancing AI applications like Claude Desktop, Continue, and Cursor by enabling them to search and retrieve flight information using the Duffel API. This server leverages the power of MCP, ensuring seamless integration with various AI applications through standardized protocols.

🔧 Core Features & MCP Capabilities

The Find Flights MCP Server offers a rich set of features that make it an invaluable asset for travelers and AI-powered assistants alike. It supports multi-city trips, one-way flights, round-trip flights, and flexible date searches. Key functionalities include:

• Contextual Memory: Claude remembers previous flight searches to simplify ongoing queries.
• Flexible Date Search: Quickly compare prices over multiple days.
• Complex Itineraries: Easily manage multi-city itineraries with just natural language.
• Natural Conversation Interface: No need for manual calendar manipulations – just describe what you're looking for.

These features are encapsulated in a robust API that is compatible with key MCP clients such as Claude Desktop. The server ensures reliability and efficiency by handling flight connections automatically and providing detailed flight offer information.

⚙️ MCP Architecture & Protocol Implementation

MCP Protocol Flow Diagram

graph TD
    A[AI Application] -->|MCP Client| B[MCP Protocol]
    B --> C[MCP Server]
    C --> D[Data Source/Tool]
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style C fill:#f3e5f5
    style D fill:#e8f5e8

MCP Client Compatibility Matrix

MCP Client	Resources	Tools	Prompts	Status
Claude Desktop	✅	✅	✅	Full Support
Continue	✅	✅	✅	Full Support
Cursor	❌	✅	❌	Tools Only

Detailed Implementation

The server is built using Python 3.x and utilizes the Duffel API for flight data retrieval. It supports three main tools:

1. Search Flights: Allows searching based on various parameters.
2. Get Offer Details: Provides detailed information about specific flight offers.
3. Search Multi-City Flights: Specialized tool for complex multi-city itineraries.

Each tool is defined with clear input and output protocols, ensuring seamless interaction with MCP clients.

🚀 Getting Started with Installation

Installing via Smithery

To install Find Flights directly into Claude Desktop automatically:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @ravinahp/travel-mcp --client claude

Manual Installation

Alternatively, clone the repository and manually set up dependencies:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ravinahp/flights-mcp
   cd flights-mcp
   

2. Install dependencies using uv (a utility for managing Python projects):

   uv sync
   

💡 Key Use Cases in AI Workflows

Real-World Scenario 1: Travel Planning with Claude Desktop

Imagine a user describing their travel plans to Claude:

"Hey Claude, can you find me the cheapest flight from SFO to LAX for January 7th?"

Claude would use the Find Flights MCP Server to search for and return flight options based on the provided criteria.

Real-World Scenario 2: Business Travel Itinerary Creation

For a corporate travel planner using Continue:

"Can you create an itinerary from New York to Paris, then Rome, and back home?"

Continue would leverage the Find Flights MCP Server's multi-city search capabilities to plan out a series of flights with minimum stops.

🔌 Integration with MCP Clients

The Find Flights MCP Server is designed for optimal integration with key MCP clients like Claude Desktop. It ensures that data requests are efficient and streamlined, providing real-time updates on flight availability and pricing.

📊 Performance & Compatibility Matrix

Performance Metrics

• Search Limits: 50 offers per one-way or round-trip search.
• Multi-City Search Limit: 10 offers.
• Supplier Timeout: 15-30 seconds based on the type of search.

These metrics ensure that the server provides smooth and responsive performance under varying conditions.

🛠️ Advanced Configuration & Security

MCP Configuration Code Sample

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "findFlights": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-find-flights"],
      "env": {
        "DUFFER_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Security Measures

The server includes robust error handling for common issues such as invalid airport codes, missing API keys, network timeouts, and invalid search parameters. These measures ensure that the server can handle unexpected scenarios gracefully.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How does Find Flights MCP Server integrate with Claude Desktop?

A1: It integrates seamlessly through the MCP protocol, allowing Claude to make flight searches directly from user queries using pre-defined AI prompts.

Q2: Can it search for flights within multiple days?

A2: Yes, but due to performance limitations, it is recommended to use one-way or round-trip searches when comparing prices over extended periods.

Q3: What are the cabin classes supported by this server?

A3: Supported cabin classes include economy, premium economy, business, and first. Users can specify cabin class preferences in their search requests.

Q4: Is there a limit to the number of offers returned?

A4: Yes; searches for one-way or round-trip flights return up to 50 offers, while multi-city searches return up to 10 offers.

Q5: How is data security handled with this server?

A5: All API key and other sensitive information are securely managed through environment variables, ensuring secure access and operation.

👨‍💻 Development & Contribution Guidelines

Contribution guidelines will be added in the future, focusing on code standards, testing protocols, and issue reporting. For now, developers can review the existing implementation to understand how contributions can enhance the server's functionality and reliability.

🌐 MCP Ecosystem & Resources

The Find Flights MCP Server is part of a broader ecosystem that includes other specialized servers built for various data sources and tools. This integration enhances the overall functionality of AI applications by providing them with real-time, up-to-date information from diverse APIs.

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This comprehensive documentation positions the Find Flights MCP Server as a robust and versatile tool for enhancing AI application capabilities through standardized protocols. It provides developers with the necessary insights to integrate this server into their workflows while ensuring optimal performance and security.